Marketing domain names has become an integral part of building a successful brand, it has been suggested.
Writing for the Drum, Nominet’s Phil Kingsland claimed that almost two-thirds of print and television advertising now includes an internet address.
The use of a domain name provides a direct call to action for consumers in brand campaigns, he noted – helping companies to increase turnover.
According to Mr, Kingsland, director of marketing & communications at the not-for-profit agency, businesses should aim to keep their domain names short and snappy.
He claimed that catchy names are more effective.
“They are less likely to be misspelled and easier to remember and be passed on via word of mouth,” the expert stated.
“For the same reasons it’s a good idea to keep the number of words in a domain name to two or three at most.”
Mr. Kingsland said that when choosing a domain name, it is worth thinking about who the company’s target consumers are.
“If your customer base is predominantly in the UK, then it makes sense to choose a .uk domain name,” he suggested.
“However, .com domain names are often the first choice for businesses looking to demonstrate international scale.”
Another important tip is to ensure the domain name selected represents the company’s best interests.
“Think about what you offer; your unique selling point. It helps to include keywords that explain the type of service your business offers,” Mr. Kingsland added.
“Making your domain name easy to remember is important for customer referrals but also is more likely to appear in industry-related internet searches.”
He said the most important thing in choosing a domain is connecting with a community – whether that is a community of customers, charitable donors, friends and family or business partners.