Entering a domain is always the beginning of a website visit. This article deals with this topic.
Anyone who wants to have a presence on the Internet must decide on a domain name. The decision criteria vary depending on the purpose for which the website is run under its name. For a domain for the family website, the name should be used. However, such domains must also be available, which leads to unattractively long names with additional words. Business websites are often given a keyword or abbreviated, depending on whether it is an information presence or a service. Basic criteria when selecting a domain are easy to spell, pronounceability, avoiding similarity to the competition and a memorable value.
How is a domain structured?
In addition to the main name, a domain ultimately only refers to a storage location for the web content. The domain itself, e.g. www.homepage.com, is structured into areas, the third level (www.), the second level (homepage) and the top level (.com). The top-level domain (TLD for short) is the domain extension. This can be country-specific (de-> Germany, fr-> France ...) or purpose-related (com-> commercial, info-> information ...).
Hints for choosing the right domain name
Finding a good name is not easy, and one that is also sustainable. Once a name has been chosen and set up, and the website has been indexed in search engines, it is difficult to change it again. The decision should therefore be well thought out.
- Short and concise title
The domain name should be short and to the point. Ideally consisting of 2-3 syllables. Long names take a long time to type, and a typing error often goes undetected at first. The quick pronunciation and memorability are beneficial here. Companies therefore like to systematically shorten their long names. Whether this is done in individual letters or syllables is up to you or availability. For example, the fictitious "Erste Allgemeine Bohrmaschinen-Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung" (GmbH = german limited) would prefer the second-level domain name eab, eabgmbh or eab-gmbh.
- Unmistakable with other popular sites
It is not advantageous to give your "marketplace for yellow socks" the web address Ebai.de. The association with the market leader in the trading platform seems rather cheap and deceptive. Often, incorrectly spelled web addresses of successful internet platforms are deliberately registered and used in order to exploit this typing error and lure interested parties to the "wrong" offer and generate traffic for your own site. However, this does not have a positive reputation and should be avoided if possible. Internet sites that appear reputable offer a higher success rate; this starts with the choice of domain name.
- Keyword domain name
The trading or service purpose of your platform determines the keyword here. If you are IT consultant Peter Mertens, "IT-Mertens.de" or -.com could be a good option for your internet presence. In connection with your name, there is a keyword with additional identification and memorable value.
- *.com, *.net, *.org, *.info or even *.shop?
Too exotic domain endings such as *.shop or *.biz make a good impression at first glance and are additional name identifiers. Ultimately, however, these do not prove to be more successful. They appear more neutral and not associated with any geographical area. Ultimately, the question of how the website is used. If you are planning an information and interest group for artificial intelligence, "AITECH.INFO" is certainly a good option. Also because it has 3 key elements (AI, technology, information) in the name, is extremely short and an area assignment seems unnecessary.
With your fictitious sock repair service in Germany, you could use "Sockenfix.de" as the entry name for the business. "Sockenfix.com" would be a second alternative. *.org, *.biz or *.net, on the other hand, have a more aloof effect.
- Numbers and special characters
For commercial purposes, you should avoid separators, numbers and special characters if possible. Unless it is part of the name. In fact, they make it difficult to write quickly, drag on, and appear confusing visually. There are of course exceptions where the ability to remember even increases and these characters are part of the corporate identity. For example, "1und1.de" is the well-known main address of the telecommunications company of the same name, 1&1 AG. If you type "rpr1.de" you will always end up at the broadcasting company RPR EINS. The hyphen used by the fictitious IT specialist Peter Mertens mentioned above has a memory effect when it comes to IT, while "Peter-Mertens-IT.de" is rather complicated, drawn out and disadvantageous. The use of these characters should therefore be carefully considered.
- Check property rights
You can find numerous platforms on the Internet for researching protected trademarks, patents or utility models. A simple Google search is also a good way to get an initial assessment. Listing your fictitious drinks store under "coca-cola.shop" will probably get you in trouble with the legal department of a well-known company. ---> Tools for checking property rights, patents and trade mark rights
- Purchase domain names
Today, your trusted web host makes it easy for you to purchase a domain name and book it with the rest of your web package, which also includes email and storage space. If your desired name is already taken or you can't think of a suitable address name, don't despair! Some providers automatically provide suggestions for similar domain names that are still available. You can also find out about popular and common domain names from numerous sources.
There are numerous and productive marketplaces for domain names. Here you can look at existing (already registered) addresses that are still available to the market (including you). These address names have already been taken, so your web provider can no longer assign them. These marketplaces not only contain good and creative names, but also search functions for categories and industries. A search here can't hurt your creativity! If you like one of these domain suggestions, you can use it straight away. Often at a fair price. Don't let the occasionally high prices put you off, contact the seller free of charge and make him your offer.
Such marketplaces are SEDO - Market place for Domain names, Afternic - a GoDaddy domain trading platform, GoDaddy domain-auctions.
If you purchase a domain through one of these marketplaces, you will receive the authentication code after the purchase has been processed. You can then enter this using the option provided by your web host ("Move with domain" or "KK application") and you will be the new owner. With today's technology, this is a matter of a few hours.
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Sources.:
Krause, Jörg: E-Commerce und Online Marketing - Chancen, Risiken und Strategien, 2. Auflage. Hanser, 2000.
Deges, Frank: Quick Guide Domainmanagement - Wie Sie optimale Domainnamen finden und effektiv nutzen, Springer, 2020.