Although opinions on this are divided, most people are still convinced that, in the online world, brand building and SEO begin with choosing the right domain name.
It is much easier to launch a website and build its reputation in a short space of time under a memorable, unique domain name that is relevant to the business’s field of activity.
Although the domain name does not have to match the name of the business or service exactly, this approach is strongly recommended, as there are no coincidences in today’s online world; goals can only be achieved through a strong brand identity and a consistent image.
Why is a domain name important for brand building?
There are several relevant answers to this question, but the most important one is undoubtedly that if we want to establish an online presence with a product or service, we can only do so with a domain name that is sufficiently unique and linked to our brand.
If your sole aim is brand building, then for a website focusing on drain unblocking, you should not choose a domain name that includes the term ‘drain unblocking’, because by doing so you are not building your brand name, but merely reinforcing that particular keyword – something you can achieve just as effectively later on using appropriate SEO methods and other marketing activities.
Google, for example, no longer recommends them at all, and from a search engine optimisation perspective, it barely takes domain names based on search terms into account; in this regard, we would like to emphasise once again that they add nothing to the brand.
However, once you’ve come up with a good name, it’s definitely advisable to secure it with a domain name, and to make the related field of activity immediately clear in the meta descriptions, as this is a huge step towards establishing your future brand.
Of course, a domain name on its own is not nearly enough for comprehensive brand building, as this is a multi-factor equation. More importantly, the right domain name can provide a rock-solid foundation for everything, which is why great care must be taken when selecting it.
How to choose a domain name for brand building?
The most important thing to bear in mind here is that the brand name should always be included in the domain name. It can be combined with the business activity, but this is not recommended if it results in an overly long domain name, as this is not the best option from an SEO perspective.
Choosing a domain name should always be preceded by thorough research to ensure that the resulting brand name is descriptive, simple and easy to remember, as this will need to be reflected in the domain name itself.
It doesn’t matter if the name has no direct meaning or is only loosely linked to our business, as this can be developed later through content marketing and SEO, and even through the website’s branding.
Contrary to popular belief, it is no longer important for a domain name to include our place of residence or the town where our business activities are centred, as, on the one hand, this tends to undermine rather than help brand building, and, on the other hand, we can easily strengthen our position in this area later on through local SEO.
In short, a domain name is very important for brand building; it can form the basis of everything. However, it is worth steering clear of the decade-old SEO tricks in this area, as in this case they are more likely to hinder the brand-building process.