StevenHickey

[1] The domain name that a storeowner chooses can have a huge impact on their business, but why do you think many site owners still fail to optimise the URL they are using?

Online businesses face the dilemma of branding vs. SEO (search engine optimisation) when it comes to their domain name(s) of choice. A URL/domain name on one hand forms the identity of a business and therefore the basis of their branding.

For instance www.wyvernep.co.uk is a client we have using our ekmPowershop ecommerce platform, selling the Wyvern range of equestrian supplies and equipment. They get plenty of repeat business, and as far as online (and offline) brands go, they are now established.

Noticeably, the domain has no reference to equestrian, horse riding tackle, saddlery or any of the other core ‘keywords’ in their industry. Therefore the search engine exposure is not quite as prevalent as it could be.

A keyword based domain name inevitably provides a stronger platform for search engine exposure. For instance, a competitor of the above mentioned Wyvern EP, www.equestrian.co.uk is ideal for any ‘equestrian’ based enquiries on the internet. However the brand is infinitely weaker than Wyvern’s.

Domains are just one part of the SEO mix so the extent to which you choose a brand over your target ‘keyword’ market should be to look at combining the two. For instance www.shires-equestrian.co.uk uses both the brand and the target keyword.

The extent to which business are failing to optimise their URLs is in fact falling. More and more online businesses, especially new start ups are wising up and registering a range of keyword based domains. Our advice is to strike a balance like www.shires-equestrian.co.uk, as it is quite literally the best of both worlds.

Establishing a brand on the internet can be tough due to the competitive nature of the online industry, so make sure you give your website the chance to project a brand, whilst being relevant to your target market.


[2] Are there any dos and don’ts that you can outline when choosing a domain name for a new online business?

Do your homework and register a domain that reflects both your brand and your target keyword market.

Don’t check the availability of the domain through a hosting or domain registration company. Some companies in the domain registration and hosting industry can and do use underhand tactics; we have clients whom have enquired about the availability of a domain through a 3rd party, only to find it has been registered ten minutes later followed by a phone call or an email offering to sell them the domain at an inflated price!

Use a whois type service like www.hexillion.com to check availability, or use a trusted ecommerce provider like ekmPowershop.com to check and register your domain for you.

Also watch out for providers (ecommerce or web design) who register the domain for you in their own name. It’s very unethical, but we come across businesses each and every day whom have been held to ransom over a domain they thought was (and rightly should have been) theirs.


[3] Clearly one of the issues that many storeowners will face is the fact the domain name they would like to use has already been registered. What practical steps can a storeowner take to resolve this situation?

‘Generic’ domains such as www.equestrian.co.ukwere registered many years ago and you will struggle to find such domains available at present.

Try and think out side the box and you will be surprised at what you might find. If you have yet to establish or create your brand then you have some good options.

For instance say you wanted to sell equestrian supplies and haven’t come up with a name for your business yet. I did a quick check on www.a1-equestrian.co.uk and it was available. So why not call yourself ‘A1 Equestrian’ for instance? It is only an example of course but the options are there even in this ‘saturated age’ of domain availability.

Also look to deliminating characters like the hyphen. This opens up possibilities like www.equestrian-supplies-direct.co.uk and www.equestrian-equipment-supplies.co.uk which were both available when I wrote this piece.

You could also offer to buy the domain if you really want one which is already registered… but be ready for a hefty price depending on the domain, and of course how shrewd the present owner is!


[4] Is registering the .com version of your domain as advantageous as it once was? Is there a pecking order of domains that carry more weight with the buying public than others?

Yes! As your business becomes more established, you will notice you get more ‘direct traffic’ to your website i.e. people typing your domain straight into their web browser, as opposed to using a search engine, particularly repeat customers.

What if the customer types in .com instead of .co.uk as they quite simply cannot remember which one to use? Any shrewd competitor would register this in order to ‘steal’ your direct traffic. Register both the .com and .co.uk from the offset (if they are both available).

There is a theory that suggests the public would trust a .co.uk domain more due to it obviously (in most cases) being a UK based business. Therefore use the .co.uk as your ‘primary domain’ and simply point your .com to it; in order to capture all direct traffic as well as your ‘natural’ search engine traffic.


[5] As the cost registering a domain name has fallen to just a few pounds, has this devalued them in the eyes of business owners? Are they seen as just a commodity and not an integral component of their branding?


Not really – it just makes it easier for a business to register more domains than they could do a few years ago. So start your homework now and join the race! Develop a domain portfolio for existing, future and any potential ventures as you never know when they will get snapped up.