Last updated - July 14, 2023
Your domain name is a direct path to your website. You can also consider it as your virtual address. Whoever knows your domain name, i.e. somethinguniquedotcom will have an easier way of finding you in the sea of other websites. It will take them directly to your website and drive traffic to your website and boost its performance. Thus, we can all agree that having a domain name that is unique and not generic will help you build a virtual presence online.
What is actually a domain name?
In a nutshell, just like people can reach your physical location by using your address, people can use your domain name to access your online address. People will type your domain name into their preferred browser and reach your homepage. Your domain name should be something unique to your line of business, easily recognizable and in line with your brand. To be able to use such a unique domain name you’ll have to buy it, register it and make sure nobody else can get the same domain name idea after you. Once you go through all the necessary steps of claiming a domain name for your business or your brand, nobody else will be able to claim the same name. On that note, it’s worth mentioning that you have to renew your domain name every year to avoid having someone else use it.
Who needs a well-thought out domain name?
Anyone who wants to build a website for their business, service or online presence needs a domain. That domain name should be unique and in connection to your business so people looking for you online will easily recognize your domain name and connect it to your business. If the domain name is similar to other businesses in your niche, people might be taken to another business’s website by mistake. To avoid this and any other issues that might arise, we will discuss some of the common domain name myths. By covering these misconceptions, you’ll learn everything you should know about what domain name is, so you’ll know how to discuss your domain name requirements with a web designer. If you’re a web designer, looking to expand your knowledge on domain names, you’ll also benefit from knowing every domain name myth out there.
Here are some of the most common domain name myths you should be aware of and how you can bust them.
You can buy any domain name you want
You can only rent a domain name that is available. First, you need to make a list of possible domain names for your website. Then, you need to make sure at least one of them is available. To perform such a search, you can conduct an online search. This way you’ll eliminate those domain names that are taken or that are confusing to your business and pick the right extension. Dotcom is a preferred extension, but it isn’t your only option. Also, if you truly wish to buy a domain that is already taken, you can contact the owner and negotiate the budget. However, you have to be aware that these might cost a lot and that you’ll have to pay a lot to have that exact domain name.
A domain name is the same thing as hosting
A domain name and a hosting service are two separate things. However, they are easily confused and merged into one entity because you can’t have a website without hosting. In simple terms, you can’t have a house without a plot of land. In this case, your house is your domain name and your website, while hosting is your plot of land. It’s where your website is located and people will use your domain name to reach it. While your domain is your website address, the hosting of your choice provides a space for your website and storage for all files needed to access the website. So, if you want to have a website that is fast, reliable and able to receive all the website traffic you’ll get, make sure you have a budget for a suitable hosting package.
Once you buy a domain, it stays with you forever
We should bust this myth fast because you can lose a lot if you believe in it. You can buy a domain and register it under your name. But, this doesn’t mean that you own the exclusive right to it until the end of time. There’s a catch to it – you can hold exclusive rights to it only if you renew your registration before it runs out. If you don’t, a registrar who actually owns it can auction it off to anyone with the highest offer. So, make sure you track your registration period diligently and renew your registration period before it ends.
Owning a domain is easy
Truth be told, owning a domain is not that easy because you can’t just buy it and keep it to yourself. Even when we say that you can buy a domain, we mean that the only way to own it for a fixed time is to rent it. You rent a domain name that is available from a registrar and you’re expected to renew registration at certain time intervals. The registrar in question is The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers or ICANN for short or anyone else who registered that domain name with ICANN.
Every domain is valuable right from the start
When you hear the phrase google it, you know that you should search for something using a search engine known as Google.com. This is the perfect example that domains aren’t as valuable from the start as they can be after a while. A domain called searchit.com has a simpler name than the search engine we use many times a day. So, we can conclude that it takes time, some branding and search engine optimisation tactics until a domain name acquires value. Who knew that searchit.com is not our search engine of choice but Google is.
You have to add keywords to your domain name
The best way to determine the right keyword strategy for your website and optimise it is to discuss your goals with SEO Brisbane digital marketing experts. An expert will advise you on the best keyword strategies and help you avoid these misconceptions like adding keywords to a domain name. The main issue here is that your primary keywords might change over time so you shouldn’t risk tying your domain to a keyword you don’t want to rank for after some time. Nevertheless, if a keyword is relevant to your business and if an SEO expert advises you on using it in your domain name, you should consider it. Just make sure you weigh all your options, discuss your SEO strategy with an expert and make sure to avoid any keyword stuffing that might result in being penalised by Google.
An extension like .biz is as good as .com
If you’re thinking of abandoning .com domain names because the ones you want are taken, just keep looking and brainstorming. The main key here is that a dot com extension (.com) is considered highly credible and reliable. Nonetheless, it’s also important for your future SEO efforts because people are familiar with dot come extensions in comparison to others. Whenever you can, opt for a .com domain extension in comparison to every other possible option.
Registering a domain is the same as trademarking it
Let’s start by saying – false! And false beliefs are costly. Trademarking process is an entirely different process and you should seek help if you want to do this the right way. One does not entail the other and you should know what you’re getting yourself into if you want to register a trademark or register a domain that is similar to a huge trademark.
Your domain name and social media handles must be the same
This one is debatable because some might say it matters while some might say it doesn’t. We can agree that it will be easier for your website visitors or customers to find you if your domain name and social media handles are the same. But, this rule isn’t set in stone. You can have social media buttons on your website which will take your visitors to your social media profiles without them even noticing that the domain name and social media name is slightly different. If your branding strategy and marketing efforts are recognised by your customers, they will know how to recognise your social media handles even if they differ from your domain name.
A domain name is a must, you can’t go without
In technical terms, a domain name is just an easily digestible version of an IP address. You can go without a domain name, but you can’t go without an IP address. But, what a domain does is to make that IP address that is a string of numbers and dots into a more human version of words, dots and extensions. Remembering a string of words ending in dot com is easier than remembering numbers separated by dots.
How to avoid falling for one of these myths?
If you want to avoid falling for one of these myths, make sure to do your homework first. Your first step is to read this article and discuss these common misconceptions with a web designer. Next, you should schedule a brainstorming session with your team to come up with unique domain names. This will make the search for that perfect domain name easier and you’ll be happy with the results.
