The right domain name can do a lot for your business behind the scenes, and should by no means be chosen lightly. While there are many that favour the branded domain name (i.e. your business name), others again believe a keyword domain name (i.e. what your business does) could be more effective in more ways than one. Is this still the case?

To answer this, let’s take a step back and look at what the right domain name should do.

The right domain name should:

• Be memorable: A domain name that is easy to remember makes it easier for potential customers to recall and search it later. It is a cost-effective marketing tool that could help you get more traffic as a result. Just think about www.webuycars.co.za or EXAMPLE-www.wesellcars.co.za. They are hard to forget.

• Be marketable: The right name enhances a company’s marketability. Think about how it would sound over a radio ad or how it would look on a printed advert. A difficult to spell, tedious or lengthy domain name could do more harm than good.

• Be suited to your industry: Your business’ domain name should fit in with your line of work. Some industries are more professional than others and creative wordplay isn’t always appropriate.

With the above points in mind, if used professionally and appropriately, keyword domains, can do a lot for your business from a visitor point of view, but can it enhance your SEO?

According to Google’s John Mueller, keywords in a domain name does not boost a company’s ranking for that particular keyword. Only unique, value-added and relevant content, user intent for the content created and links to your website can do that.

At Domains.co.za, we want your business to be successful with the name you choose. That is why we don’t just offer a wide selection of all the best and most popular domain extensions but also SuperFast SSD web, VPS hosting, an extremely professional and easy website builder solution together with a series of online security products to make your business’ online presence as pleasurable as it should be.

Chantel Venter

Chantél Venter is a creative writer, strategic thinker, and a serious gesticulator. She’s passionate about storytelling, small businesses and bringing color to the world ­– be it through her words or wardrobe.

She holds a four-year degree in Business and Mass Media Communication and Journalism. She’s been a copywriter and editor for the technology, insurance and architecture industries since 2007 and believes anybody can run a small business successfully. She therefore enjoys finding and sharing the best and most practical tips for this purpose.