Website Domain Names

Choosing a proper domain name is an essential part of your Toronto based business, as it is what you want your visitor to remember. A visitor might find your Toronto website through a search engine, but your goal should be to not have them search again. Once they know what you offer. You want them to remember your Toronto website domain name in order to lessen the competition.

how does one create an effective website domain name?

Well, first of all, size matters. A-long-complicated-multi-worded-.com is definitely not the best idea. Shorter domain names are easier to remember and will not require your visitor to bookmark your page if they want to return -- it is a hassle, and no one likes to do it.

You also don't want to add hyphens or underscores- that is outdated. Easy to spell words that can be pronounced easily can also make a huge difference. Misspelled words might just direct your visitor to another site. Also avoid using single letters and numbers, as they create a hassle when you try to promote your website through the word of mouth. ( "its not the word FOUR, its the number 4. No, No, I don't mean it as 'FOR you'")

SEO Key Words- Yes? No?

There's a debate that revolves around whether or not search engines give prevalence to online domain names that have keywords in them. One side says yes, they do, thus it is essential. However the other side says, no, it is a matter of properly induced SEO(Search Engine Optimized) techniques within the website that web crawlers look for.

Obviously it is not necessary for you to have a keyword inserted in your domain name, but it does help give insight to what your site is about. The best way to go about this is to just create a domain name that is unique so it sticks out. This way there is also brand potential, in case you decide to brand your products and services in relation to your domain name.
Before you get to that though, make sure you check copyright infringements. Make sure you check with your local or national government in these cases, since you do not want to break any regulation laws.

While at it, browse search engines as well to see if the domain name you decided on is taken, or similar to another one. Subtle similarities might mean loss of business. If you are in the clear, try to obtain singular and plural versions of the domain name as well, as this can also impact your visitor/customer count.

.COM or .CA?

Try your best to register a .com extension. It is by far the most popular and the most trusted amongst web browsers. A .com gives a website legitimacy and allows you to gain your visitors trust (allowing you to hopefully convert them into a customer). However, a local extension, such as .ca can also be beneficial.  Google tries to give information by location. Thus it might help you gain a higher ranking on the search engine. The safe bet, though, is still a .com.

Just remember: a domain name that will stick with the visitor will help them return. As a business, once is never enough.

If you want more tips for your Toronto website design, contact me for my Torongo website design services.