One of the most common brain-teasers for new business owners is finding the right domain name.  Apart from choosing between the many suffixes available (.com, .co.uk, .biz etc.) there is also the concern about competition.

What if your URL is too similar to your competitors?  What if it’s too boring, or gets lost among the other search results on Google?

SEO is a part of what we need to consider, and so is recognition from your customers. So ideally, you are aiming to choose a URL that says what you do, where you do it and who you are.  No small feat.

Let’s look at the top 3 considerations, and some tips to help you make a better choice for your business.

1. The SEO Tip

Let’s start by considering how your URL affects your SEO, in other words, your Search Engine Optimization.

Having a URL that says what your business does in a literal way, can help Google to identify you as an appropriate result for a search query.

For example, if a consumer is searching for gardening tools, and your URL is something obviously about gardening tools, then you gain a few SEO points.

An example of an SEO-focused URL for gardening tools could be;

“KeithsGardeningTools.co.uk”

It says what you sell, which helps Google. It also has your branding (Keith), and the suffix (.co.uk) says where you are and where you ship to.  So this is an ideal URL.

Many business owners are tempted to get a little more creative with their URL, particularly if they have creative branding.  For example, if the business name was ‘Keith’s Garden Shed’, then that’s a lovely name from a branding perspective. It has more personality, and doesn’t stray far from the business purpose.

But if your URL was KeithsGardenShed.co.uk then just bear in mind that you might lose a couple of SEO points for having a slightly less obvious URL. You can of course make up those SEO points in other ways; such as adding plenty of relevant keywords to each page of your website, writing clear product descriptions on your online store, and even adding keyword-rich blog content to your site.

So this is not an unbendable rule, but a good tip to keep in mind when choosing a URL.

2. The Recognition Tip

Our next tip is more about what to consider when consumers are searching for you, rather than the Google search bots.

When people are looking at a list of website names and URLs in search results, you want them to instantly recognize your website as having what they will need.

This is another good reason for having a very literal URL that says exactly what you sell.  It’s also a good reason to use full words rather than just abbreviations.

Awarding bodies often do this with their website addresses. For example, the Institute of Chartered Accountants’ URL is simply ICAEW.com.

While this may work for them, we don’t want to follow suit.  We want to stand out to our potential customers. So make sure that at least part of your URL contains a full word or two about what you offer.

This is also a good time to mention using your own name as a URL. If you are a one-person band, perhaps a coach or consultant, or maybe an artist, then your own name can be the most appropriate URL.  You could also add a word about your offerings to make sure it is obvious, and to help your SEO.

For example:

LauraStanleyLifeCoach.co.uk

KatieBrettArtist.com

DavidMossConsulting.biz

3. The Aesthetic Tip

Finally, you want to think about how your URL will look on your branding. This is something that will be visible everywhere, from your business cards to all your online assets. 

When you look at your URL, how does it make you feel?  Are you filled with pride? Does it represent the business?

The final step, before you cement the deal by paying for the URL, is to check how it looks to you.  Try adding it to your business card template.  If you need a new template then try BusinessCards.co for free.

Take a look at your URL on your email signature, plus any social media graphic templates you use (Canva is a good tool for this) and make sure you are happy.

So much of our confidence as business owners is tied up in how we feel about how our business looks to the world. And the more confident you are, the harder you will push your marketing and PR efforts. Make sure your URL looks and feels good to you, before you sign up to it for a year or more.

In Summary

While it’s true there is a lot to consider while choosing a new URL, these 3 tips are plenty to get you thinking along the right track.  At the end of the day, if you find something that feels right to you, don’t overthink it.  You have to settle on something, and then just forge ahead with your marketing and SEO.

The URL is an important component, but there is so much more to the success of your business. So make an informed decision, and then move on to improving your SEO, boosting your marketing, and making those all-important sales.

Wishing you luck with your new business.

Successful entrepreneurs take it upon themselves to master all aspects of business management. This includes marketing, which is a key component of establishing a brand that will last. You need to make social media posts, send e-mails, and so on to grow your small business.

Consequently, most entrepreneurs assume that successful marketing will also require a substantial amount of time and money. However, this isn’t the case.

Don’t be mistaken – you will need to invest effort into your digital marketing strategy. But there are plenty of ways to lessen your workload. Keep reading to discover five free tools that can make your job easier.

Evernote

A comprehensive marketing strategy is involved, to say the least. You need to decide what type of content you will produce and the most appropriate posting schedule. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.

You have to carve out time to create content, find images, search hashtags, analyze data, and so forth. Evernote lets you create a plan to tackle these tasks.

Their free note-taking tool is more complex then it might look at first glance. There are several ways to use it. You can type notes in one section, then switch to a freehand tool for brainstorming.

Buffer

After you’ve planned out how to approach marketing, you still need to implement your ideas. You can count on Buffer to simplify the posting process.

Their social media management tools make handling platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram a breeze. Account holders are able to upload and optimize content before it’s released.

After your content is finalized, you can put your posting schedule to good use. Their automation tool is the perfect way to synchronize post releases across all various accounts. It’s especially helpful during announcements like product releases where timing is crucial.

Moosend

Email marketing is a particularly powerful tool for small businesses when leveraged correctly. In terms of customer outreach, most people already have an email account.

Put this free, accessible form of communication to work with Moosend. This is an email automation service with a handful of great features.

For example, you can use their drag on drop email creator to create ideal layouts for welcome messages, promotions, and more. It will also personalize each email for your customers, which helps drive engagement. 

Moosend even tests the effectiveness of your emails to improve your marketing strategy over time.

LogoCreator

You work diligently to bring your business to life. From products and services to marketing and outreach, you invest a great amount of energy into your venture. Help other people find and appreciate your hard work through seamless branding.

One way to create a recognizable brand is by developing a strong logo. LogoCreator is a simple, useful tool that lets you design one for free.

This design service includes an endless library of template logos that you can adapt to your needs. Alternately, you can begin from scratch and choose images, text, and layouts that best suit your business.

Canva

There’s a component to strong digital marketing that cannot be understated. This is the power of an image. It extends far beyond the saying “every picture is worth a thousand words.”

In fact, it’s more like every picture can generate a thousand interactions. Visuals drive customer engagement unlike any other aspect of marketing. This is why you should use Canva.

This online tool is the go-to option for editing and cropping images and creating infographics. Make sure every piece is polished before it’s published.

You have a long to-do list as an entrepreneur. But your time and budget are limited, especially at the start. Save yourself from marketing headaches and check out all these tools today.