)Trust a website
Consumers are far more likely to trust a business which has a website – in fact 89% do according to research.
So, what are the top tips for ensuring you have the best window to your business via the world-wide web?
Ensure the domain name reflects your business name as much as possible. There’s no point having a name which bears no relevance to your business name or what your business is about. If its confusing, then it’s likely to turn prospective customers away.
Make sure it’s easy to remember – short and simple is the best way to go. Some customers will type the name in directly rather than googling it so it’s far better to have something that’s memorable, and try and avoid too many hyphens or words.
You want your website to stand the test of time so think about future proofing it from the start, and especially avoid using things such as dates, unless you’re happy to regularly update it. Having said that regular content does help with SEO, so you do need to consider this.
The top-level domain (i.e. .co.uk, .com, .org) will have an impact on how your website is perceived. If you’re a business which is based in the UK and has primarily UK based clients, then ensure your top-level domain reflects this. Customers are more likely to trust your site if they know where you’re located.
Before flicking on the switch, do your research and think about asking friends, family, acquaintances for feedback on your domain name. What are their thoughts? Do they understand the name, is it easy to spell (think about way the name could be misspelled or misunderstood)? It will pay in the long run even if you don’t like their feedback! Are there any competitors out there with a similar name? After all, you don’t want to be directing your customers elsewhere!
Finally, consider buying the different variants of your new domain. This will protect your business and brand, after all, you don’t want someone else taking advantage of your own success. If the feedback from your trusted sources (as above) is the name was easy to misspell – think about buying these names and have customers redirected to your site. You may just pick up a few extra along the way.
Once you’ve considered these options, you’ll be in a far better place to pick the right domain name for your business. And if you need a hand getting started with the design, just get in touch. #websitedesign #ITsupport
