For so long, all the internet knew was .com, .net, and .org. Sure you’d see the occasional .edu or .gov, but those were reserved for particular websites. Nowadays, domain registries, and the internet in general has exploded with new URL endings. You can register anything from a .bible to a .beer. Even certain tech companies have their own URLs, like .apple or .aws (for Amazon). With so many options out there now, and so many potential combinations and online real estate open for new businesses to spring up, you might be wondering if there are benefits to one of these trendy new top level domains, or if you should go with a tried and true .com or .net. There are definitely a few factors to keep in mind, such as memorability, trust factor, and SEO.
Is a .com The Best Domain Ending for SEO?
Many SEO specialists claim that Google and other search engines are typically biased towards .com ending in particular, even against other highly common TLDs such as .net. The truth is that the ending of your URL doesn’t change how google indexes your site in any way. It’s still scanning all the actual information hosted on your site, and that is prioritized much more highly than your domain name at all. However, one of the reasons this claim is made is simply because of trust and commonality. Because .coms are so common (no pun intended), they typically convey a greater degree of trust when visited.
What if My Business Name is already taken on a .Com URL?
There are so many ways to customize your URL, from using dashes in between words, to shortening, simplifying, or even adding another related word in some ways such as a location. One thing that marketers ask themselves is if a URL is easily said out loud, to communicate by word of mouth. You want to make sure that your URL can easily be communicated so that people can find you just by saying your website name. This is one of the reasons why .com is so sought after, because it’s one less thing to remember.
Can I Have Multiple URLs?
One tactic you can use is to host your website through one url with a .com ending, and purchase a second URL that is more memorable with a more alternative ending. For example you could have your website set up as musician-name.com, and set up a redirect from name.music to your actual website for better word of mouth communication. What you want to avoid is having multiple websites with the same information, as search engines will flag you with duplicate content and penalize your search rankings.
Contact Boston Web Marketing
Whether you’re a brand new business looking to build your brand and get your dream URL, or you’re an established business looking to capitalize on a unique URL ending, our team at Boston Web Marketing can guide you through the process and help you set up a brand new website for your business. Give us a call at 857.526.0096 or contact us here for more information.