Simply put, domains are an inescapable pillar of business in 2023. As CEOs consider company operations in a world that is increasingly digitalized and recovering from a game-changing pandemic, now is the time to focus and take great care in optimizing a digital platform.
If your business doesn’t have a domain, you are cutting off a major source of visibility and potential revenue. That said, it’s not just about having a domain for the sake of it anymore. There are a number of reasons why a CEO needs to be careful when choosing the right domain name for their business, and we look into the real impact of those below.
It’s Essential to Build Trust on Today’s Internet
It’s a given that your domain is the digital address that marks your home base on the internet. In an age that is filled with fake news, viruses, AI, and a growing number of malicious cyber attackers and fake sites that redirect to phishing scams, online users have become much warier of the places they visit. Credibility is an asset that you can leverage.
Having a good domain name helps you build trust, not just to launch your business but also to expand its presence over time. If you hit that inevitable point of asking ‘How to Drive Sustainable and Long-Term’ Growth’, you will want to exploit the opportunities led by the potential of a domain foothold. From there, you must be strategic in your implementation and be mindful of not just the actual address name itself but also the domain extension.
Both your site’s name and its extension will be essential in establishing trust with consumers. Most people tend to trust .com, .org, and .net more than other extensions. Statista.com reveals that .com remains the most popular top-level domain worldwide with a 52.8% market share. TLD .org follows distantly with a 4.% market share.
Domain History Matters
Even though there are plenty of available domain names, this doesn’t mean that they haven’t had previous owners. You need to make sure you do your research on the domain you’re eyeing, as it may carry some history that doesn’t align with your business.
For instance, if a domain is already known for using black hat tactics and sketchy business affiliations, you are only hurting your brand and credibility by inadvertently connecting yourself to that. It’s also worth checking if there is a history of trademark disputes with a particular domain, as it can be a headache dealing with those matters both financially and time-wise.
Offsite Marketing Still Matters
With the vast web of the internet, offsite marketing still matters to bring traffic to your spaces. Although people may not need to memorize your exact domain anymore these days, it’s still a good idea to have a good, punchy domain that you can incorporate into digital marketing and e-mail efforts.
Namechk.com outlines that short, easy-to-spell domain names with little to no symbols are the best for brand recall and visibility. Their domain generator is actually a viable tool you can use to simply generate a name that represents your business well. It automatically checks for duplicates and sticks to proper naming conventions, so you can efficiently find one that works for you and focus on integrating it with offsite marketing efforts. Because of Google results and linking, users will have an easier time finding your domain without knowing the exact name.
You Need to Curate Your Online Presence
Curating your online presence includes your domain, but it also goes beyond that and trickles over to social media and digital marketing. Online brand curation is an essential part of modernization for businesses that want to create longevity in the digital age.
You may ask – ‘Managers and Leaders, Which Contribution to Modernization?’ we’ve noted how a key aspect of modernization is the differentiation and protection of technical expertise. You must invest in property rights and leverage the possibilities it offers to best maximize the opportunities and conversions that can come from, in this case, your online presence.
When you create a domain name, you want to tie it in with social networking sites and off-site content that sticks to your brand’s tone. This makes it easier for your target audience to find their way to you regardless of what site they may have come from.
Domain Disputes and Squatters Remain a Large Problem
The last thing you want to deal with is a domain dispute or domain squatters. Disputes arise from names that have been filed for complaint due to being used illegitimately. You must take care not to be on the receiving end of this, but it’s also important to go for domains that aren’t already being eyed by squatters that you may have to file a complaint against. In the first quarter of 2023 alone, there have already been 1,443 dispute cases filed in the WIPO.int database.
‘Cyber Ants Can Ruin Your Picnic’, so don’t underestimate the competitive playing field of your enterprise in the digital space. Even when you’re mindful of picking a domain name, you also need to ensure that you are registering it and incorporating the right security measures to prevent cyber attacks. Your files, servers, and systems are all at risk of data loss, theft, and disruption form the moment you go online.