A domain name is technically the identifier for your business. What you did not know is that behind that name is a string of numbers and letters that help computer programs take the website visitor to the right page.
To customer’s eyes, it’s a name made of letters, so much like the name of a business.
The name speaks so much for itself and helps create impressions about your identity. Some influencers and bloggers use their names, while some get more creative and use a different name altogether.
But what comprises a domain name, and how should you choose one if you are an affiliate marketer?
There are a few things to consider about how to choose a domain name for affiliate marketing. And here they are:
- Think like a web visitor
- Consider being a brand
- Make it memorable
- Use the right extension
- Use seo if possible
We will take a look at each one of them and see how the right domain name can affect your business.
Think Like a Web Visitor
While it is refreshing to create names that do not mean anything, customers are wary of business or domain names that do not make sense, or names that sound too juvenile. This wariness is most especially true for websites that try to sell products.
You have to think like a potential site visitor and ask yourself honestly if you will even bother trusting a website with a funny name if the website itself is not about fun.
The domain name must be related to your specific niche. The name you use must be an accurate or close enough representation of what you are trying to do or sell.
If you are running a health-related website, there is no reason to use Doggone as your domain just because that is your favorite expression.
A better choice is using the word “health” in the domain name since that tells about your business.
If you are selling health tablets and pills, it makes perfect sense to use a domain like Of Pills and Health or Pills for Health.
A customer who goes to your website will immediately understand that your niche is about pills and that the content of your website will help them make wise and informed decisions about their health.
Consider Being a Brand
Another trick on how to choose a domain name for affiliate marketing is to consider a brand name. As a brand, you have the option to use your name or a creative name.
If you are an influencer, and what you want is to be known for who you are, such as being a health advocate, then using your name is a great domain in itself.
A brand is a name that people trust, and it is equally important that this name has credibility.
When people meet for the first time, they form an immediate impression that would last. The same is true with domain names for websites.
If your domain name is GobbledyGook.com, people will immediately think that your site is about tomfoolery and not about something else.
As a brand, the name must not just tell people about your business. It must also somehow be a character that represents your values and beliefs.
Brands often use a tagline because the tagline is what tells people about the purpose or philosophy of your business.
Since you cannot fit your tagline in your domain name, you must be creative enough to create a name that represents who you are.
In our example earlier, Of Pills and Health represents a clear message to the site visitor. The name is about health and pills and how pills affect a person’s general physical condition.
Make It Memorable
If you would like to use your name, make sure that your name is easy to remember.
If you have a long name or a weird one, cut it short. If you use a brand, make sure that it is easy to memorize and that the words you use are easy to pronounce.
You have to draw inspiration from big brands like Google, Apple, or facebook. These names are so simple that it is impossible not to remember these names. Also, you need to keep it short.
‘The Pill and How It Impacts Your Life’ is not a good domain name.
It is too long, and it boggles the mind. Short names are much easier to remember, and customers who have been to your website can type this name on the URL if they forgot to bookmark your page.
According to studies, you should be aiming for 6 to 12 characters. This naming is going to be difficult, as most short names are already taken, and you need to pay thousands of dollars for the domain.
The example Of Pills and Health is made of 16 characters, which is way above the 12-character limit.
The thing is that you still use it because it is a name that can represent a brand. It is easy to remember, and it is only four characters above the 12-character threshold.
Use the Right Extension
There was a time when the only extensions you could use was ‘.COM’ and ‘.NET’ or ‘.ORG’. Today, you are not limited to only these three options. You can even use extensions like ‘.ACCOUNTANT’, ‘.ENGINEER’, or others.
However, these new extensions are a lot more expensive than the standard ones.
The hard truth is that ‘.COM’ is still the best extension there is. People today are so used to this kind of extension, and any other extension seems weird — the extension level ‘.COM’ stands for commerce.
It is a reliable extension, and you should aim for this, if at all possible.
If you cannot find an extension that ends with ‘.COM’, your second option is to look for another common one like ‘.NET’ or ‘.ORG’.
If not possible, then you have no other choice but to use extensions that are fancy such as ‘.CHURCH’, ‘.ME’, ‘.PIZZA’, ‘.HEALTH’, or others.
The thing with these extensions is that they are weird, and site visitors may not take kindly to it because they sound like spam websites.
Always aim for ‘.COM’ if you can.
Use SEO If Possible
The last trick on how to choose a domain name for affiliate marketing is to use SEO. You need to do diligent research on what your target market is using to find your products.
If you are selling pills for health, you have to find out the words that people are typing in search engines to find products like this.
Once you know what these keywords are, you need to find a way how to include them on your domain name.
If, after your research, you found out that people use the phrase “pills for weight loss,” then it makes sense to use a domain called WeightLossPills.Com.
This name in itself speaks so much about the website, and site visitors immediately know that they will get a load of useful information about pills that will help them lose weight if they visit this website.
Summary
The right domain name can help you sell more products. It creates credibility and a brand. Don’t rush into buying a domain name from a registrar.
They are cheap, and they are easy to obtain.
While most good ones are already bought, there is still a way to create a meaningful and useful domain name for your affiliate marketing business if you just put your time and effort into it.
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