Choosing your next Web Domain #smchat 11/14 1pEST

Posted on November 13, 2018 by Chris Jones

Coming up with creative domain names seems to just get harder. Like parking spaces at the mall, all the good ones are taken.

Part of the struggle? We feel compelled, if only by peer pressure, to attach “.com” to the end; after all, it is the leading domain suffix on the internet, used in almost 50% of registered domains.

In the beginning, there were few other choices. Extensions like “.edu”, “.org” and “.net” were intended to complement “.com” but their general applications were limited. Country codes came along, with suffixes like “.uk” for the United Kingdom and “.au” for Australia, with new countries added each year. More keywords started appearing in 2001, but the huge expansion of options began in 2014, and has continued. The latest waves of additions diversify into topics like “.golf” and “.book” and my personal favorite “.coffee”. You may not realize there are now 882 domain extensions available.

Still “.com” remains the norm. Most of us hesitate to diverge from the pack.

If we are able to look past the heavily saturated “.com”, new domain opportunities expand before us. The domain name itself, the portion before the suffix, becomes the perfect place to describe your vision, mission and/or brand.

Do we venture out? Let’s explore those possibilities:

Q1. Does using the common domain suffix “.com” matter? What other choices might make sense?
Q2. Does SEO come into the equation? How do I increase awareness?
Q3. What are good ways to narrow/select keywords for a new domain name?
Q4. What makes a domain name brandable? or brand-worthy?
Q5. How do I pick a domain name that’s short, memorable, and just what I need? Is there ‘downside’ for being creative?
Q6. Do I need to trademark my new domain?

On WEDS 11.14.18, at 1pm EST (that’s now pm 6pm in the UK, 7pmCET), please join me in welcoming our special guest, Natasa Djukanovic, as she returns to our #contentseries #smchat. As CMO of domain.me, she is uniquely qualified to help us navigate the expanding domain of .. domain choices .. a critical element of an effective content strategy.

Hoping this conversation sheds some useful light.

I look forward to seeing you online. As always, thanks for stopping in.

Chris Jones aka @sourcepov, Charlotte NC

New to Twiter chats? Just append #smchat and #contentseries to your tweets. We recommend a streaming app like Tweetdeck, so you see the conversation as it emerges. Just join us at the appointed hour .. !