A domain is simply a unique name on the internet where a website can be viewed. Choosing a domain name can be one of the most daunting tasks. More so, if you end up choosing the wrong one! A domain is imperative for your brand’s success, online visibility and revenue thereof.

Well, the important distinction to make is that the SEO strength of a domain lies in the history and age fo the domain itself, rather than the actual content of a website. Let us take an example for this –

Theoretically, we could take any organisation, let’s say ABC, and transfer all the current files and databases on abc.com over to a freshly created domain called alphabravocharlie.com. When you visit the new domain, you will all contents of abc.com listed over there. However the new domain – alphabravocharlie.com will have no online visibility because it has no history and standing in Google. In internet terms, the new domain has no domain authority.

What is Domain Authority?

Domain Authority (DA) is a search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). A Domain Authority score ranges from one to 100, with higher scores corresponding to a greater ability to rank.

Should I worry about domain authority in the initial stage?

Well, NO, not at all, but do remember that a good domain will create a good domain authority.

What domain name should you choose?

There are essentially 3 types of domain names/types you can choose from –

1. Exact Match Domain (EMD)

The name of the domain contains only the commercial keyword or phrase you are targeting in the search engines. For example – If you are running an online business of handicrafts, it could be abchandicrafts.com

2. Partial Match Domain (PMD)

The name of the domain contains part of all of the commercial keyword/phrase you are targeting, but with other words included. Eg. – abchandicraftlovers.com

3. Branded Domain (BD)

This type of domain does not contain the commercial keyword or phrase targeted in the search engines. Eg. – abcartisans.com

We suggest choosing a branded domain name for your online business. The reason can be attributed to Google search algorithm. Sometime in September 2012, Google launched an update to prevent poor quality sites from ranking well simply because they had words that match search terms in their domain names.

Hence, including a keyword that’s well searched on searched engine will not contribute to increase in rankings.

Stay tuned for more lessons on domain names.

Need help with choosing a domain name?

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