How to choose a SEO friendly domain name

Domain names are important for many reasons. They can be used to brand a business, help customers find your website, and influence search engine optimization (SEO). So how to choose a SEO friendly domain name that is both memorable and brandable? Keep reading for some tips!

Is domain name important for SEO?

If you’re wondering whether a domain name is important for SEO, the answer is yes… and no. While a domain name itself won’t directly impact your website’s search engine ranking, it can be a factor in whether or not people click through to your site.

If you have a catchy, easy-to-remember domain name, people are more likely to type it into their browser when they’re looking for your product or service. On the other hand, if your domain name is hard to spell or pronounce, people may give up and go to a competitor’s website instead. So while a great domain name won’t guarantee high search engine rankings, it can still be worth the investment.

Does keyword in domain name help SEO?

Exact match domains are becoming increasingly popular for businesses looking to improve their SEO. By purchasing a domain that exactly matches your keyword, can it improve your search engine ranking and get more traffic for that keyword?

Google’s John Mueller say’s “no, a keyword in a domain name will not help a website rank for that keyword”. He says that while it may have been the case in the past, it is no longer true today. Mueller says that Google looks at many factors when determining how to rank a website, and a keyword in the domain name is not one of them.

Bear in mind search engine’s algorithms are sophisticated enough to figure out what a website is about without relying on the exact keyword match. So keep your focus on creating great content instead of worrying about whether or not you’re using the perfect keyword. Basically if you can find an exact match domain, then great, if not, don’t worry about it.

Is domain name important for SEO?

The short answer is: no, domain names are not directly important for SEO. However, they can be indirectly important if they influence click-through rates or brand ability.

For example, let’s say you have two websites with identical content and identical on-page SEO. However, one has a domain name that’s easy to remember and pronounce, while the other has a complicated, hard-to-remember domain name. All other things being equal, the website with the easier-to-remember domain name is likely to get more traffic simply because it’s easier for people to type in and find.

And if more people are visiting your website, that means you’re more likely to convert some of them into customers.

How to choose the best domain name for SEO

Choosing the right domain name is essential for SEO purposes. But with so many options out there, how do you choose the best one? Here are some tips:

Keep it short and sweet

Every detail matters when it comes to your brand. You want your customers to remember your name and associate it with positive feelings. That’s why it’s important to keep your domain name short and easy to remember. A shorter domain is easier to remember and less likely to be confused with other websites. Plus, a catchy domain name can help you stand out from the competition. So if you’re looking for a memorable, brand-friendly domain name, keep it short.

Make it relevant to your business

It’s important to make sure your domain name is relevant to your business. A domain name that’s relevant to your business will help you attract more customers and increase click-through-rate. So take some time to choose a domain name that accurately reflects your business.

Avoid numbers

You should try and avoid using numbers in your domain name. This is because numbers can be difficult for customers to remember and can make your domain name seem less professional. Instead, try to use a domain name that is easy to remember and spells out your business name clearly.

Be unique

There are a lot of domain names out there, and it can be tough to stand out from the crowd. But it’s important to choose a domain name that reflects your brand and what you do. Be unique, be relevant, and be memorable.

Does hyphen in domain name affect SEO?

Some people believe that a hyphen in a domain name can negatively affect SEO. However, John Mueller from Google has said that this is not the case. He says “I don’t think anything in our algorithms looks specifically for hyphens in domain names.”.

When asked if having multiple hyphens had any impact, Mueller replied “Up to you. Whatever you think makes sense. Some websites have hyphens, some don’t.”

So if you’re choosing a domain name for SEO purposes, you shouldn’t need to worry about including a hyphen.

SEO impact of changing domain name

If you’re thinking about changing your domain name, there are a few things you need to consider. Firstly, changing your domain name ‘could’ have a negative impact on your SEO. This is because search engines associate your domain name with your website. So if you change your domain name, your website’s ranking could suffer.

You’ll need to redirect all of your old pages to the new domain. This can be a complex and time-consuming process. You’ll also need to build up brand awareness for the new domain. All of these factors should be considered before changing your domain name.

That being said, it is possible to change your domain name without losing SEO

Change domain name without losing SEO

If you handle the switch correctly, you can maintain or even improve your website’s ranking. Here are a few tips:

Make sure to redirect all of your old pages to the new domain. This will help search engines find and index your new site quickly and easily.
Use 301 redirects when possible. 301 redirects tell search engines that a page has been permanently moved to a new location. This helps preserve any existing rankings or link equity that the page may have had.
Avoid using 302 redirects whenever possible. 302 redirects indicate that a page has been temporarily moved, which could confuse search engine crawlers.
Keep the same content structure as much as possible. If you completely change the way information is organized on your site, it could negatively affect how users and search engines interact with it.
Pay attention to 404 errors. When moving to a new domain, make sure all links are working properly. Any 404 errors could result in lost traffic and decreased rankings.

By following these tips, you can successfully change your domain name without losing any SEO. However, it’s important to weigh all the pros and cons before making any decisions.