Ecommerce is increasingly central to businesses of all sorts, from pop stars to sports leagues. And the right name can make a difference. Here’s what to consider when you’re looking for a name, or names, for your e-commerce front-end.
Each Part Of A Domain Name Matters
Domain names are broken into two parts mostly. In a domain name such as Dudeperfect.store, .store is what is referred to as top level domain, and Dudeperfect in the middle is the domain name.
All the makings of a domain matter, especially if your e-commerce operation is just one piece of your online presence. Lorde, for example, has as her central hub online Lorde.co.nz. But if you’re looking for her merchandise? That’s at Lorde.store. Picking the right domain name means directing your customers to where they want to go quickly.
What’s Your Brand?
However, not all of us are genre-defining pop stars. That means we have to think about our brand, at a basic level, and how our customers perceive it. Say, for example, you’re a bike shop in Des Moines, and you’re looking to create an easy and quick shopping experience so local customers can order the parts and gear they need to keep their bikes rolling. You might go with desmoinesbicycle.store. But if you’re looking to establish a larger brand or sell custom bikes online, you might go with your brand instead.
Look At What You Click
When considering domain names, look at the domains you click versus the ones that you don’t. We all get constant calls to action to click on this link or visit this site, and whether or not we do can depend on the URL we see. You may know your local drugstore inside and out, but if they send you a link to best-internet-drugstore.biz… are you really going to click?
This doesn’t mean you can’t use keywords or get creative. If you live in Syracuse, for example, you’re probably more likely to visit SyracuseDrug.Store. But notice that tells you important information: Where the store is, and what it sells. Ideally, just by looking at the domain name, your customers should know whether or not you’re selling services that suit their needs.
Don’t Get Stuck On A Specific Name
That said, it’s easy to follow branding and SEO right off a cliff. Suppose you’re selling toys in Chicago, ChicagoToy.Store might be a good name. But stop and consider what “toy” means; you have everyone from parents looking for the hot new toy, to the hardcore collector looking to finally get that tan vest, to the uncle who may not know what he wants to get his nephew, just that it can’t make any loud noises. Be flexible in your name and if it’s already taken, step back and think about another approach.
Use Multiple Names
Depending on your budget and approach, you could even secure multiple domain names and direct them all to the same place. With our bike store example, you may actually choose to purchase both .store domains and redirect them to the same place to capitalize on all potential traffic.
Fortunately, finding the right domain name is a little easier this holiday season. You can grab a domain name with a .store extension for $4.99 for an entire year. If you’re ready to commit, you’ll pay just $39.99 for five years or $69.99 for 10 years. Once you’ve got your perfect name, why not lock it in while it’s still available?