They’re everywhere. In television commercials, newspapers, billboards signs – even on food wrappers. However, what the heck are domain names and why are they so important?
A domain name is one of those things which can be crucial for your business and it is critical to own it. It contributes to building your ‘brand’ on the Internet and, yes, can become an invaluable marketing communication that can be linked to you at the blink of an eye. With proper action, your domain name would follow you for a number of years probably your entire life. Your domain name is also a capital investment. But, as the popularity of your website increases the value of domain name also increases in the same proportion.
So now comes the real challenge: Choosing, in fact, your domain name for your Internet business.
In today’s blog, we will discuss and lead you through key tips needed to finding the Perfect Domain Name for your business, and learn how Canadian domain names (.CA) might be advantageous for small businesses, and finally, discover how to start looking for a suitable domain name effectively. And while many of our readers come to sell online, or to promote a business, or for branding their products in Canada, you are in the right place.
What is a Domain Name, anyhow?
Before we get into how to select a good domain name, let's make sure we understand what we are doing.
Examples of domain names include google.com, whc.ca. Think of these as online addresses that are used to access websites for business, news sources, and whatever other treasures (or oddities!) the Internet holds.
On a more technical level, a domain name is essentially a string of characters that can be translated by computer systems connected to the Internet, often using a service called DNS, into what is sometimes referred to as an Internet Protocol, or IP, address.
Available domain names can be registered for a yearly fee and for a period ranging between 1 to 10 years through a domain name registration provider such as Web Hosting Canada. Once registered, you can renew your domain indefinitely by paying its renewal fees. If you do not renew your domain, it generally gets released within 3 months of its expiration so that someone else may register it.
Understanding the different components of a domain name
A domain name comprises parts, and let's break this down so that you may get a proper view of these components:
- Domain Name: This is like the specific address that identifies your website, such as "example.ca." It is actually an association of a name combined with an extension.
- Name: The main part of the domain name, located left of the dot, sometimes called second-level domain or SLD. You can register nearly any name that is available in a given extension, so you can get creative! It can only contain letters, numbers and hyphens, and it is not case-sensitive. It cannot be longer than 253 characters (nor would it be practical to have one that long!).
- Extension: The last part of the domain name; .CA or .COM; it is also known as top-level domain or TLD. Today there are over 1000 TLDs; most of which are unrestricted, but some have specific profession or geographical restrictions.
- Subdomain: That is not included in your domain name or domain registration process. You can make as many subdomains as you want from your hosting account, so don't worry about this!
When you register a new domain name, what you are trying to do is pick a name and extension combination that hasn't already been reserved by someone else. You might get very creative in the name part, but your selection of extension will be limited to what's actually available from registries-the companies that manage domain extensions, such as Verisign and CIRA.
For instance, the name I can give my domain can be MyDomainIsSuperCool.ca if the extension is available. The reason I cannot have the name MyDomainIs.SuperCool is that there is no registry that has created the domain extension .supercool With that in mind, let's get down to the business of how to pick out the best name.
Why Your Domain Name Matters for Your Small Business
Your domain name is actually not just how users can reach the internet, but also a part of your brand. For many prospects, they will see it first and probably make a judgment on your company based on that. A good domain name, therefore, can improve your brand recognition, give trust to your targeted audience, and allow more searches from search engines.
Some of the key reasons why a good domain name matters are described below:
- First Impressions Do Count: Your domain name forms the very first impression when people land up on your brand. This should be both, positive and memorable.
- Benefits Through SEO: When the domain name portrays your business along with the services you have to offer, you may get better search engine ranking then customers would find you easily.
- Brand Identity: A catchy and memorable domain name is important in creating your brand and making you different from your competitors. Trust and Credibility: If you are from Canada, using a .CA domain name for Canadian organizations may increase your level of trust in front of local customers.
The Benefits of Using a .CA Domain for Your Small Business
We've already touched on some of the benefits of having a . CA Domain for Small Business, but let's dive in a bit deeper on why this is a savvy move for Canadian small businesses.
Stronger Regional Presence
Using a .CA domain will tell people that the business is indeed Canadian, attracting locals who want to spend their money on local businesses. It also creates a sense of community and builds trust, especially for those who operate locally.
Increased Credibility
.CA domain adds legitimacy. In fact, lots of Canadian customers are more trustful of a .CA domain than a .COM domain because it denotes a legitimate, locally operated business.
People in Canada like interacting with Canadian websites. Last month, a Strategic Counsel survey reported that 84 per cent of Canadians would prefer to shop on sites with .CA domains. And this is just part of what—.CA says to potential shoppers: This site is likely to offer shipping to Canada, list their prices in Canadian dollars—and more!
Availability of Domain Names
The .COM space is quite aggressive, and most of the best names have already been occupied. With this in mind, there is a greater probability that the name you want is available to you with .CA, and you also get more flexibility when deciding on the name.
Better Local SEO
For example, many search engines, including Google, favor local websites when searching for a local business. So the SEO advantage in ranking in Canadian search results would be gained by using a .CA domain.
10 Tips for Choosing a Great Domain Name
Choose a simple, unique, memorable domain name for your brand.
If you have a brand name, then you are supposed to file the name as your domain. A branded domain name helps people find you easily online and identifies your business with your website.
You may have several minor adjustments while using your brand name as your web address, depending on the length and characters in your brand name. So, you should focus on:
- Ensure that your domain name comprises no more than 15 characters
- Avoid words with difficult spelling
- Avoid creative spelling (for example, "U" instead of "you")
- Avoid unnecessary fusing of words (e.g., "Children's wear" becomes "childrenswear")
Avoid hyphens and numbers
People type misspell all the time. Remove hyphens and numbers to reduce chances of visitors misspelling your domain name.
It also makes your domain friendly on mobiles. When typing a URL on a phone, you have to toggle between the alphabet keyboard and the numeric keyboard-this leaves more room for typos, misspellings, and frustration.
In your domain name, avoid:
- Mixing numbers and words: c00ld0main.com
- Hyphens: cool-domain.com
- Abbreviations: kldomain4u.com
- Doubled letters: coolesttopdomain.com
Ensure that it is as Axiomatic as possible
Don't make your visitors guess! Let them remember what you're all about by having an easy-to-type domain name - include relevant keywords that the people searching online might actually use to find a website similar to yours.
Examples:
- AffordableHomesInVancouver.ca
- LowCostAutoRepair.com
- ToysForToddlers.ca
Some good tools to help you find those popular keywords:
- Google Trends - Discover what's hot and what else is trending that's related, as well.
- Ubersuggest - Uncover how many searches there are per month for a keyword with some additional ideas.
Go for the .CA and .COM first
If you are selling goods or services to people in Canada, it is better to use the extension that has geographical meaning in the market where the product is being sold. The most popular extension in Canada would be .CA, and .COM is actually recognized around the world. Actually, we highly recommend you to take both of them if possible.
Hence, if one tends to conduct more business in Canada, then the .CA domain would actually suit him/her because it would identify one as a Canadian business right away, whereas, a Canadian rival using the .COM domain probably would not so quickly catch the eyes of potential customers.
Go for Creativity with Domain Extension
If your domain isn't available with .CA or .COM, or if you want to stand out with something different, get creative with any of the hundreds of available new domain extensions. Have a look at our domain extension categories, such as 'Food and Drink' or 'Services', to discover more options specific to your online project.
Some creative examples are:
- MontrealContemporary.art
- ILoveAll.tech
- SuprisesIn.store
- IWroteA.blog
- ComePlayVideo.games
The number of domains increases exponentially when you search beyond the "traditional" domain extensions.
Think Long-Term
Choose a domain name that will grow with your business. Do not choose a name that is too specific to a single product or service if you are going to be expanding in the future.
Example: If you're running a marketing agency that specifically focuses on social media, you wouldn't want SocialMediaExperts.ca, whereas something general such as MarketingSolutions.ca would make more sense. In this case, you are still well within your rights to associate your domain with your business even in case you expand more beyond social media marketing.
Make it Easy to Pronounce
Apart from the fact that it'll make your domain easy to share orally in person or over the phone, making it easy to pronounce also makes it more memorable and brings a more favorable association to your brand. You shouldn't have to spell your domain so that people understand it.
Using numbers, hyphens or slang can lead to misinterpretations when it is heard, and should be avoided if possible. For example, If someone tells you there are great deals at "get more for less dot ca" would you instinctively think of "get-more4less.ca?" Probably not.
If you do decide to make use of numbers, consider registering both the number and the word versions of your domain, for example TopTenLists.ca and Top10Lists.ca
Pick a domain name that will scale
While choosing a domain name, take into consideration the scope for future expansion of your business. Ensure that the name is broad enough to include possible expansions or diversification for the future.
For example, the florist might run into a limitation with "cityflowers.com" if they decide at a later point in time to sell something other than flowers. On the other hand, "cityblooms.com" will allow more number of related products for the future.
Observe how the domain name of plant shop The Old Yew is far more representative of the brand, rather than the products sold in the shop. Thus, the shop is able to take off in a lot of different directions with its brand.
Avoid Trademarks
A second, significant possibility is that your domain name might infringe on another businesses' trademark. Merely because you have registered the domain does not mean that another business can't sue you for your use of it. This might cost you in court battles or, worse, force you to give up the site and start over.
As a general practice, do not incorporate another company's brand into your domain name, nor should you attempt to cause confusion with another company's brand (which includes the possibility of typos or misspelling). You may also want to do a search of registered trademarks on the Canadian Trademark Database.
Do not forget about domain privacy and security options
Almost all domain registrars have security features in place, including services like WHOIS privacy which hide your personal information. This service usually replaces your details with the information of a proxy service.
Another important thing is to confirm that the domain you have selected will be coming with SSL encryption which is significant enough for encoding the information communicated between your website and the visitors. This would, of course, help establish trust among your audience.
Find drop domains at online platforms
Sometimes, you may realize that the best name for your brand has already been taken by someone else. You can then opt to look for platforms that sell pre-owned domains through domain auction sites and marketplaces.
These platforms give domains that aren't in use but may have more prestige or SEO benefits because they are older and have a history. Provided that you do some research, you could locate a domain at a low cost with great value.
Still, if you are set on purchasing a used domain name, inspect its history for penalties associated with possible previous misuse.
Buy multiple domain names
Once you have your first name secured, it may be worthwhile to buy any similar names. Having multiple domains protects your brand, catches common misspellings, and caters to different geographic locations.
As an example, when your business goes global, registering a country-specific domain, such as .CA may be useful. Moreover, acquiring common misspellings of your main domain may help block your competitors from capturing your lost traffic.
You can even set one address as the primary domain and have the rest redirect to it, thus streamlining visitor traffic to your main site.
Consider a Bilingual Domain
Are you hosting visitors to your site both in French and English? In this case, try to find a domain that could be used both in languages (quite hard, in some cases), or register two domains- one in each language.
Also, remember that sometimes Canadian English can spell things one way where the American or British spelling is different. Be sure to cross check your words with your desired market, and you may want to register all of the variations of spelling for your domain.
Conclusion
Find the Best Domain for Your Business in Canada seems a very tiresome affair, but it can be one of your most exciting moments in business. Following the guidelines highlighted above; embracing the .CA domain and following the best practices laid, you can easily secure a good domain name for your business that will appeal our target clients.
Please, bear in mind that your domain name is one of the keystones of your brand identity. It may take some time, but when done properly the advantages will be reaping for the next few years. However you decide to position your brand geographically or globally what is important is that your domain captures what your company is about and ensures that you touch base with your clients. Therefore, the above-discussed tips should be implemented and get searching for the right domain name for the business at present.
FAQ
Which domain name extension is best?
The most ideal extension for most businesses is the .com domain name. It is the most popularly used domain name, very trustworthy, and features in most websites that are searched. In cases where one cannot remember a particular URL, the first guess is that it ends with the .com extension. However, other extensions can be suited for other uses. For example, for examples of nonprofit or charitable organizations, there is the .org extension. For example, one has the .edu extension, which is strictly for academic-based institutions.
Is .CA right for my business?
See—not just anybody can have a.CA domain name. Simply put, anyone with a Canadian identity number (inclusion, temporary or otherwise) can apply for and use a .CA without any ifs, ands, or sorry about that. You also require the compliance with the Canadian presence requirements!
What is Canadian presence test?
In other words, Canadian presence requirements make certain that you and yours carry out business operations within the Canadian regions, not Croatia or any other country.
Is a long domain name bad?
It might be a bit difficult for other people to remember, and it's certainly hard to type in. In case the domain name becomes too complicated to spell, then this would imply poor user experience. Try not to have complicated or long domain names if you can get away with it.
How do you permanently buy a domain name?
No one can buy a domain name permanently. Domain name registration happens on a recurring basis—sometimes it can be one year, or you can prepay for a domain name for a longer period of time.
How much does a domain name cost?
The prices for the domain names vary greatly according to things like the extension for the domain, popularity of the keywords, and the price charged by the domain registrar. A standard .com domain usually costs between $10 to $20 per year. But highly sought-after keywords can work for quite a premium in terms of price-there could be tens of thousands of dollars or even millions of dollars.
How long should my domain name be?
Ideally, your domain name should be short, easy to remember, and simple to type. Opt for a name that is between 6-14 characters and should avoid overly long or complicated words.
What kind of domain name should I use for my Canadian small business: .CA or .COM ?
It's very much suggested that a Canadian business have a .CA domain because it'll localize your business and attract more Canadian customers. This can even assist with local SEO, so you rank better on searches led from within Canada. A .COM is a worldwide standard, but for any local business going after Canadian clients, this can actually serve as a good option.
Do I need to use keywords in my domain name?
Yes, it is true that including relevant keywords in your domain name will positively contribute to your SEO. For instance, you are a web design business in Toronto; the kind of domain TorontoWebDesign.ca would increase the visibility of your website in the search results when customers look for web designing services in your area.
What if my desired domain is taken?
If the domain name you want is taken, experiment with slight deviations: tacking on a location (e.g., TorontoBakery.ca), key word tweaks, or close approximations. If you prefer .COM and that is taken, there are frequently other domain extensions (.CA, for example) that are not very frequently used in a specific niche and might serve as a stand-in.
