Establishing an online presence is now vital for any business, from one-person trades to large enterprises, freelance professionals and SMEs. Communicating your offering is essential to remain relevant in the market and society, especially in this era of digital transformation. One of the key aspects of ensuring an effective and professional web presence is registering a valid domain. A domain name not only represents a virtual web address but also serves as the cornerstone of a brand’s identity and reputation.
A fundamental marketing principle states that “you cannot not communicate.” This means that not owning a domain or owning a poorly constructed domain communicates inadequacy, disorganisation and a lack of professionalism. Starting with a low-effort domain is like shooting yourself in the foot from the outset.
In this article, we will explore the reasons why a domain is so important, why choosing and registering a domain name should be handled with the utmost care, and how to protect your brand if your desired domain name is already taken.
Brand reputation: protecting your online image
Registering a domain that contains your brand name is one of the first steps you should take to protect your online reputation. This is crucial for preventing others from using your name for unauthorised purposes, which could potentially damage your business image and credibility. Domain registration shouldn’t be an afterthought; it should be done concurrently with choosing your domain name. Before deciding on a specific domain name, you need to ensure its availability. If it is not available, you must devise a plan of action to avoid compromising your project.
Brand protection
Brand protection through domain registration is essential for preventing cybersquatting. Cybersquatting involves the misappropriation of a domain name representing a registered trademark, with the intention of selling it at excessive prices or using it to scam unsuspecting users. Registering your domain from the start of your project helps avoid these issues, safeguarding your name online from the outset. It is pivotal to avoid any ambiguity: a domain name must uniquely identify the brand or project, steering clear of any possible vagueness that scammers or competitors could exploit.
Reliability: building a coherent online identity
A domain name that fits your brand significantly contributes to building a coherent and recognisable online identity. A website with a custom domain name conveys seriousness and professionalism, increasing trustworthiness in the eyes of users and consumers. It’s important to have a clear understanding of the main scope of the web project and its potential impact on users. Identifying with the user’s mental model helps in choosing a domain name that best describes the brand, its offerings, and the content users can expect to find on the website. A domain is what the user sees before even visiting the webpage: it appears in search engine result pages (SERPs), where users decide whether to click on the link. This is a prerequisite for any form of conversion. Therefore, the importance of coherence between the domain, brand, and products cannot be overstated.
Recognisable, trustworthy and memorable
Recognisability is crucial for any business. When clients see a domain that clearly reflects the brand name, they tend to perceive the business as more trustworthy and professional. A custom domain makes it easier for clients to remember and subsequently find a website, increasing customer loyalty and repeat purchases. It’s all about identity, uniqueness, and originality. A domain name that stands out and is easily remembered is always a winner, which is why it needs to be an informed and carefully thought-out decision.
It’s important to note that the domain name is also an integral part of the relevant email address. Consider the domain “yourname.com”; the corresponding email address will look like info@yourname.com, effectively including the domain name itself in all emails, business cards, and any other forms of correspondence. The domain is the most viewed element in any business communication, making it a focal point for the promotion of any brand.
Competitive edge
For domains linked to a product category (and therefore a field shared with competitors), swift registration is key. When products need to be pushed to the market in a timely manner, the right domain can provide a competitive edge, particularly in terms of positioning and market share.
Registering domains that are linked to specific products, rather than just the brand, can lead to better indexing in search results, more accurate link building, and an advantage in your overall communication strategy. Securing a domain before someone else does offers a significant competitive edge, as it enables targeted communication. In the long run, competitors will be forced to opt for much less efficient alternatives for impact and visibility.
To sum up, when considering the quality of products and services, a domain can have an even greater impact on sales as it directly influences the path a user takes to reach a product and ultimately make a purchase. A well-thought-out domain name can effectively ‘hack’ the market system, providing a substantial advantage.
When a domain is already taken
Should your desired domain name already be taken, there are various options you can explore. Again, it is crucial to consider each option with great care to make an informed decision. The following are the solutions you can resort to:
Look for other extensions
The simplest solution is to consider an alternative TLD. For example, if “example.com” is already taken, you could consider alternatives such as “.cloud”, “.eu”, “.org” or any newly available extension. These variants might be just as effective and are often cheaper. Nowadays, there are way more available TLDs, which has increased the granularity of the field (excluding country code TLDs). Targeted extensions, in fact, may contribute to the identity of a given company and, in some cases, through smart communication, even become the extension of the brand itself.
Tweak the name (slightly)
The other option worth considering is to make a slight change to the domain name by adding relevant keywords (also from an SEO standpoint) or by slightly altering the name. If, for example, “johnsmith.com” isn’t available, you could opt for “johnsmithonline.com” or “johnsmith-shop.com”. This maintains cohesion with the original brand while ensuring clarity and uniqueness. This isn’t always the best option, but in certain cases, it can be the least troublesome.
Domain brokerage
If your desired domain has already been registered and the provided alternatives aren’t to your liking, you may try to acquire it through domain brokerage. Seeking out specialised services might be the best option. Subject-matter experts can negotiate with the domain owner and push the right buttons for the best chance of reaching a transaction. Assisted brokerage offers specific advantages, some of which often tend to be overlooked:
- Experience and connections: brokers have the necessary connections and experience to negotiate with current domain owners and secure the best possible deal.
- Saving time and effort: delegating the negotiation process to a broker saves time and effort, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business. The upfront cost is considerably low, and considering the benefits, hiring a professional certainly increases the chances of success.
- Security and reliability: relying on a market leader ensures that the negotiation and subsequent transfer will take place safely and smoothly, avoiding scams or later legal complications.
Famous domains, famous disputes
Case law and the news is awash with stories about domain negotiations and disputes. Acquiring ownership of a domain has been an important achievement for many companies like for example Nissan in the US, Armani in Italy or facebook.it which had been cybersquatted by John Michael Preston before being passed on to Mark Zuckerberg.
In case law the general consensus is “first come, first served”. Nonetheless, it is important to consider the value and potential damage to brands that may arise from the domain name itself. Popular domain names have often been argued over in court, and the verdict is always hard to predict.
This is why it is important to build strong brands where the domain serves as an integral and organic component, representing clear recognisability that cannot be easily claimed by others.
Conclusion
Registering a domain is a fundamental step for any business or activity that wishes to establish an efficient and professional online presence. Choosing it carefully and sensibly adds instant value to your idea and brand, paving the way for future success. If your ideal domain is already taken, it doesn’t mean it’s over for good: there are instances where the owner might not value the domain as much as others would, so the path towards a transaction might still be an option. Domain brokerage, however, should always be delegated to a professional to ensure the best possible outcome and legal responsibility.
Protecting a brand, building a solid online identity, and beating the competition are all achievable goals thanks to calculated domain management. Investing in this aspect of your online presence is a strategic choice that yields significant returns in the long run, contributing to the growth and success of the business.
