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Choosing a new domain name is getting hard, really hard, and with all the choice of endings, it’s no wonder people get confused as to the best one to buy!
A quick look at what’s available for Savvy Marketers comes up with quite a choice: .net, .org, .org.uk, .uk.com, .eu, .info, .biz, .me.uk, .me, .tv, .tel – it’s no wonder some businesses get confused.
As a rule of thumb, if you operate in the UK and target the UK market, it’s best to get a .co.uk domain where possible. If your preferred domain of choice isn’t available, next best option is .com, but make sure you host your site with a UK hosting company, to ensure your site is found for a UK search.
What’s the next best option after that? Well, if all the variations of what you want are gone, and you’re a commercial organisation, I would advise the next best domain to be .biz or .net, as these were set up for businesses. If you’re a charitable or not for profit organisation, then a .org/ .org.uk would be appropriate. Don’t use a .org if you trade commercially – it gives the wrong message! A .tv domain would be great to use if your business is based around video and .info if your site is purely informational.
Whatever you do, don’t buy a domain name that’s too close to a competitor as people will get confused and may visit your competitors’ site instead of yours! It also makes promoting your site that much harder as you need to differentiate yourself from your competitors as much as possible. When I’ve searched for domains in the past, I’ve tended to avoid any names which are too similar to mine and to what I do.
So next time you buy a domain, give it some thought. If your preferred variations are all taken, then go back to the drawing and think of something else.
A little confession! This post was inspired by a local business lady that Louise and I recently met. She sells cupcakes in the local area, but is using a .org.uk domain for her website. We think using this domain isn’t quite right for the business as it isn’t a charity or not for profit organisation. We advise if the .co.uk domain is not available, to try the .com, .net or .biz domains as second choice.
About Sam
Sam McArthur is an internet marketing consultant with 12 years in the industry. She helps professional service businesses with their internet marketing strategy, helping them to see significant results from their online marketing activities, particularly within the search engines. She also consults on the latest internet tools, technology and best practice techniques.
