Choosing your domain name is one of the first and most important decisions you make for your website. It not only impacts how your brand is perceived, but also impacts search engine optimization (SEO).
There are many rumors and outdated strategies surrounding domains & SEO.
In this article, I'll answer the most frequently asked questions and give you practical tips on how to choose an SEO-optimized domain name.
What you need to know about domain names and SEO:
1. Brandable domain names are SEO-friendly
A brandable domain name is unique, memorable, and reflects your brand. Such names not only build user trust but also have a positive impact on your SEO. When people can easily remember your domain name, they're more likely to visit your website and share it with others.
Example: Instead of www.cheap-laptops-online-buy.de rather choose www.techstore.deThe latter is shorter, more memorable and also appears more professional.
Why is this important? A creative and brandable domain name promotes organic growth through word of mouth, backlinks, and social shares. Search engines recognize these positive signals and reward them in rankings.
2. The role of keywords in domain names
Exact match domains (EMDs), which contain the exact keyword or keyword phrase, were once considered an effective SEO strategy. Today, search engines have reduced the weight given to keywords in domain names.
Example: www.bester-friseur-berlin.de vs. www.haarstudio-mueller.deThe first name is keyword-heavy, while the second is brand-oriented.
Conclusion: While keywords in the domain can provide a small advantage, branding should be the primary focus. Overuse of keywords can appear unprofessional and even have negative SEO implications.
3. Choose the right domain extension
The choice of domain extension can influence how your website is perceived.
- .com: Internationally recognized and often the first choice.
- .de: Ideal for websites aimed at a German audience.
- Country-specific endings: How .at for Austria or .ch for Switzerland if you want to specifically target these markets.
- Special endings: How .shop, .blog or .on-line can be suitable if they fit your business area.
Example: For a German online bookstore, www.buchladen.de fit better than www.buchladen.com.
4. Should you secure different domain extensions?
It can be tempting to purchase other domain extensions in addition to the main domain to protect the brand or cover possible typos.
Per: Protection against trademark misuse, avoidance of user confusion.
Cons: Additional costs, usually no significant SEO benefit.
Recommendation: Focus on the most important domain extensions relevant to your business. Comprehensive brand protection is more likely to be necessary for large companies.
5. Avoid hyphens in domain names
Hyphens can make your website difficult to read and often appear less professional. Furthermore, domains without hyphens are easier to remember and reduce the risk of typos.
Example: Instead of www.mein-online-shop.de rather choose www.meinonlineshop.de.
A notice: If your desired domain without a hyphen is already taken, consider choosing a different name instead of resorting to a hyphenated version.
6. Don't just buy domains for forwarding
Purchasing multiple domains with the goal of redirecting them all to your main site generally doesn't provide any SEO benefits. Search engines recognize such practices and don't favor them.
Example: The forwarding of www.cheap-laptops.de and www.laptop-angebote.de on www.techstore.de will not boost your main domain in the rankings.
Recommendation: Instead, invest your time and resources in high-quality content and real backlinks.
7. Consider trademark law aspects
Using trademarked terms in your domain name can have legal consequences. Therefore, research whether certain words or phrases are protected.
Example: The use of "WordPress" in a domain is prohibited. Instead, you can use the abbreviation "WP," which www.wptutorials.de instead of www.wordpresstutorials.de.
Tip: If you are unsure, consult a legal expert or use official trademark registries to check.
8. Domain registration duration is unimportant for SEO
A myth claims that a longer domain registration period has a positive impact on SEO rankings. This has been repeatedly refuted by Google representatives.
Quote from Matt Cutts (former head of the webspam team at Google): “As far as I know, no search engine has ever confirmed that it uses domain registration length as a ranking factor.”
Conclusion: Register your domain for the period that makes the most sense for you, without thinking about SEO.
Final Thoughts
Choosing an SEO-friendly domain name is important, but it's only a small piece of the larger SEO puzzle. There are over 200 ranking factors in Google's algorithm. So, choose a domain name that strengthens your brand, looks professional, and resonates with your audience.
Example summary:
- Good: www.blumenatelier.de – Brandable, memorable, suitable for the business.
- Rather bad: www.cheap-flowers-online-buy.de – Too long, keyword-heavy, seems spammy.
Do you have questions about domain names or SEO? Leave a comment and I'll help you!
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