read next
When it comes to branding, businesses often focus on the trappings, like logos, color schemes, and taglines. But there’s another critical element they shouldn’t ignore: a powerful domain name.
Too often, businesses harness all their creativity on the “left side of the dot,” but pay little attention to the extension on the right of it, or the actual top-level domain (TLD). For so long, they have been told that traditional domain extensions should be the default. But the world of domains has changed, and such a limiting view could lead businesses to miss out on a valuable branding opportunity. With hundreds of descriptive domains now available, another choice may help them tell a better brand story.
If you’re launching or rebranding your business, the right domain name can set you up for success. Keep this advice in mind when choosing, optimizing, and securing your domain name to make the most of both sides of the dot.
Below are a few Michigan-specific business statistics from the MEDC Survey of the Michigan companies on the Inc. 5000. We will continue to feature Michigan companies who are Inc. 5000 honorees. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum
"SMB owners are not daunted by challenges. They welcome them. "
83%
83%
75%
75%
Michigan provides a great quality of life for my family and myself.
Michigan has the supply chain infrastructure needed to support my business needs.
Michigan provides the support businesses need.
Michigan is a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, culpa qui officia deserunt moltate velit esse cilllit animest.
who believe
Getty Images
Shuttersto
By Burton M. Goldfield
While you might opt for a more traditional domain name, like the name of your business followed by a conventional extension, it’s better to use your domain name to stand out. Identity Digital offers nearly 300 descriptive TLDs that can be purchased through domain registrars.
Descriptive TLDs—like .live, .careers, or .photography—are more memorable for website visitors. For example, if you run a financial planning firm, buildwealth.finance may be a more compelling option.
Choose Your Domain Wisely
Getty Images
Aside from your website’s landing pages, title, and images, optimizing your domain name can boost SEO.
Using a descriptive domain allows your business to employ a keyword-centric strategy, Overman says. You can register a domain name that corresponds with the most valuable search term for your business. Some of Identity Digital’s customers have registered domains like home.loans and dealcasters.live for mortgage lending and dedicated livestreams, respectively. Using a similar tactic could improve your business’s search engine ranking and drive more traffic to your site.
Optimize Your Domain
Once you select a domain, you need to secure it. This is where choosing the right domain can make all the difference.
Look for domains that offer built-in anti-phishing protection, blocking homoglyphs, or variants, of a business’s domain.
Along with using domains with strong embedded security, businesses should take proactive steps to safeguard their domain. For greater brand protection, Overman says businesses should purchase related domains or variants of their domain, such as those that may contain typos or transposed letters.
Be thoughtful about why you’re purchasing a domain in the first place. Is it to secure a future business idea, for marketing purposes or a rebrand, or to drive traffic to a specific product or service? Look for a partner who can help you with these goals.
Starting with the end in mind will help you choose the best domain name for your business—one that works well on every side of the dot.
Secure and Protect Your Domain
More than 351 million domains were registered worldwide in the second quarter (Q2) of 2022,
an increase of 3 percent over Q2 2021.
Domain demand
remains strong:
351M
in Q2
increase
from 2021
3%
are some of the most popular
descriptive top-level domains,
according to Identity Digital.
[home.loans] has taken advantage of a really keyword-rich domain that is perfectly matched to the search query they’re most interested in and the most valuable search query in their industry.
–Matt Overman, Chief revenue officer, Identity Digital
Searching for a domain name? Click here to learn more about the hundreds of descriptive top-level domains.
“
Source: Verisign
.live,
.world,
.finance,
.network
.live,
.world,
.finance,
.network
say their No. 1 SEO strategy is using strategic keywords.
Source: Hubspot
say organic search is the digital marketing channel with the highest ROI.
Source: Search Engine Journal
49 percent of marketers
SMBs accounted for 99.9 percent of all businesses and about 47 percent of the total workforce last year.
Small and medium-size businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy.
351M
in Q2
.live,
.world,
.finance,
.network
.live,
.world,
.finance,
.network
are some of the most popular descriptive
top- level domains, according to Identity Digital.
While you might opt for a more traditional domain name, like the name of your business followed by a conventional extension, it’s better to use your domain name to stand out. Identity Digital offers nearly 300 descriptive TLDs that can be purchased through domain registrars.
Descriptive TLDs—like .live, .careers, or .photography—are more memorable for website visitors. For example, if you run a financial planning firm, buildwealth.finance may be a more compelling option.
Matt Overman, chief revenue officer for Identity Digital, a domain name registry operator that manages the world’s largest portfolio of TLDs, says descriptive domains also offer another advantage. Because there are so many options, they’re often more available, so a business can find a domain name that more accurately describes its unique value proposition.
“With some of the older legacy extensions, more are taken. It’s harder to find an available keyword that actually matches the intent of your business,” Overman says.
Bottom line? A domain name is valuable online real estate. Take full advantage of it to differentiate and brand your business.
Choose Your Domain Wisely
While you might opt for a more traditional domain name, like the name of your business followed by a conventional extension, it’s better to use your domain name to stand out. Identity Digital offers nearly 300 descriptive TLDs that can be purchased through domain registrars.
Descriptive TLDs—like .live, .careers, or .photography—are more memorable for website visitors. For example, if you run a financial planning firm, buildwealth.finance may be a more compelling option.
Matt Overman, chief revenue officer for Identity Digital, a domain name registry operator that manages the world’s largest portfolio of TLDs, says descriptive domains also offer another advantage. Because there are so many options, they’re often more available, so a business can find a domain name that more accurately describes its unique value proposition.
“With some of the older legacy extensions, more are taken. It’s harder to find an available keyword that actually matches the intent of your business,” Overman says.
Bottom line? A domain name is valuable online real estate. Take full advantage of it to differentiate and brand your business.
Choose Your Domain Wisely
[home.loans] has taken advantage of a really keyword-rich domain that is perfectly matched to the search query they’re most interested in and the most valuable search query in their industry.
–Matt Overman, Chief revenue officer, Identity Digital
Source: Verisign
71 percent of marketers
Matt Overman, chief revenue officer for Identity Digital, a domain name registry operator that manages the world’s largest portfolio of TLDs, says descriptive domains also offer another advantage. Because there are so many options, they’re often more available, so a business can find a domain name that more accurately describes its unique value proposition.
“With some of the older legacy extensions, more are taken. It’s harder to find an available keyword that actually matches the intent of your business,” Overman says.
Bottom line? A domain name is valuable online real estate. Take full advantage of it to differentiate and brand your business.
18%
increase
Source: Verisign
351M
in Q2
There was an 18% increase in new generic TLD, or descriptive domain, registrations between 2021 and 2022.
More than 351 million domains were registered worldwide in the second quarter (Q2) of 2022, an increase of 3 percent over Q2 2021.
Source: Verisign
While you might opt for a more traditional domain name, like the name of your business followed by a conventional extension, it’s better to use your domain name to stand out. Identity Digital offers nearly 300 descriptive TLDs that can be purchased through domain registrars.
Descriptive TLDs—like .live, .careers, or .photography—are more memorable for website visitors. For example, if you run a financial planning firm, buildwealth.finance may be a more compelling option.
49 percent
of marketers
say organic search is the digital marketing channel with the highest ROI.
49 percent
of marketers
say organic search is the digital marketing channel with the highest ROI.
Source: Search Engine Journal
Source: Interisle Consulting Group
There was an
in domains registered for phishing attacks.
83% increase
increased 61%
Phishing attacks
between 2021 and 2022.
Source: Interisle Consulting Group
Gone phishing:
Source: Interisle Consulting Group
Gone phishing:
Source: Interisle Consulting Group
There was an
in domains registered for phishing attacks.
83% increase
Aside from your website’s landing pages, title, and images, optimizing your domain name can boost SEO.
Using a descriptive domain allows your business to employ a keyword-centric strategy, Overman says. You can register a domain name that corresponds with the most valuable search term for your business. Some of Identity Digital’s customers have registered domains like home.loans and dealcasters.live for mortgage lending and dedicated livestreams, respectively. Using a similar tactic could improve your business’s search engine ranking and drive more traffic to your site.
Optimize Your Domain
Once you select a domain, you need to secure it. This is where choosing the right domain can make all the difference.
Look for domains that offer built-in anti-phishing protection, blocking homoglyphs, or variants, of a business’s domain.
Along with using domains with strong embedded security, businesses should take proactive steps to safeguard their domain. For greater brand protection, Overman says businesses should purchase related domains or variants of their domain, such as those that may contain typos or transposed letters.
Be thoughtful about why you’re purchasing a domain in the first place. Is it to secure a future business idea, for marketing purposes or a rebrand, or to drive traffic to a specific product or service? Look for a partner who can help you with these goals.
Starting with the end in mind will help you choose the best domain name for your business—one that works well on every side of the dot.