The domain name is perhaps the most important web asset for any small business. It is needed to have a website, a blog, a newsletter, and even the email accounts. Furthermore, it is one of the most important variables in the Google algorithm for search results. Additionally, it is the main component of the uniform resource locator (URL), used to access websites. So, given the importance of the domain name for a small business, we will try in this article to mention how a small business should manage its domain name.
What is the domain name name?
First of all to consider is the name itself. Few years ago, in a Cisco Systems annual conference in Florida, Cisco CEO told the audience that the future brand in corporations would be the domain name, such as yourbrand.com. So, this speech by Cisco CEO was right, domain name should be the small business brand name (if available). It should be a short name, easy to remember, suggestive, meaningful, and informative as the small business brand should be. If brand name is not available, the small business should consider any good variation name of the original brand name.
Where to register or buy the domain name?
Secondly, and also very important is where to buy or register the domain name. There are several domain names providers in the market for small business. Some of them are: Network Solutions, Go Daddy. The important variable to consider when buying or registering the domain name, is to buy it or register it with a provider that also offers website hosting and email accounts, so the small business purchase domain name, hosting and email account to one vendor if possible. Having one supplier for domain name, hosting and email accounts will save headaches in the future.
Who is the owner of the domain name?
Thirdly, and with key importance is who should buy or register the domain name. Domain name MUST be purchased or registered by the owner of the small business, and the domain name must be under his/her name. Remember it is an business asset, so it must be registered under the business owner name. Also, domain name registration should be prepaid in advance 5 or 10 years, so Google algorithm can see it is a serious long term business. Owner data should be public, so Google algorithm also knows this data. Years ago, at the beginning of the Internet era, the small business owners use to purchase the domain name to their webmaster service providers, which caused many problems to the small business owners when the webmaster left the business. Prices for domain name registration are low, between USD $ 10 to USD $ 40 per year.
The top level domain name (TLD) should be .com since it is for a small business. If outside USA, the domain name should have the country extension top level domain also. Otherwise, inside the United States .com is well enough.
Where to review domain name registration data?
The small business owner may know his/her domain name registration data searching for it at the WHOIS database https://whois.icann.org/es . So please go there and make a search for your domain name so you get to know all the registration data for your domain name and then you can make the appropriate adjustments or changes according to these recommendations.
This article was written by Julio Sanoja Rial, CEO & Founder of LeAds, a SEO digital agency.
