Domain for an online store: how to choose
LightSEO · Technical
Domain for an online store: how to choose
A domain is chosen once and for a long time – you can change it later, but that always means losses. The good news: there are few rules here, and most fears around domains are exaggerated.
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impact of a keyword in the domain on rankings
Myth
Does the domain affect rankings
A keyword in the domain gives almost nothing today. The days when an address like "kupyty-dyvany" ("buy sofas") automatically took a site to the top are over.
Search engines evaluate the website itself, whatever its address. So choosing between a brand and a keyword is a marketing decision with no SEO impact.
A brand usually wins. It is easier to remember, it lets you expand your range, and it does not sound like a fly-by-night shop.
Criteria
What to look at when choosing
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Pronounceability
The domain should be easy to dictate over the phone without any explanations.
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Length
Shorter is better, as long as it stays clear.
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Domain zone
For a Ukrainian store, .ua, .com.ua and .shop are natural choices. For export – .com.
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History
Check that the domain has not been used for anything shady: it may carry a trail of search engine penalties.
Mistakes
What costs you dearly
Registering it in the contractor's name. The most common and most expensive mistake. The domain must be registered with your details and your email, and the access must stay with you.
Hyphens and numbers "to find a free name". People mix such addresses up, lose them, and they are hard to dictate.
Forgetting to renew. The domain is released automatically, and someone else can snap it up. Turn on auto-renewal right away.
Changing the domain for no reason. A move means redirects, a drop in rankings and months of recovery. It is justified only if the current domain is really doing harm.
Planning a launch or a move to a new domain?
We will advise how to do it without losing rankings and check the domain's history before you buy it.
