A domain name is an important piece of digital real estate. This is why it can be a smart decision to register more than one domain address. Keep reading to find out how to protect your brand for the long-term.
Why are domain names important?
A great domain name sends a clear signal to customers about the nature of your business. If you’re just getting started with domain names, check out our blog Create A Domain in Five Easy Steps.
Do you need more than one domain address?
Customers won’t always type your domain address correctly into their browsers. This is why it’s smart to think about registering multiple domains and automatically redirecting customers to your main address.
There are three main scenarios where customers might get your domain confused:
1. Typing the wrong domain name
It’s quite common that customers mis-remember a domain name. For example, if your domain is elizabethcoffee.shop, some customers might forget and type in lizcoffee.shop. If, however, you also register lizcoffee.shop, you can redirect customers who type in that URL to elizabethcoffee.shop. Problem solved!
2. Making spelling mistakes
If your domain contains unusual or lengthy words, it's possible that people will mistype them. In this case, it's a good idea to purchase domain names of any likely misspellings of your address, so that you can redirect people who make typos.
3. Using the wrong extension
Let’s say your domain address is mygreatcakes.shop (nice choice, by the way!). If a customer types in an extension you don’t own, like mygreatcakes.com, then the visitor is going to get lost online. If, however, you also register mygreatcakes.com, you can redirect visitors to the mygreatcakes.shop website. Given the growing number of domain extensions available, registering some of the key ones is a good way to avoid losing customers.
How many domain addresses do you need?
The key here is moderation. Most startups have limited budgets. You don’t want to spend more money than you need to. So only register the addresses that customers are likely to confuse with your main address. And monitor web traffic to ensure that your investment in registrations is worthwhile.
Planning a new business? Register your domain now!
If you’ve got dreams of starting an online shop, don’t let someone else register your ideal domain. It’s easy to find out if your perfect .shop domain address is available - check out our search page. At get.shop we work with the world’s leading domain registrars to offer you a wide range of suppliers and prices. If the domain you love is available, why not register it today?
Don’t forget about renewals
Registering the right domains is important. It’s also important to renew your domain registrations. Why is this so vital? First and foremost, because if you let a registration expire, someone else can buy your address. If this happens, you’ll have to change your website and your email addresses.
Also, if you keep your domain renewed then your website will never go ‘down’, which keeps customers confident that your online shop is open for business.
Given the importance of renewals, our tip is to choose an ‘automatic renewal’ option with your registrar. This way, you’ll never have to lose sleep over whether your domain name is still registered to you.
Got questions about .shop domain names? Get in touch with the get.shop team – we’re here to help.
