In today’s digital world, having a shareable domain name is crucial for driving traffic to your website or blog. An effective domain name makes it easy for people to find, remember, and recommend your content. It’s one of the first impressions you make online, so putting thought into your domain early on can have a big impact.
A shareable domain name is short, memorable, descriptive, and evokes emotion. It gives visitors an immediate sense of what your site is about. This makes them more likely to share your content on social media, link to it, or mention you by name. In turn, this can help improve your search rankings by building quality backlinks and brand awareness.
Crafting the perfect domain is an art and a science. In this guide, we’ll explore best practices and creative strategies for choosing a name that sticks.
Tips for Picking a Memorable Domain
- Keep it short – Studies show that shorter domain names have higher recall. Stick to one or two short, punchy words. Avoid long strings of numbers/letters.
- Make it easy to say and spell – If people struggle to pronounce or spell your domain, they’ll be less likely to share or remember it. Opt for simple, phonetic spellings.
- Use common words – Leverage the power of common dictionary terms that immediately convey what you offer.
- Consider combining words – Compound words or blended words (like YouTube) can create unique and sticky names.
- Use prefixes and suffixes – Word parts like “go”, “my”, “story”, “hub”, “space”, “zilla” can help make names more distinctive.
- Aim for some personality – Names with a bit of character have more share appeal than strictly functional ones.
- Check for availability – Do searches across major platforms to ensure your name isn’t already widely used elsewhere.
Choosing Words That Match Your Brand
Once you’ve narrowed down potential name structures, you need to choose words that fit your brand identity.
- Align with your niche – Select words associated with your industry, topic area, product, or service.
- Reflect core values – Let your domain reinforce what your brand stands for.
- Consider connotations – Be aware of meanings, associations, and baggage words carry.
- Review globally – Words can have different connotations in other regions. Do international checks.
- Steer clear of trademarked terms – Don’t use words owned legally by major brands/entities.
- Mind SEO keywords – Work in relevant keywords, but don’t over-optimize at the expense of memorability.
- Set the right tone – Decide if you want serious, playful, cute, authoritative etc. Make sure your domain matches.
- Think long-term – Pick a name that can grow with you. Rebranding domains later is tough.
Domains that Evoke Intrigue or Emotion
Domain names that spark curiosity, joy, laughter, or other emotions tend to get shared more. Here are some strategies for evocative names:
- Rhyming: Rhyming names like Fiverr and Flickr have a playful, memorable quality.
- Puns: Clever puns like Craigslist and Shopify put a humour spin on functional names.
- Positive adjectives: Using words like Awesome, Epic, or Marvelous creates upbeat vibes.
- Surprise combinations: Pairing contradictory or unexpected words can pique interest.
- Metaphors: Calling a travel site “Road Wanderer” employs an evocative metaphor.
- Alliteration: Alliteration makes names roll off the tongue, like TripAdvisor and Slack.
- Cultural references: Names that allude to a book, song, or meme can connect with audiences.
- Mystery: A touch of intrigue with words like Ponder, Inquire, or Explore can drive engagement.
The key is choosing emotional words and combinations that align naturally with your brand identity.
Tips for Enhancing Shareability
Beyond choosing the right root words, there are some best practices around structure and format that can boost shareability:
- Be consistent – Stick to the same name/spelling across all platforms and sites. Consistency aids recognition.
- Consider extensions – Using .net, .co, .tv, etc. can make memorable names more available.
- Be brief – Keep your overall domain under 20 characters. Lengthy addresses are hard to share.
- Add separations – Break up long names with hyphens to make them easier to read aloud.
- Spell out names – Using real words instead of abbreviations improves comprehension.
- Make it pronounceable – Ensure people can intuitively pronounce your domain when reading it.
- Check for errors – Typos like double letters, missing letters, or spelling mistakes undermine professionalism.
- Mind character use – Avoid obscure characters and symbols that are hard to communicate accurately.
- Be easy to understand – Domain names full of obscure abbreviations or numbers can confuse audiences.
The more intuitive and fluid your name is to read, say, spell, type, and remember, the more share-friendly it will be across contexts.
Evaluating Domains for Shareability
Once you’ve brainstormed potential names, how do you evaluate which domain ultimately has the best chance of being shared?
Here are some key criteria to assess:
- Simplicity: Is the name incredibly easy to read, say, and remember? Simple beats complicated.
- ** Memorability:** Does the name stick in your head after hearing/reading it once? Strong indicator of shareability.
- Meaning: Does the name clearly communicate what you do or offer? Descriptiveness aids sharing.
- Emotion: Does the domain evoke positive vibes, intrigue, or amusement? Feelings boost sharing.
- Fluidity: Does the name roll off the tongue and flow well when spoken aloud? Important for word of mouth.
- Brevity: Is the name short enough to quickly communicate, type, and share? Conciseness counts.
- Spellability: Is the domain intuitive to spell just from hearing it? Key for accurate sharing.
- Searchability: Can people easily find your site by searching your name alone? Critical for traffic.
Testing names with target demographics and getting unbiased feedback is wise before finalizing a domain. The most shareable names should perform well across all dimensions.
Examples of Widely Shared Domain Names
To help inspire your own domain brainstorming, here are some examples of hugely shareable domain names and why they work so well:
YouTube
This popular video platform chose two simple words that rhyme and spell out “you”. The play on “tube” ties directly to videos while feeling catchy and fun to say aloud.
BuzzFeed
For a viral content site based on “buzz”, BuzzFeed captures the function simply. The two crisp words together create an addictive sound.
PayPal
Pal brings a friendly, human touch to payments. Together the words flow well and clearly convey key services.
Blending “instant” with “telegram” evokes quick photo sharing. The name feels contemporary yet nostalgic.
CocaCola
The classic name fuses founders’ names with signature ingredients. The rhyming, rhythmic word is infinitely memorable.
GoDaddy
This domain company chose a catchy rhyming pair that’s playful and easy to recall. The format stood out early on.
TripAdvisor
Advisor captures the service, while Trip reinforces travel focus. Alliteration makes it satisfying to say.
Each name above is compact, charming, descriptive, and effortlessly easy to share orally or in writing. Creating your own name with similar share qualities can give your brand a major discoverability boost.
Testing Shareability Before Launch
Before officially launching with your top domain pick, it’s smart to test it out with your target audience. Here are some easy ways to gauge responses:
- Focus groups: Discuss name ideas with potential customers and see which they best respond to.
- Concept feedback surveys: Create surveys with a brief brand description and potential names. See which domains people prefer.
- Name recollection tests: Share various names verbally with others and see which ones they remember most later.
- Search experiments: Search for the domain on google as if you were a customer. Note how easy it is to find.
- Social sharing: Post name ideas on your social accounts and see which one earns more likes, shares, and positive feedback.
- Pronunciation: Ask others to read your domain name aloud to catch words that trip people up verbally.
- Spelling: See if people guess the spelling and format correctly when you tell them the domain name.
Small simple tests like this can reveal domains with the most potential for shareability based on first impressions.
Securing a Shareable Domain Name
Once you’ve settled on the perfect name, it’s time to officially secure your domain. Here are key steps for the registration process:
- Search availability – Double check your name isn’t already claimed at popular extensions like .com, .net. .org, etc.
- Buy from registrars – Companies like GoDaddy offer domain registration for annual fees around $10-20 on average.
- Select extensions – If your ideal .com is taken, try alternate extensions like .co or regional ones like .ca, .nz. etc.
- Confirm terms – Note registration and renewal policies before purchasing a domain.
- Make it official – Complete domain registration by providing your contact details and payment.
- Select hosting – Choose either shared, cloud, dedicated or managed hosting depending on your needs.
- Point your domain – Work with hosts to point your domain to your content once live.
- Use secure settings – Enable HTTPS and implement cybersecurity best practices.
- Renew on time – Don’t lose your domain by forgetting to renew it yearly. Set calendar reminders.
Once purchased and hosted, your shareable domain will be ready to start directing highly findable traffic to your site or content in no time.
Showcasing Your Domain on Content
Now for the fun part – putting your shareable domain name to work! Here are key ways to showcase it across your online content for maximum impact:
- Website header – Prominently display your domain in the top header bar of your site.
- Page titles – Put your domain name at the start of titles for all key pages and posts.
- Email signature – Add your domain to your professional email signature.
- Social media bios – Feature your domain prominently in your bio descriptions.
- Guest posts – Include your domain name when guest posting on other blogs and sites.
- Forums & communities – Add your domain name to any relevant forum profiles, chat profiles, etc.
- Graphics – Create custom graphics with your domain name to share on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest etc.
- Videos – Say and visually highlight your domain in YouTube videos, TikToks, Instagram reels.
- Podcasts – Mention your domain in audio recordings and custom intros/outros.
The more you broadcast your domain name across mediums, the faster it will gain recognition and sharing momentum.
Monitoring Performance and Brand Sentiment
Once you officially launch your domain, it’s wise to monitor how it’s being received and shared online. Here’s what to track:
- Brand monitoring: Use tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, and Google Alerts to monitor brand mentions.
- Social listening: Keep ear to the ground on social networks for domain references. Set up listening streams.
- Search volume: Use Google Keyword Planner and search consoles to monitor search traffic to your domain.
- Backlink analysis: Check domain authority-building links via SEMRush, Moz, Ahrefs.
- Referral traffic: Analyze site traffic in Google Analytics to see top referring domains.
- Mentions: Do vanity searches for your domain name on blogs, news sites, and communities.
- Reviews: Check for customer reviews referencing your domain on Google, Facebook, Yelp.
- Surveys: Ask customers how they found your domain and if they recall/can spell it unprompted.
Early monitoring gives you a chance to spot any potential issues and capitalize on positive traction. Adjust your promotion strategies as needed.
Adapting and Improving over Time
The beauty of digital domains is you always have flexibility to evolve them. After launch, assess if your name still reflects your brand identity. Monitor incoming feedback and sentiment. Brainstorm adjustments that could boost shareability.
Ways to tweak your domain down the road:
- Shorten a very long name for brevity.
- Add or remove hyphens to improve readability.
- Change extensions to gain availability, like using .co instead of .com.
- Remove words that now seem dated, obscure, or no longer fit your brand.
- Add descriptive words to make your offerings immediately clearer.
Your domain name doesn’t need to stay static forever. As your brand grows and changes, evaluate it through the lens of shareability. With a name that sticks, standing out in a crowded online space becomes much easier.
Key Takeaways
- Keep domains short, simple, and packed with recognizable, evocative words that match your brand.
- Incorporate creative tactics like rhymes, puns, and blending words to make names stickier.
- Focus on emotions and conveying what you do clearly to aid sharing.
- Assess names based on memorability, spellability, brevity, meaning, and fluidity.
- Test potential names with target demographics before deciding.
- Secure your domain through registrars, enable hosting, and point it to your content.
- Showcase and mention your domain widely across platforms and channels.
- Monitor brand sentiment, search traffic, backlinks, and social activity around your name.
- Be open to making changes down the road as your business evolves.
With so much competition online, a domain that sparks intrigue and taps into human psychology can be your content’s greatest asset. Follow these tips and transform your domain into a magnet for highly viral shares.