Before you think that choosing a domain name in the real estate business is as simple as replicating your company name on the world wide web, think again. Naming your real estate business requires a lot more thinking.
There are nearly two billion websites in the world. Getting a domain name that helps you stand out requires a lot more strategizing. After all, you would’ve already spent a ton of effort building the perfect web content for your audience. Why not go the extra mile to make sure you’re drawing healthy traffic?
If you’re in the process of naming your real estate business, here are five important tips to consider when deciding the best domain name that’ll make your real estate business thrive.
Keep the domain name short
Whether you are running a new startup or rebranding an existing real estate business, long and sophisticated domain names won’t get you closer to your audience. Quite the contrary, less is more. The shorter the domain name, the easier it is to remember and type in the search engine. This naturally translates to more people finding you – easily and quickly.
Just imagine having to key in ‘sallywongrealestateagency.com’. Some would’ve given up before hitting the search button.
Perhaps “sallyrealestate.com” is a better option? There are many ways to go about naming your real estate business in a short and memorable manner.
Make it catchy and easy to spell
Good domain names for real estate agents should be easy to remember and spell. This allows your online audience to easily look up your website without having to refer to your name card or go through a directory.
Let’s take a look at Singapore’s propertyguru.com.sg and Hong Kong’s squarefoot.com.hk. Both domain names are catchy and very relevant to the real estate industry. These are examples of effective branding, resulting in brand names, and eventually domain names that are relevant and appealing.
This is especially important within the real estate industry, where new customers often come through word-of-mouth referrals.
Finding a short and catchy name is not an easy task, besides cracking your head to develop a noteworthy name, you can also try out domain name generators to get more ideas. All you need to do is to enter words describing your business and the tool will create a list of names using various prefixes and suffixes. Select the one that resonates with you and you’re ready to lock down your new domain name!
Editor’s Note: Need more inspiration to find your perfect domain name? Read this article for 10 more tips!
Target specific country with Country Code Top-Level Domains
Country Code Top-Level Domain, also known as ccTLD, refers to domain extensions that are specific to a particular area or country. For example .hk is commonly used in websites in Hong Kong, .ph in the Philippines and .my for Malaysia.
Why is it important to use Country Code TLD when choosing a domain name in the real estate business? You’ll easily target online traffic from that specific country.
Simply put, when you have a domain name with a ccTLD, it ensures your site will show up in the search results when someone in the targeted region runs an online search. If you are leveraging Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as part of your marketing strategy, utilising ccTLD will give you an added advantage for country-based search results.
A word of caution: Registering a domain with ccTLD may require you to be affiliated (as a citizen or otherwise) with the country before you’re qualified to use it. Check out this link to find out about possible restrictions in each country.
Steer Clear of Unique Spelling and Hyphen
Avoid using unique spelling in your domain name when naming your real estate business. If people can’t spell your domain, they won’t be accessing your website too. That can drastically affect your website’s traffic and reduce your chances of engaging potential customers.
To know if a domain name is easy to spell, try reading it to a third party who has no clue about your business and have him or her spell it. That should give you a good gauge of how easy it is to key in your domain name.
Imagine having a domain name like ‘homedealz4u.com.hk’, what are the chances that someone can spell it correctly at the first attempt? The search process may get so arduous that they might give up and turn to a competitor firm instead.
In addition to unique words, including a hyphen is another taboo because it correlates with spammy behaviour and increases the possibilities of typo errors. If the decision to use a hyphen is merely to differentiate yourself from a similar domain name, it’s best to avoid it completely because people are most likely to end up on the website without a hyphen.
Avoid Names That Are Taken on Google My Business & Social Media
Once you’ve found a great domain name, make sure it is not taken on Google My Business and any social media platform your target audience is on.
With over 4 billion social media users globally, including these platforms in your marketing mix is essential for your business. Your online presence is an extension of your brand. Having consistent social media handles not only increases your business image, it also allows people to find you easily.
The truth is, even your top clients are not likely to memorise variations of your online identity. Even if your website URL and social media handles differ by one letter makes it challenging for people to find you. If people can’t find you easily, you can bet that they’ll give up searching for your existence on these platforms. Out of sight, out of mind, your business may run the risk of being forgotten.
You’re right to say that it is a fair bit of work trying to get a consistent name across all platforms but the result will be well worth the trouble when you see increased customer engagement and following.
Conclusion
Now that you have these 5 important tips to guide you along, it’s time to call in the team and start brainstorming! The right domain name for your real estate business doesn’t have to be fancy or posh, what’s most important is how it resonates with your brand personality and target market. Keep it punchy and meaningful, and you won’t go wrong with naming your real estate business.
Ready to take the next step? Get started with finding your domain name here.
Editor’s note: Got questions about putting your idea online? Get instant answers on GoDaddy Asia Facebook Messenger now.