While the quality of the content of your website certainly matters, a well-chosen personal domain name is the essential first step to achieving your goal of ranking high on Google’s SERPs. Although there aren’t any clear-cut rules as to what kind of domain names will have you reach the desired first page, here are some tips to help you improve your SEO results. 

Choose the domain name type 

Once you’ve mastered the basics of how to improve your website’s ranking with SEO, it’s time for you to familiarize yourself with different kinds of domain names. Some of the most common types include:

• an entirely made-up name,
• a word combination,
• a generic name.

The advantage of made-up names and creative word combinations is that they stand out from the crowd. When it comes to disadvantages, the former option may not make it clear what your website is about and the latter may constrict you in terms of the content that is expected to be on your site. The appeal of generic names is that they are easy to come up with and are straightforward in terms of the niche. 

However, they may be difficult to discover within the abundance of similar domain names and are not as “brandable”, which in many cases makes them the least favorable option. All of the types have their own pros and cons, so it’s up to you to decide which one is best suited for your website.

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Use domain name generators for inspiration

Thinking up a domain name is no easy feat, especially when you’re under pressure to get your website up and running as soon as possible. Luckily, there are some incredibly handy tools for finding the best domain name to get your creative juices flowing. These name generators give you suggestions based on the keywords you enter. 

Tools like Panabee, for example, are useful when the domain name you have brainstormed is already taken because it can provide you with alternatives. No matter which generator you opt for, you can always tweak the final name choice to your liking.

Go for a suitable domain name extension

Although the domain name extension is most frequently the shortest part of the domain name, by no means should you take it for granted. While the classic options, including .com and .net, can help you rank due to their popularity, they aren’t the only extensions to consider. You should take the nature of your website into account, as well.

For example, an eye-catching personal domain name extension, such as .me, is bound to give your domain name a more laid-back vibe. Thus, it’s a perfect choice for boosting the SEO results of personal blogs and sites. On the other hand, you may opt for an extension that reflects your geographical location, such as .us or .au. This can help you rank higher in your country.  

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Make your domain easy to remember

For a domain name to “stick”, it needs to be catchy and memorable. That way, the users will be able to remember it and recommend it to others. The last thing you want is for your website visitors to forget your domain name, and thus be unable to access the site again. Therefore, you should aim for something that rolls off the tongue, isn’t too lengthy, and isn’t too complicated to spell.

Include a keyword strategically or avoid it altogether

A while ago, using exact match domains (EMDs), which are domain names that involve all the keywords that you wish to rank for, used to be the go-to technique for bettering a website’s SEO results. Although in some instances they can still be effective, they have not been as beneficial in the last decade, and it’s difficult to find those that haven’t already been registered. Also, for the most part, they fall under the previously-mentioned generic names, so it’s better to avoid them when aiming to achieve substantial SEO results. 

Although partial match domains can generate the same issue, including one keyword can be beneficial in some cases. They can work well if your keyword isn’t competitive. As the Google algorithm keeps changing, you should always be up-to-date and keep an eye out for future SEO trends to have your website rank high consistently.

Final thoughts

The key is to focus on what will attract end-users and think less about the theories about the Google algorithm. Choosing a domain name that you are completely satisfied with is crucial because having to rebrand is likely to cost you your visitors. Therefore, take your time to brainstorm ideas and learn the basics of SEO. This way, you are surely going to achieve amazing results that may even surprise you. 

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