New York is a dynamic city – vibrant, bustling and full of opportunity. New York City online is no different, with millions of people competing every day to be seen and heard.
When thinking about finding a prime piece of digital real estate to build your business or your brand, there are many options available to New Yorkers. When searching for the perfect web address to build your online presence, here are five important things to consider for maximum impact.
1. Keep it short
This is pretty self-explanatory, accessibility is fundamental in running a successful business. Whether it’s a brick and mortar store or an ecommerce platform, your customers need to be able to connect with you easily. A short domain name will not only ensure your customers can find you quickly and directly, it also ensures you can be more nimble in promotional activities, particularly those with word limits like social media. No one wants to type out an essay to find out all the particulars (and they won’t!) so don’t make them.
2. Make it memorable
This links nicely back to the first point, but can also be enhanced by choosing a word or short phrase that is familiar or catchy. You want your brand to stand out from the crowd, but also connect with your consumers or audience. By all means be creative, but be warned that if you make your domain name too obscure or try to be too clever then it can have the opposite effect. Keep it short and simple so it’s easy to spell and say, and you can rest assured it will be top of mind for your customers.
3. Do your research
Before registering a domain name, it’s wise to conduct a search to make sure you aren’t using a name that is already trademarked. The last thing you want is to have your website ready for launch and your promotional material splashed with your new domain name, to then receive a letter from a lawyer demanding a “cease and desist.”
The other thing you should consider is to assess what you want this domain name to achieve. Have you considered email hosting? Will it be a campaign page to complement your existing site? You need to know exactly what you want to achieve before you can achieve it. So take the time to think about it. Doing your research upfront will pay dividends in the future.
4. Think outside the search bar
Have you thought of every possible way people could spell or misspell your name or business? Does it have a nickname? Is it Old MacDonald, Old McDonald or Old Mac’s? Think about all the different ways people could spell your brand or business name and register them ALL. Think of it like an insurance policy designed to minimize your traffic loss. Back in the ‘old days’ if your phone number was misprinted in the Yellow Pages there wasn’t much you could do about it until next year’s run. Be prepared and register all the related domain names – in all the relevant domain extensions – you’ll be glad you did.
5. Location, location, location
New York is one of the most iconic cities on the planet. For this reason, it also has one of the world’s most competitive real estate markets. The Internet has similar challenges, and you might find that your dream online address is already taken. Luckily, New York City is among a few forward thinking cities in the world (including Paris, London and Berlin) that provides citizens with the option of registering a geographically branded domain – in this case, .nyc.
Short, memorable, perfectly branded for local businesses – only New Yorkers have access to this piece of online real estate, so why not make the most of it? You could be a photographer from Queens, an agency in Manhattan or a festival in Brooklyn – whatever it is that you do, if you do it in New York City, then you can snag an exclusive .nyc web address!
Special Notice:
There’s no better time than right now to get your .nyc domain. This month, for the first time ever, the .nyc Registry is releasing 20 “premium” .nyc domain names to the public. The names will be auctioned online from October 24th through 27th and all New Yorkers are eligible to bid. The auction will include premium domain names like:
• realestate.nyc
• apartments.nyc
• homes.nyc
• lofts.nyc
• brokers.nyc
• roommates.nyc
• rentals.nyc
• construction.nyc
• kitchen.nyc
To learn more about the .nyc premium domain auction, please visit www.Auctions.nyc and register to bid.
HURRY! Bidding closes on October 27th, 2016. Don’t wait to grab your piece of Internet history!
