| Just type any word, "mortgages" for example, and the latest Netscape and Internet Explorer versions will complete the address by automatically adding the ".com" if you don't type it in the full address. If you currently have a "*.net" or "*.org" domain name, you already have one strike against you (i.e. potential lost business).
The dot com names are the most preferred and desirable. The dot com names can be compared to a having a toll free 1-800 number.It is much better to have a 1-800 number, instead of a 1-888 number. People will automatically assume a dot com at the end of domain name (not *.net or *.org). As you can see, securing a "good sounding" domain name can get quite confusing ... if you don't know what to do.
Assume you meet a perfect mortgage client at a social event and they want to contact you. If you tell this person your phone number is 1-800-HOMELOAN, then they have a good chance of remembering you. If you tell her your company's phone is 1-888-HOMELOAN, then there is a chance that she might confuse your phone number and possible dial your competitors toll free number (i.e. 1-800-HOMELOAN). Just because of some Internet confusion, you have possibly lost another mortgage client.
VIRTUAL WORLD
Let us assume you have a mortgage company and you wanted the domain name mortgage.com. You check it and see it is gone, so you say, "Well, I will just take loans.com" gone too, as is almost every other single and multiple word combinations dealing with loans. After going through two and three word permutations such as mortgagebroker.com, mortgagehomeloan.com, and then off to more permutations mortgagehomeloans.com, you remember that 175,000 domains names are taken every month. (Hmm, I bet many of the "good names" are gone.) So you start checking the *.net and *.org availability and soon find out many of the "good" names are no longer available here either.
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Finally after days of searching, you find a domain name "loans-4-u.net" available. Finally, an identity! This is where marketing problems occur. If you have to explain your domain name, or how to spell your domain name, you have lost your effectiveness.
NAME RECOGNITION
Now back to "you meet the perfect mortgage customer at a social event" and they want to contact you. You proudly tell her that your domain name is loans-4-u.net and she claims she will visit your site tonight. Assuming this perfect client does look for you site, does she type in
loansforyou.com, loanz-4-you.com,
loansforu.net, loanzforyou.org,
loans-for-ewe.com… well, you get the idea.
You have spent thousands of dollars to develop and promote your mortgage web site. And now with just a little Internet confusion, potential customers are going to other mortgage web sites just because they are confused on how to spell your domain name. This might happen numerous times a day, and it will cost you thousands of dollars in new loan originations. You don't want to give away business to your competitors by having a "confusing" domain name.
Moral of the story, all things being equal, get an easy to remember or simple or descriptive dot com name.
WHY NOT A FREE DOMAIN NAME?
Some companies take advantage of no cost domain names, using free hosting from their Internet service provider (ISP). The name you receive is usually a subdomain, meaning your hosting company name goes first, then your name (i.e.
www.geocities.com/
discountmortgages.htm).
Which do you think is more memorable and professional? If both of the following domain names are listed as the result of a search, which is more likely to be 'clicked' on?
www.really-cheap-hosting.com/,
discountloans/mortgages.htm |
versus something like
www.discounthomeloans.com. The sub domain can be a cheap solution and save you a few dollars each month. Unfortunately many potential mortgage customers will also think you are cheap and unprofessional as well ... don't do it.
CLICK ABILITY OF YOUR DOMAIN NAME
Your domain name is like the lead headline of a newspaper. It can immediately tell potential customers that your domain specifically addresses what they are seeking. If a potential customer does a search engine query for "low interest mortgage loans" and the first three domains presented are, loanz-4-awhile.com,
bluepacificshores.com and lowinterestmortgages.com. Which name are you more likely to select?
This potential customer will review the domain name addresses listed and see if any domains sound professional and relevant. If you have a professional sounding domain name, this potential customer may be more likely to "click" on YOUR web site to see what mortgage services are offered. More "clicks" on your mortgage web site means more potential business.
If you miss even one potential customer, you have lost a potential commission of thousands of dollars. After spending thousands of dollars promoting and marketing your web site, this is an expensive way to lose business.
H-Y-P-H-E-N-S
I am frequently asked, "Should I hyphenate my domain name? It will make it easier to read." Well, the answer is usually no. Look at the domain mortgagehomeloan.com versus mortgage-home-loan.com which domain name is easier to explain.
Hyphens cause you to have to explain your name, and one more place for a potential visitor to make an error. If you have to explain it, you have lost your effectiveness. Make is easy for customers to find your web site.
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