Domain Name Best Practices For Personal or Business Branding

Being Instantly Recognized Online

A key aspect of building your personal or business brand online is being instantly recognizable through your business name or brand. This is why it is imperative for you to have a clear and unique business name, and register your matching domain name as soon as you can. Your business name and domain name, are ideally the same thing. This will help you build your brand and create consistency across your site and various online platforms. Even if you are not ready to start a website, registering your domain name right away, ensures that once you are prepared to move forward with a site, you will have that part already taken care of.

A key aspect of building your personal or business brand online is being instantly recognizable through your business name or brand. Click To Tweet

It is wise to buy your business name as a domain, as it will be how people find your business online, and tell you apart from others who may have similar offerings. You could look at your domain name as your online phone number. Through this unique string of characters people will easily and quickly find you on the internet, without having to rely on Google or other sources to find you. Not having a domain name is like not having a direct line to reach you, and that could hinder the growth and credibility of your business. The easier you make it for people to find you, the better results you will see in the long run. Purchasing and registering your domain name is one of the very first steps for getting your business online exposure through the creation of a blog or website.

Using a personal name or company name for your domain name?

Your domain name plays a crucial role in your overall branding strategy, so it is important to select your domain name based on your business goals and long term vision. A good tip is to double check that your chosen domain name is available as a twitter handle and Facebook page. This keeps your personal or business brand consistent across all networks and makes it easy for people to identify who you are. It is best practice to run your business under a business name, other than your personal name. This will set you up for future growth. If you intend on hiring people, and eventually having a team, it is easier to do when you have a business name that is not your personal name.

Your domain name plays a crucial role in your overall branding strategy, so it is important to select your domain name based on your business goals and long term vision. Click To Tweet

However, If you also want to register your own name and it is available I would highly recommend buying it as well. A good practice is to own your first and last name as a domain and point it back to your main company website to start out. This gives you the flexibility in case five years down the road you decide to change your mind about the direction or vision of your business. In going this route, you also have the advantage of building your business around your personal brand, which is a great idea for coaches, authors or speakers. This is not always the best route for other less personal, and more serious types of businesses.

Keep it simple and don’t make people think!

Domain names should be short, easy to spell, and easy to remember. I highly recommend .com’s or .nets and if neither is available .co can be a good alternative. Usually when people see a website with dashes in the name like social-media-today.com they instantly come off as less serious and less professional than domain names without dashes. Usually having symbols like dashes, or other non-letter characters can create confusion or frustration, as it is easier to misspell or mistype.

When the domain you want is already taken you can try to add words like : my, online, guide, or blog. If you are wanting a domain like simplewidget.com, and it is not available you can also try to look for plural alternatives like simplewidgets.com. Usually domain names that are clear and don’t need an explanation, will give you the best results. It’s good practice to keep it simple, and don’t make people think too much.

Usually domain names that are clear and don’t need an explanation, will give you the best results. Click To Tweet

There have been instances where people use cre8tive in their domain name for example, and that is not easy to read off over the phone. While this may seem fun, creative, and different, it can create confusion when you are explaining to someone, “ we are a creative agency, but creative is spelled with an 8 . . . ” that can potentially start you off in the wrong foot with a potential client. Simplicity pays off in the long run, so keep this in mind when buying and register your business domain name.

If you are having trouble finding a good one …

If you are just starting your business and you can’t find a domain name that you want, there are online resources that can help you find something that may otherwise show up as taken. Sometimes people register domains but are not using them and they may be thinking about letting them expire, or people could be open to selling domains they don’t use or need.

Godaddy has a database of domain names that have recently expired and are available to purchase, but they may not show up as available in the main search results. Check out godaddy’s domain auctions, but beware that some domain names could be considered “premium” and cost much more than a standard domain name that is available

There are some benefits of buying expired domain names that could potentially help your business. It is widely known that Google looks at the age of your domain for ranking purposes, as well as many other factors. If your domain has been registered for 7 years, it will carry more weight than a website with similar content that has only been registered for 2 years. Usually the domain name with the most age and backlinks will rank higher than newly registered domain names.

When you register a brand new domain name or an aged domain, it is recommend that you register your business domain name for at least 3 – 5 years. Again, Google tends to favor websites with domains that are registered for a long period of time, even if they were just purchased yesterday.

When you register a brand new domain name or an aged domain, it is recommend that you register your business domain name for at least 3 – 5 Click To Tweet

Another thing to keep in mind is if you want a private registration or a public one. Going with a public one means that your name, address, and e-mail can be published for people to find out who the domain name belongs to. If you are concerned about privacy, it would be best to go with a private registration.

When you register your business domain never pay the full price! Try to Google “ ( current month ) Godaddy promo code” and you will more than likely find promo codes where you can buy a domain name for $2.49 or less.

Look at your domain name, and website, it as a business investment, and branding tool that will help you build a sustainable business.

7 Proven Facts to build WordPress Websites that Work & Convert

Creating a WordPress website is not as easy as using a free theme, uploading some pictures and text, and then sitting around to wait for the sales to come in. As technology advances, web visitors have become more savvy and have a high expectations about who they do business with. If your WordPress website doesn’t follow these 7 guidelines, it could be the reason that you are not seeing significant traffic or sales.

Build your credibility using social proof

Building your credibility using social media can be very easy. Make sure that you are an active member of Facebook/ twitter/ meet-up or some other online community that your readers like and trust. For example if your WordPress website is about social media, make sure that you show buttons of how many people follow you on twitter and Facebook. If your target market is local, I would recommend using Meet-Up.com to build a local audience, and post your events on you WordPress website.

Don’t make people THINK!

As soon as visitors land on your website, if they don’t know what to do they will leave! So the message here is to be as clear as possible and keep your website clutter-free and ad free so that it is easy for your visitors to focus on your main offering. One big thing is to make sure that your website loads fast, visit http://tools.pingdom.com/fpt/ to check your website’s load time. Also make sure that your navigation is easy to read and follow, and use plenty of white space. The more that you make your visitors think, the less likely that they will stay on your website. Make it as simple as possible, remember KISS! Keep it simple silly!

Tell them what their pain is and how you can solve it

The simple fact that your visitor found your website means that they are looking for what you have, or a trusted friend sent them there. Now that they are there make sure that you connect with them and speak in their words. Tell them that you understand their pain, and that they are not alone, and how you can solve it. Remember to use emotion and explain what is in it for them.

Use the proper SEO to make your site visible

No matter how amazing and beautiful your website is, if nobody can find it, that does not do you or your target market any good. Make sure that you use the proper WordPress Plug-ins, as well as the right H1 tags, titles, keywords and tags to label your pages and posts. The All-In-One SEO pack and Platinum SEO plug-ins are both great to make sure that you use good SEO on each page. Using a good theme is also key because Google loves clean code and this single thing can boost your SEO. Also if you use images or videos make sure that they also have proper SEO settings.

Make your site EASY to share

One of the best things about WordPress is the huge community of people that are constantly reading and sharing content. Make sure that your website is easy to share using many social networks. I recommend using the “Share This” plugin to allow people to share your content on Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn and more. Make sure that you pick the “classic” widget as this allows people to share your content without ever having to leave your page. The easier you make it for people to share, the more likely that you will get social shares and more visibility you will get.

Show your face and personality Remember people buy things from people that they LIKE and TRUST, so don’t hide yourself behind an e-mail address. Show them your face, and that you are a real human being. Make it easy to contact you by letting them know that you are available to help them in more than one way. People have different comfort levels with varying communication channels, so let them know that they can reach you in more than one way.

Make the mobile experience seamless Keep in mind that not everyone that comes to your website will be using a desktop. It is good practice to use a responsive WordPress theme to allow viewers with tablets or smartphones to see your website. Keep the pages to a minimum and post the most important information on your first page. If you are a local business publish your map and phone number where it is easy to click and call or click and get directions.

Are your ads annoying, awesome, or do they build awareness?

Is your ad placement turning people on or off?

It used to be that the biggest focus in business was Location ! Location! Location! The Internet has basically turned that upside down, and it’s no longer a factor. Today the location of your business doesn’t matter. Now the placement of your ads, and where they are located on your site will leave people feeling either annoyed, aware, or awesome! Your choice.

Annoying “in your face” flashy ads

We will begin with the annoying ads. These ads are the banners that are right in the header of your blog, or website. Usually you find them on the very top and some of them are animated, adding further annoyance and distraction. Do you want me to click on the ad or stay on your website? Pick one! I find these ads to be intrusive and personally I will not click on them for the sheer fact that they are located in a bad place. Yes location matters and in this instance it’s working against you and not helping you at all. Please don’t place ads there, it really annoys users. “I love ads on top of websites ” said no one ever!

Building awareness, I can respect that

Ads that are placed on your site sidebar are okay. They are not as much “in my face” and I can click on them if I want or just ignore them. I admit, I usually click on these ads because I feel like they build awareness. Usually they are sponsor ads, or affiliate links and I may have some curiosity to check it out. The location of ads on the sidebar are okay, as long as they don’t obstruct me from getting to the content I want to get to. Building awareness and asking people for support through affiliate promotions is completely acceptable, hey I understand we all need to make a living.

Awesome! Now I feel like this actually matters

When someone writes about your awesome widget or product or service on their blog that is when you are awesome! A graphic ad takes five seconds, a blog posts though, I can respect and I will be much more likely to buy and take action on a product or service that is presented in this manner. It does need to be a legitimate review, or a heartfelt recommendation for it to be awesome and effective. Double whammy! The fact that you take the time and effort to create a piece of content that educates or entertains your audience makes this product or service more awesome. So there you have it. Are your ads annoying? Do they build awareness? Or are they awesome? Location really does matter and how much time you invest into it also matters. Just like anything in life you get out what you put it. Going the extra mile and taking more than five seconds to put a graphic on your website will bring you higher rewards in the long-run.

When was the last time you clicked on a banner ad on a website? Realize that this style of advertising does not create value and it is not very credible. If you want to endorse something, go the full way and don’t do it in a half-heart way. Also make sure the ads you use are geared towards your specific audience and it will help them in some way. : )

16 Reasons to use WordPress for your business website versus a DIY Website Builder tool

16-reasons-to-use-wordpress-vs-diy-sitebuilder

16 advantages that WordPress has over traditional DIY website building tools

When creating a website for your business, sometimes to save money it is easier to go the DIY route. But be careful, because by using an online site builder to build your website, you are building an instantly outdated website! The second you launch your website it will be outdated and lack many of the functionality that users take for granted. Many of the web hosting companies like go-daddy, and yahoo offer an option to use their “site-builder” to build an overnight website. Also most CPanel web hosting services give you the option to use tools like RV Site Builder to build your own business website. While these tools may sound easy and convenient, a lot of the times the end result is a website that lacks structure, proper design, and functionality.

Instead of using the provided site builder, I would recommend to use WordPress. Any web hosting company should have easy and clear instructions on how to start your own WordPress website. Before choosing a host make sure that you ask if they support WordPress and get instructions on how to properly install it. Tools like softaculous, or fantastico are very common for DIY options and have “one-click-install” WordPress options. Nearly 70 Million people use WordPress to create a reliable website or blog. The following are 16 reasons why this is a better choice and a smarter solution for your business over using a general site builder.

Simplicity – WordPress is SIMPLE. That is one of the main reasons why it has grown to be the most dominating CMS over Joomla and Drupal. It is easy to add more content, pages, posts, pictures. As well as customize your design. If you can use e-mail or Microsoft Word, you will be able to update your own website. That is often a huge plus, since most people think they will have to learn HTML, CSS, PHP, and other complicated technologies to get a website started.

Stability – Unlike any website builder that is out there, WordPress is always being maintained and updated to keep its . New versions of WordPress usually provide more options and greater security or functionality. WordPress is always evolving, so this means that if you keep up with the updates, your website will not be outdated in a year. This makes it a very stable environment that is capable of growing with you and your business. WordPress is like a do-it-yourself kind of site builder, with a rock solid foundation that will not let you down.

Design – A huge plus about WordPress is that there are literally thousands of themes that are available for you to use. Even the free ones provide you with more functionality than any HTML site builder would ever be able to give you. Also many themes allow you to update simple things like a custom header, background, and color options without doing any kind of coding languages. The same is true for a lot of website builders, but a major disadvantage would be that you would be using a design that may be over used, since many other people have chosen the same theme or layout.

Flexibility – Generally when you use a website builder you are constrained to the boundaries set by the provided template. The beauty of WordPress is that you have approximately 22,000+ plug-ins available to add functionality to your website. There are also thousand of themes available so that you can change the look of your website literally at the click of a button. This means that it is easy to adapt to changes in technology and the constant transformation of online media.

SEO – Google loves WordPress websites because it is built completely around SEO. It is simple to use H1, H2, and H3 tags, and you can include keywords in the url of your website using the proper permalink structure. There are many plug-ins available like the All-In-One-SEO-Pack, SEO ultimate, Platinum SEO pack, WordPress SEO by Yoast, and many more. Getting this kind of specialized support from a DIY site-builder is nearly impossible.

Structure – One of the main reasons that WordPress is SEO ready out of the box is its structure. The cleaner your structure is the faster your website will load, and the happier your user will be. WordPress allows you to create XML site maps to tell Google’s robots where all the pages are in your website, as well as which ones it should crawl, and which ones it should ignore. Proper structure is a cornerstone of SEO, and this is a major weakness of any site builder out there.

Content Management – Managing your content is made simple using WordPress because it allows you to have different roles. The biggest benefit is that you can assign administrators, editors, authors, contributors and set limits on what they can and can’t do. This is a great feature if you plan on expanding your website in the future or plan on having an elaborate blog with many content producers. Most HTML site builders will only allow you to make modifications, and involving other people may involve giving up your password or log-in information.

Community – WordPress makes it easy to create a membership website. If you are looking to start a forum or your own social media platform, WordPress is stable enough and flexible enough to allow you to do so with very little technical knowledge. buddypress.org is a great resource if you are interested in building a community around your website. HTML websites and DIY type of services typically charge you an extra monthly fee to add this extra feature to your website.

Ability to Share – WordPress.com has a huge community and sharing could not be easier. There are many social media widgets, plug-ins, and API’s to integrate your social media accounts to your WordPress website. WordPress also makes it simple to share your content through various networks after you post it to your website. Social media is becoming very important in website ranking, and the more people share your content, the more authority you have. So sharing is a crucial functionality that you absolutely need on your website.

Open Source – The beauty of WordPress is that it is open source, and there are literally thousands of people across the globe making improvements, modifications, and adding more capabilities daily. The community is very strong and many designers and developers work daily to contribute and answer questions you may have on the main support forum.

Responsive – With tablets and mobile phones being so popular and being adapted so quickly it is important not to forget to enhance the mobile experience. Most HTML website builders do not offer an option to provide a responsive design that adapts to the way the user is viewing your website. Finding a responsive and beautiful WordPress theme is usually a good idea. Again, some of these themes are available completely free, but I always recommend buying a responsive theme or adapting to a responsive framework so that your mobile users don’t feel ignored.

Functionality – Most HTML websites and HTML site builders will include basic functionality. WordPress takes this further by providing plug-ins and themes to customize your website and enhance the user experience.

Integrations & API’s – This is a technical term that means that a technology will talk to another technology. For example if you would like to include Google maps function inside of your WordPress website, there is an API for that. All social media networks provide API’s, and this allows you to further integrate 3rd party online services with your websites. There are literally thousands of API’s that are already available to be used with WordPress, and this gives you the power to leverage outside resources inside of your website. The support for API’s on site builders is generally limited to whatever the company decides to use. In addition it would take the knowledge of programming knowledge and extra time to implement them on your website.

Scalability – While your company may be starting out and you only need a single website now, having the ability to easily create a network of websites is important for future growth. For example if you want to have 20 store locations, for SEO it is good to have a website for each location. Using the WordPress multi-site functionality you can save time by installing WordPress only once and having the ability to create as many websites as you need. This will save you time, money, and resources and allow you to scale your business quickly and easily.

Support- WordPress has thousands of volunteers who offer their advice completely free of charge on the main forum. At anytime you can post a question at http://wordpress.org/support/ and it is very likely you will get a quick response. Most traditional web hosting companies provide you site builder tools, but it usually does not include any support.

Speed – Believe it or not, you can literally build a website in a single day using WordPress if you have your content and pictures ready. It is generally not recommended, but if you need a website up fast, WordPress is a major shortcut. You are basically leveraging other people’s work to your benefit. The heavy work has been done, all you have to do is populate your content, and choose a theme. Well there is actually more to it, but I challenge you to use Dreamweaver to design, code, and launch your website the same day. These are just a few reasons why you need to consider using WordPress over a traditional site-builder. There are many more advantages than this, but it would take an entire book to explain the benefits. These are the ones that I find are more important and that are easy to understand. WordPress is the leading tool for building modern websites, and many people consider it a monopoly, due to the high adoption rates and global growth. Even if you are doing it yourself, by using WordPress, you can assure yourself that it will be easy to adapt to changes in the future.

Tell them what to do with a bold, clear, and single call to action

A good looking WordPress website does not guarantee results . . .

No matter how fabulous your website is and how fantastic it looks, if you don’t give people a clear call to action they will not do anything! Surprisingly enough, people like and want to be told what to do! Even on the Internet we need a bit of a pull that encourages us to take action and we like to be pointed in the right direction. So I highly recommend that you focus on a clear, very prominent and easy call to action! Make it something that they can’t miss. Make it completely obvious, and super simple, and don’t make people think! If they have to think and “figure it out” more than likely you will not get a good response. Do your absolute best to make it simple, and realize that even then, some people will still miss it!

Basic human psychology applied to your website

People will go to further distance to avoid pain than to gain pleasure. So make sure to highlight the pain it would cause them to not have your product or service. Make them feel it and visualize it and experience that unwanted pain. Don’t just go on and on about how great your product or service is, tell them what it can do for them and show them exactly what they need to do to get it! It is very important to have a single and definite purpose on each of your pages. Ask them to do one thing, and one thing only. Don’t create confusion or give people too many choices. Some people are indecisive and won’t make a choice when they feel overwhelmed or on the spot. Oh and remember to tell them what will happen afterwards. Sometimes people don’t take action because they don’t know what to expect next, if you take away that fear of the “unknown” it will make it much easier to move forward.

People already have a short attention span so don’t distract them!

Usually having ads, sliders, and other distractions and moving graphics will drive people away from your intended result. Even social media icons can be somewhat distracting and send people away from you instead of inviting them to stay on your site longer. The more “stuff” there is to click on, the more likely they will not give you their undivided attention. Give people one thing to do and highlight their pains and tell them how you can help them avoid them. Encourage them to take action by giving them specific instructions, while also creating a sense of urgency. People usually seek instant gratification on the internet so providing easy access to information that they are hungry for and not having a lot of clutter around is something they will be thankful for. A good example would be: Click Here to instantly download your copy of “Title of Book Goes Here” Now! Keep it simple. Don’t complicate it or over think it. One possible approach could be a choice, choices empower people make them feel like they are in control. If you have the ability to give your visitors a choice and single themselves out from a bigger crowd this will make them like feel like they actually belong there and you know how they feel and who they are. You will not have their attention for very long so be clear and tell them exactly what they need to do to take action. It’s ok to break it down into steps like:

Step 1: (Who? – You! ) Click Here
Step 2: ( What? – Download ) Download your copy
Step 3: ( When? Do it now!) NOW!

Remember to have big, bold, and clear call to actions, people can’t read your mind! Tell them to buy, or subscribe, or comment, or like, or follow. Make sure that there is no confusion about what they should do, and get a five year old to go to your site to see if they can figure it out, best usability testing ever! Simplicity matters. : )

Be the boss! That’s right, just tell it like it is. In a clear and direct way, feel confident that your directions will be followed. Keep it simple and make it on purpose!