January 7, 2013
A domain name can be as long as 253 characters all told - but it's rare that one is. Here are some interesting statistics related to domain name length.
According to a report from domain marketplace SEDO, during 2011 the most popular length for any name traded on the marketplace was 8 characters - the longest was 42 characters.
A study by Gaebler in 2009 revealed that of 1 million of the most popular websites (at that time) according to online metrics company Alexa, those in the top 50 averaged around 6 characters in their domain name. For the entire million, the average length was approximately 10 characters.
A 2008 analysis, also based on Alexa data, found the most common domain name in the top 250 had 7 characters and 2 words.
So does this mean that if you register a domain name that is more than 10 characters long, your online business will be doomed? Hardly. Quality of a name counts for a lot too.
For example, if you're selling domain registration and web hosting, a name such as th8n4wx is less than ten characters but hardly describes the nature of the business, nor is it even pronounceable. While made-up names aren't a problem, particularly if you are trying to build a brand; if they consist of numbers and letters and cannot be pronounced, their word of mouth potential is practically zero.
A name such as DomainRegistration.com.au may be 18 characters long, but it easily pronounced and remembered, a common term that people search on and accurately describes the business.
The general rule of thumb in relation to domain name length:
- If you're wanting to create a brand name; go for short and catchy
- If you're wanting to use a generic name that refers to your products, length
(within reason) isn't such an issue; but it's probably wise to limit the number
of words in the name to 3 maximum and still attempt to keep the name as short as
possible.
Multi-generic word domains can also assist you with search engine ranking, but this certainly is not the be all and end all of ranking well - it's just a small piece of the puzzle.
If you're currently undertaking a domain name search; pick up some tips for choosing a good name.
Have a web site or blog? Get our free domain news widget.
How to register a name: Enter your choice in the search tool and click 'GO'. If after the check the domain names search results show your choice is available, you will then have the option to proceed to purchase registration; which is a very quick and easy process - start a search and find your ideal website address now.
AUSTRALIAN OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1996
1300 863 436