January 31, 2020
The rumours of the death of domain names appear to have been exaggerated with the giant of search saying it still considers them to be important.
Last year Google began tinkering with not displaying domain names in search results, instead showing the just the name of the website. This contributed to a belief held by some that having your own domain name may no longer valuable or necessary.
However, Google recently stated it was "presenting site domain names and brand icons prominently" as part of a recent update. While some of the other recent changes have attracted criticism that Google says it is responding to and the placement of the site address has also come under fire, it appears domains in search results will remain for the foreseeable future.
Danny Sullivan, Google's public Search Liaison stated a couple of weeks ago:
"Domain names are the most important part of URLs; these haven't been removed, because we agree this is important to show."
This being the case, it's then crucial to not only have a domain name, but a good one - as it's among the first impressions that are made on someone searching for a particular product or service. Sometimes little thought is put into the name choosing process and it's a decision a business may have to live (and work) with for a very long time.
While finding an available .com name can be very challenging these days, there are still plenty of good .com.au addresses available. The added bonus of choosing a .com.au for a business is that it helps build a little trust from the get-go given it has a high level of awareness among Australians. Trust is strong in the .au name space given stringent eligibility criteria for registration.
Having your own domain name instead of relying on hanging off a social media site or another arrangement also provides businesses with a greater deal of control over how they depict themselves and what they can offer to visitors.
Simply put, having a domain - even if you don't use it initially - makes good business sense.
Pick up some tips for choosing a good domain name.
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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.
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