So you're starting a website and have visions of making hundreds, even thousands of dollars in sales a day.
You've done your market research, found a profitable niche, planned your website's theme and layout. Now all you need to do is build the site, buy a domain name and - voila - the cash starts rolling in.
Hold on there cowboy. While making lots of money with your website is very possible, it's not as easy as it used to be.
Increasing competition, fickle web searchers and crazy search engine algorithms make earning money from your website a little harder than it used to be.
Don't get me wrong though: If you're serious about making a living online and you work hard, you can make more money than you ever dreamed possible. The key is that you have to realize that every little decision you make in your web business helps propel you to the top and give you that edge.
One way to get an edge over your competitors and and keep your customers coming back is to choose the right domain name. (Your domain name is the unique name that identifies your Internet website.)
Here are the top 3 ways the right domain can help you build a killer cash generating website.
#1 A good domain name helps your customers remember your website.
How many times have you found a great website, forgotten to bookmark it and then completely forgot the name of the site? While some Internet users do use the bookmark function, many other Internet users do not.
They assume they'll be able to return to a good website by remembering the URL or through the search engine where they found it. But that's not always the case. Search engine rankings fall; people forget which search engine they used or which keyphrase your website came up under.
Tip: Choose a domain name primarily for your target audience. Make it simple - preferably 2 words only or 3 short ones at most. Try to choose a .com or a .net or even a .org ending - people just don't remember a funky extension like .name, .tv or even .biz.
If you can, make it an action phrase that describes what your website can do for your customer. For example, if you repair laptops, something like: www.fixlaptop.com would be a lot easier for your customer to remember than www.laptopland.com
Why is this easier? Because people don't have time to remember your URL. They are focused on what THEY want to do (i.e. 'fix laptop'.) therefore it's much easier to remember your URL if it describes what they want to do.
Choosing a domain name like this also has the added advantage of telling your customer EXACTLY what you can do for them. No questions or confusion. ('Do they sell laptops? Do they sell laptop parts or add ons? Do they fix laptops?')
#2 A good domain name helps the search engines rank you for your chosen keyword.
Although this is still up for much debate, many webmasters and SEOs think that a domain name with your top keywords in it is much better than a domain name without your keywords.
They think that search engines use the domain name to help rank your website. So, in theory, someone with a website about affiliate programs would rank higher (all other things being equal) if their domain name was http://www.affiliateprograms.com than if their domain name was http://www.makemoneyonline.com.
Tip: Try to include your top keyword or keyphrase in your domain name if you can - but not at the expense of your audience. If they can't remember it, they probably won't come back or recommend it to anyone.
#3 A good domain name establishes you as an authority on your specific niche.
I was advising someone just the other day who wanted to start their first affiliate marketing website. They were about to make the same mistake almost all newbies make: choosing a domain name that was way too general.
Here's the thing: Unless you have the resources of Amazon, Yahoo or shop.com, you just can't compete with the overly general sites. Successful marketers will tell you that the most profitable websites are found in the niches. A good domain will reflect your niche and, as such, establish you as the authority in that area.
Think about this, if you need a part for your Toshiba Laptop, would you rather go to a website named www.laptops.com or a website called www.Toshiba-laptop-parts.com? Which one do you think will have a larger selection of Toshiba laptop parts? Which one do you think is the authority on Toshiba laptop parts?
Choosing a good domain name can help you stand apart and keep your customers coming back to buy more. By following these three tips, you can choose the right domain name and skyrocket your website sales.
Kate Fox is contributing writer to Web Conversion: How To Sell More With Your Website
For more free tips and articles on how to improve your web conversion rate and make more sales, visit:
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
You can earn a large monthly passive income with a... Read More
When forming a joint venture with another business, your most... Read More
Life is thought to have begun on Earth somewhere around... Read More
No doubt, online marketing is the fastest way to get... Read More
All small business owners, especially those internet based, are concerned... Read More
Often there can seem to be very little difference between... Read More
This year, 2005, will see the demise of some well... Read More
I know most of us have held our own online... Read More
If you haven't heard the word 'niche' being batted around... Read More
1. Offer to write exclusive articles (that means you only... Read More
Objectives, strategies, and tactics (i.e. programs or action plans) -... Read More
If you are sending out a periodic email newsletter, no... Read More
When people market their business, they pay little attention to... Read More
If we can't attract visitors to our websites there's little... Read More
Find a niche; pick a niche, niche markets will make... Read More
What is the secret of being the best at Internet... Read More
Everyday people ask me if they will make money with... Read More
Just ask!You can learn useful information about your business, customers,... Read More
For many of us, it is time to start thinking... Read More
The steps to gaining exclusive rightsYou will need to give... Read More
If you're like most of us, you're not on a... Read More
Copyright 2005 Michael Port & Associates LLCWould you rather be... Read More
If you're just getting started in Internet Marketing, you may... Read More
Every business needs customers that's axiomatic.When you work on the... Read More
I recently posted an article titled "Internet Marketing and Public... Read More
A synopsis of Philippa Gamse's Presentation to the National Speakers... Read More
What is a Joint Venture?How can this online marketing and... Read More
A back-end product is a product that you attempt to... Read More
We all do it.Spend time and money sourcing those vital... Read More
Some sites are perfect for the Christmas season - their... Read More
I have become involved with many network marketing companies the... Read More
If you think that all money to be made online... Read More
I was at a meeting the other day when one... Read More
Everyone has heard about viral marketing but what is it... Read More
If your home based business depends on niche marketing, keywords... Read More
I am going to let you in on a secret?... Read More
There are books and web sites for the translation of... Read More
There is one piece of software that is always going... Read More
One of the reason why the concept of free stuff... Read More
I need to let you in on some very important... Read More
Online shopping continues to grow at leaps and bounds. Depending... Read More
Internet marketing, a lot of the time really is hit... Read More
Recently, I stumbled upon a simple way to hit the... Read More
You won't be involved in Internet marketing long before you... Read More
One day I was talking to a friend who had... Read More
Google is at least as interested as you are in... Read More
There are many people every day jumping into the online... Read More
Everyone has heard about viral marketing but what is it... Read More
The person who comes to your web site seeking products... Read More
1. Maximize the effectiveness of your banner ads. Don't just... Read More
Starting a business is a huge, but rewarding, task to... Read More
The product is about teaching your parrot how to talk.... Read More
There are many simple, infallible ways to earn income, and... Read More
It is just crazy. Every time I open my mouth... Read More
Advertising plays an important role in your business (every business,... Read More
The market world is increasingly becoming specialized. Instead of offering... Read More
As a Work at Home Business you need to have... Read More
Whether you're a service business working to obtain clients, a... Read More
Freebies. Freebies. Everyone loves getting things for free.You can increase... Read More
If you're new to Internet Business, this might be hard... Read More
Conventional wisdom says find a niche. Don't go where the... Read More
Do you own a web site that is continually failing... Read More
For three years in Internet Marketing, I've tried to find... Read More
It's well known that internet marketers are in the business... Read More
The first thing I must say is it's a mine... Read More
While reviewing site stats, I noticed 18 foreign countries as... Read More
Internet Marketing |