9.1  Names Matter

• Mostly on the Internet, when your domain name is registered, in addition to your domain name, offer a title, description, and keywords.
  • These are the Meta Tags discussed in a previous post.
  • So, you could have a domain name like SkyBlue; your Meta Title could be “The Outdoor and Adventure Club.”
• It’s clear that titles influence search results.
  • You’re less likely to rank well in search engines for key phrases if those phrases are not in the title of your content.
  • It’s also clear that search engines are putting lots of emphasis on social signals when ranking content.
  • Interestingly enough, titles also have a direct impact on just how much your content will be shared socially.
• The search engines base search result ranking on an algorithm that draws from some 200  “signals.”
  • Think of it as searching for a book. 
  • If you are browsing subject content; a catchy title can make all the difference as can the feel of the author’s name.
  • If you are looking for a known item with an ISBN Number - game over!
• Having said all of the above there is some consensus that Meta Tags should be ignored.
  • I agree that Google has distanced itself from Meta Tag utilisation in its algorithms that determine search result ranking.
  • I however fully support the recommendation that you should define, optimise and use your Meta Tags for the following reasons:
    • They help you to gain focus
    • Users will find names more memorable if they have meaning and are brandable.
      • Banting Pizzas - www.bantingpizzas.com, The use of the keyword banting, gives meaning to the URL even if Google do not award it "Brownie Points."
      • Dot Com's are best. Often this is so but considers the following: 
        • www.webo.directory  - it needs little explanation as it is instantly associated with a directory.
        • www.meetingpacks.online - You guessed  - they supply an online service that provides meeting documentation.

• GoDaddy
  • They are one of the largest suppliers of domain names in the world, and they offer a user-friendly administration panel.
  • They supply country specific and niche domain names.
    • There are some 640 domain name extensions.
      • You can find them listed here:  https://za.godaddy.com/tlds/gtld.aspx?catId=0
    • Using niche extensions often allows you to find a domain that captures who you are and which will be memorable and brandable
      • www.webo.directory  > webo in many African languages means "business" so once explained will you remember that Webo Directory  means "Business Directory." I believe that you will especially if you speak one of the following languages where the suffix webo is in the word for business:  kgWEBO - Sesotho, uhWebo - IsiZulu, urWebo - Xhosa
    • Relatively speaking GoDaddy are expensive. Prices vary significantly for different domain name extensions, and you need to compare "apples to apples" to get a feel for their "specials" pricing. Often discount codes can be found on the internet that GoDaddy will honour. As a generalisation, their domain name renewals and domain privacy options are more expensive than other supplier options open to you.
• Namecheap
  • There are two main price drivers that will ensure that Namecheap is cheaper.
    • They do not charge for WHOis protection
      • With every transfer, you'll receive one year's free subscription to WhoisGuard privacy protection service ($2.88 value). WhoisGuard keeps your contact information out of the publicly accessible Whois database, so your private information stays private. This will help to contain the spam that you receive.
    • They support the transfer of domains to them where year two renewals are likely to be cheaper.
      • You’ll retain all remaining time on your domain’s registration, and, in most cases, add another year. The process is risk-free and comes with a money-back guarantee. Transfer costs are in the region of $9.87/year.
    • SSL certificate and encryption costs are competitively priced.
      • With your transfer, you're eligible for a one-year Comodo PositiveSSL Certificate for only $1.99. PositiveSSL is one of the most popular certificates in the industry – it provides validation for a single domain in minutes. Features 128/256 bit encryption and $10,000 warranty.

• Finding the right name is critically important; crisp, has meaning, memorable, brandable, etc. are matters that are important and spending time researching a name is time well spent. Buying the first domain name that sounds good to you may be the right one but doing some homework to ensure that it is the best alternative is highly recommended.
• I recommend that you use Domain Samurai to research domain names.
  • It is free, and it is excellent.
  • Get it here: http://www.domainsamurai.com/
  • Domain Samurai helps you accurately assess a domain’s potential – helping you to find a high-value, keyword-rich, search engine-optimised domain name.
  • Domain Samurai also has the option to research the acquisition of aged domains. These are domains that have been about for some tome and which may already attract traffic.