What’s in a URL?
See that? It’s a play on the old adage “what’s in a name?” But where the saying is pointing out the insignificance of a name as compared to the potential of the person, the answer to the question what’s in a URL actually has quite the opposite meaning. In other words, your URL is extremely significant in relation to the potential success of your online business.
In today’s world, the internet provides business opportunities to people who would not otherwise have the means to start their own enterprise. This is a great thing, but it also means that just about any niche you choose can be highly competitive, and the secret to success basically boils down to finding a way to land your website at the top of the SERP’s. There are many ways, typically used in conjunction with one another, for the savvy internet marketer to accomplish this, not the least of which is by starting with a carefully chosen and researched URL.
How to Choose a URL
If you have an already established brick and mortar business, then obviously your URL should reflect the business that your website represents. But even within this context, some keyword research is in order, as you may be able to word your URL in a way that is search engine friendly while still maintaining your traditional business name.
In the case of online businesses, however, the wording of your URL can mean the difference between potential customers finding you first – or at all. Here are some tips for choosing a URL for your online business.
- Your URL should accurately represent the topic of your website.
- Your URL should be easy for your visitors to identify and remember.
- Your URL should, as much as possible, be comprised of relevant keywords.
- Try to avoid extra words or characters which might interrupt the flow of your URL as a keyword or phrase.
Correcting URL Mistakes
So what do you do if you already have an established URL which doesn’t follow these guidelines? Should you discontinue it and start a new one with a more effective URL? Not necessarily. You do have options if you named your website something witty instead of something searchable and practical in your newbie days as an online marketer (and don’t feel bad about that – happens to some of the best of us.) Here are some things you can do to rectify the situation.
- Make sure that the content on your website is keyword optimized. You should do this anyway, but if your URL is not keyword based, this step is extra-important.
- Build a network of mini-sites which reflect your primary keywords in their URL’s and use them to direct visitors to your main website.
Choosing an effective URL for your online business isn’t necessarily the most important aspect of setting yourself up for success, but understanding its importance is definitely a plus.