Is it a good idea to have multiple domain names? There are actually pros and cons to this move, but it all depends on the context of your strategy. Let’s take a look at some considerations you need to take into account to make a decision:
Multiple Entry Points – One of the main benefits of having multiple domain names is gaining a number of entry points. If your company focuses on the homemaking niche, for example, you can have sections about housecleaning, refurbishing, etc. Creating additional domains on these niches can also be beneficial (for linking purposes).
Search Engines – It used to be a common spamming technique to purchase hundreds, even thousands of domains, that all reference the same site. These sites were indexed and added to the ranking. Although this strategy worked for awhile, search engines are now cautious about such techniques. As a result, it is more important to be careful about what you put into your sites; and make sure the content is not similar.
Typos – Common typing errors can yield to significant search traffic once you consider that you’re catering to a global audience. Remember to use 301 redirects to ensure that these misspellings aren’t listed in the search engines results page (SERP).
Protection – Once your company becomes more renowned, it will need to battle opportunists who seek to benefit from your success. In this regard, it may be a good idea to purchase the .net, .org, and .us extensions among others.
So, you’ve found the perfect web domain name for your online business. Congratulations! But you’re not done yet. It is also important to consider domain name variations that will help you reap the full benefits of your initiative. Consider the following:
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Extension Variations – having a .com website is great. However, having a .co, .uk, .ca, etc. extension might prove to be even more beneficial. That's because the search engines are designed to give preference to “local” websites for searchers in other countries. Aside from this difference, registering the .net and .org extension of your site can prevent others from taking advantage of your hard work.
Plural Variations – Look into whether registering plurals will be a good investment or not.
Typo Variations – Not all Internet users are gifted with spelling skills. For example, they might spell “article” as artical and Google as Gogle. Register obvious misspellings if you have a long domain name.
These are just some of the must have web domain name variations that may be suitable for businesses. Other variations you can look into include transposing variations (for example, changing “domainname.com” to “namedomain.com” and phonetic variations). At the end of the day, it is up to you whether you believe registering these sites will improve your bottom line or not.
