-Monique Lawrence
If you’re an entrepreneur, solopreneur, or small business owner, the word LEVERAGE should be like magic to your ears. Let’s face it – we SMEs are sometimes not only small in number, but we can also be a bit less nourished in the financial department, too. So, it’s important to utilize the little that we have in the biggest ways possible.
When it comes to your online business, there are many things you can leverage – once you understand how things work – and how to creatively make them work for you.
Your domain name is an invaluable part of your business’ online identity. That’s why it’s important to ensure you are doing all you can to use your domain name to its full potential.
A domain name is a unique address for your online brand or business. Similar to a mailing address, it’s the location your potential clients will visit to discover your business. It’s a lot more flexible than a mailing address and allows your business to show up for your potential clients 24/7, even when you’re unavailable.
Popular domain names are www.visitjamaica.com, www.wikipedia.org, and www.facebook.com.
Here are 6 ways you can leverage your domain name:
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Build and increase brand recognition
When we talk about branding, we’re looking at the characteristics that define your business – your values, purpose, and image – and executing ways to ensure these things are felt by your target audience. When looking at your business’ online brand, your domain name is a crucial component.
Create and use a strong domain name that easily ties into your brand. Whether you tie your domain to your website, or a simple contact form, consistently using your domain name in all your marketing materials will increase brand recognition and establish trust with your audience.
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Boost your SEO
Every online business should want to increase their searchability online. Your domain name is a great way to assist with your Search Engine Optimization. A domain name that includes relevant keywords can help improve your search engine rankings. Make sure to optimize your website content with keywords related to your business, industry, products or services, and location to increase visibility and attract more organic traffic.
For example, mikesjamaicanmics.com covers the name of the business, the location it hails from, and the products they serve.
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Establish credibility
A professional, branded domain name can help establish your business as a credible and trustworthy source in your industry.
Once you have selected your strong domain name, work your way to investing in a high quality website, and regularly publish informative and engaging content to position yourself as an expert in your field.
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Generate leads for your business
Not yet ready for a full website? Connect your domain name to a simple landing page, form, or lead magnet that captures email addresses and other contact information from visitors. By offering valuable content in exchange for their contact details, you can build a list of potential customers and nurture them through email marketing campaigns.
Also, your domain name can serve as a virtual storefront where customers can purchase your products or services. You can set up an e-commerce website that allows customers to browse, compare, and purchase products directly from your website.
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Create valuable content & expand your reach
Your domain name, when tied to your website, can be used to create valuable content that drives traffic to your website. Use your website to house blog posts, articles, videos, and other content that provides value to your target audience and positions your brand as an authority in your industry.
Share your strong, recognizable, easy-to-remember domain name and the valuable content on its website component to expand your reach and attract new customers. You can promote your website through social media, email marketing, and other paid and organic marketing channels to increase visibility and drive traffic to your online business.
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Monetize your domain
You can monetize your domain with or without your own website connected to it.
If your website is connected to your domain name, you can create and sell advertising spaces and opportunities throughout high-traffic areas in your website.
If your domain name is not connected to your website, don’t leave it sitting there when you could be earning from it! Monetize your unused domain by using affiliate marketing to earn commissions on sales generated through your website. You can also put your domain up for sale to generate a profit on your purchase.
If you have a valuable domain name that receives a lot of traffic, you should monetize it.
So, there you have it…
Don’t sit on your domain. Go forward and make it work for you. Ensure it’s strong and tied to your brand and purpose, then explore all the options you have to make your domain and its connections work for your business.
Monique ‘MJ’ Lawrence helps brands and businesses communicate with their audience through meaningful, memorable visual media. She has been in the business of branding and media since 2004, and now leads her own boutique agency – MJ Branding and Media.
