How A Domain Name Can Help You Build A Better E-Commerce Brand
By Suman Das, .STORE Domains
There’s nothing more rewarding than starting a business from scratch and watching it grow. As an entrepreneur, you can build your business and watch it manifest into something larger than life that no one can take away from you. However, transforming your e-Commerce business into a renowned brand takes more than just a smile on a rainy day. While there are many complicated marketing gimmicks and expensive advertising techniques that can help your e-Commerce business become the next big thing, there are simpler, more cost-effective ways to achieve this feat.
Did you know that you can ace your e-Commerce branding with something as simple as the choice of your domain name? Yes, you heard that right. Your domain name plays a significant role in building a memorable brand. A short, relevant and definitive domain name makes for an outstanding brandable moniker.
What’s in a (domain) name?
Your domain name is the first touch point for your customers and prospects to get an idea of what to expect when they land on your web site. For example, when you look at www.buylaptoponline.com , you already know what the web site is about.
Your domain name helps you influence your customer’s judgment about the following aspects:
Clearly, a lot rides on your store’s domain name, especially since your business depends on your customers transacting on your web site.
The question then becomes — is there a way to find the perfect domain name that can empower an e-Commerce business? Yes! The answer lies in being able to find a domain name that communicates a message about the business while making a great first impression.
The perfect e-Commerce domain name:
- Is short, relevant, memorable;
- Evokes credibility;
- Establishes a strong brand positioning; and
- Communicates an important business message or business ideology.
There are domain extensions for every possible industry and purpose out there: .TECH for technology, .CLUB for clubs, and .STORE for retail and e-Commerce, giving companies a huge inventory of available domain names on new extensions.
Building A Strong Brand Positioning
To ensure that your domain name is bringing you all the benefits that it possibly can, here are some tips and suggestions:
1. Tap Into Psycholinguistics
With new domain extensions, you can play around with the psychology of language to benefit from the interrelation between linguistic factors and psychological aspects. Basically, you can integrate words that make your brand seem more compelling or persuasive.
Certain words and connotations trigger the human mind to associate it with either negative or positive or neutral emotions and thoughts. For example, the following words are termed as ‘emotional trigger’ words in marketing:
- Now
- Create
- Discover
- Secret
- You
By using these words in your marketing, you can engage with your customers emotionally. Is there a way you can use this technique in domain names too? Yes! Here are some examples:
So, by using names that generate a positive emotion in the minds of the customer, you can make your brand message more persuasive.
2. Use Your Domain Name To Set Up A Company-Branded Email Address
Having a relevant domain name for your online store means you can acquire a branded email address too. As an e-Commerce business, the last thing you want is to look spammy to your customers!
Take a look at the following email IDs and it would be clear how valuable a branded domain can be in building a strong brand:
buylaptops.online@gmail.com vs. janice@chicagolaptops.store
partyplanners.boston@yahoo.com vs. alisha@partyplanners.fun
3. Use Branded Links On Social Media
Another effective branding hack involves using branded links when sharing anything on social media. For instance, consider these examples of branded links from Amazon, The New York Times and PepsiCo respectively:
By using branded links, you can create a higher brand recall as well as build “link trust” in every update you share online.
4. Include Your Domain Name On Marketing Collaterals
The best way to build a strong first impression for your online brand in an offline environment is to include your web address on your business cards, offline ads, email signatures, uniforms, brochures, newsletters and other collateral that you share with customers. This is a great way to promote your brand offline and give potential customers an easy way to learn more about, and connect with, your business online.
In Conclusion
In today’s competitive e-Commerce landscape, it is essential to stand out and build a memorable brand that will stand the test of time. Your brand building process begins with your domain name. With new domain extensions such as .STORE, meant specifically for e-Commerce and retail businesses, you have the opportunity to pick the most suitable and outstanding name for your web site to strengthen your brand.
Suman Das is the Director of Brand Operations for new domain extensions such as .STORE, .TECH and .SPACE at Radix, the third largest new domain registry. He has 10+ years of experience in brand management, program management, and business development across industries, 4+ years of which are in the Internet domains industry. At Radix, Das leads brand operations and growth, and also heads Radix’s business in China. He has prior experience in managing channel partnerships in Europe and Japan and has also been instrumental in designing and launching Radix’s unique startup-focused initiative called the Startup League.