Can you name the final classics titles from these working draft titles? 1. The Dead Un-dead. 2. Under the Red, White, and Blue. 3. First Impressions 4. Atticus. *answers at end.
Would To Kill a Mockingbird become the literary masterpiece it did had Harper Lee named it Atticus? Probably not.
In an era when we judge books webpages by their covers, titles matter.
Furthermore, when you create a domain name, there’s something permanent and a little intimidating about it. A little like naming a child, it has a permanency to it. Picking a domain name is also exciting because it’s an opportunity to hang your shingle up and build a brand.
If you are an attorney about to create a website, you want a domain name that accomplishes two things: 1) is easily memorable 2) will boost your organic search rankings, also known as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Before you register the name, check to make sure the domain is available. We use Bluehost for buying domain names and web hosting because it is compatible with WordPress and is a great deal.
Below is our guide to picking a domain name.
For the lawyers who want to use their own name
Many solo attorneys or small firms choose to use their name or firm name for their website, and this is a perfectly acceptable thing to do. But some factors to consider:
- Is your name too common? If you have a name like John Smith, avoid inserting an initial such as John A. Smith or John P. Smith. People will struggle to remember the name and may even find a competitor.
- Is your name difficult to spell? Unfortunately, a name that is lengthy and difficult to spell will make it difficult for people to find you.
If you opt to use your name remember that the gold standard is FirstnameLastname.com. Avoid adding middle names, initials, or llc, esq at the end. Keep it simple.
For lawyers wanting to target a niche audience
One of the ways you can direct traffic to your website and improve your leads is by creating a website that describes your practice area.
The same rules as the above apply:
- Brief.
- Easy to spell.
For a descriptive name, consider combining your name or your location with your area of practice, such as LastnamePersonalInjury.com or OxfordStudentDefense.com
By including short, but broad descriptive keywords, potential clients will be better able to find you. They will also be able to remember the type of law you want to practice. Remember, if you are a real estate attorney, you wouldn’t want people calling with questions about criminal appeals. So use this opportunity to focus on your desired client base.
A descriptive name helps establish your brand and focus area.
Just say NO to keyword stuffing and hyphens
Keyword stuffing your domain name could lead to penalties by search engines and prevent your site from ever being noticed. You’re not fooling Google with bestmiamidivorcelawyerformen.com
Avoid using hyphens. Search engines sometimes consider websites using hyphens as spammy and trying to stuff too many keywords. For example, best-attorney-in-new-orleans.com may signal to search engines that this website is spam.
Whatever you do, USE .com
One of the industry leaders in the world of SEO, Rand Fishkin, argues that even though its 2017, don’t even think about using an alternative top-level domain (TLD), such as .law, .us, or .legal.. As he states, “Cognitive fluency dictates that we should go with something easy, that people have an association with, and .com is still the primary TLD. If you want to build up a very brandable domain that can do well, you want a .com.”
Still Struggling with the Name
If your domain name is taken or you are just struggling to come up with a website name that fits your firm or practice area, drop us a line. At Conversations Digital we specialize in helping attorneys and small law firms build their story and obtain online leads. To schedule your free consultation visit https://conversationsdigital.com/contact/.
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Quiz answers: 1. Bram Stoker’s Dracula 2. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby 3. Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice 4. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. For a few more, check out this fun Mental Floss article.
