How to Choose a Domain Name

Step one for starting a second income

There are a few things you need to consider when choosing a domain name for your first WiFi income stream.

In this article I’ll cover the different types of domain names and also go over the new vs. aged domain debate.

Types of domain names

There are three main types of domain names:

1. Exact-match

2. Partial-match

3. Branded

Let’s take a look at the differences and find out which one you should choose.

Exact-match domain

An EMD is a domain that contains all of your target keywords. For example, if you’re starting a site that reviews camping tents, an EMD could be bestcampingtents.com or topcampingtentreviews.com.

In the past, buying an exact-match domain helped you rank for your target keywords faster. That’s no longer the case.

Google relies on a variety of different factors when trying to determine what type of content your site is about. Topical authority from content, links from relevant niches, and anchor text used in those links are some of the factors they look at. If your domain name has the exact keywords that you want to rank for, you MAY rank faster, but eventually you’ll get penalized.

It’s not worth it.

Partial-match domain

A PMD is a domain that contains some of your keywords but not all of them. For the best camping tents niche, a partial-match domain could be campingresource.com or tents4you.com.

Partial-match domains have a moderate effect on your ability to rank quickly. The benefits are similar to the benefits of an EMD, but are slightly muted (won’t have as big of an impact).

Branded domain

Branded domains do not contain any of your main keywords, although the domain name may still be related to the topic that you want to rank for.

You’ll rank slower when starting a new site with a branded domain name, since it doesn’t have any of the main keywords that you want to rank for built in to the domain name itself. If you’re having trouble coming up with a branded name, Namelix can help you generate one.

The benefits are:

1. Very easy to do link-building outreach - People like to link to websites that sound like “real brands”. If you were writing an article about a health topic, would you rather link to Healthline.com or Top5BestVitamins.com? The answer is obvious.

2. Way easier to sell - Branded domains sell quicker and for more money than EMDs or PMDs. People want to buy a “real business”, not a generic affiliate site.

3. There is some evidence that Google favors them - Although they rank slower, it seems like Google favors branded domains in the long run.

If it wasn’t clear, you should always choose a branded domain name when starting a new site. The long-term benefits make it a no-brainer. Yes, you’ll rank slower but the goal is to build something that you can sell for real money several years down the line.

New domain vs. aged domain: which should you choose?

Aged domains that have been around for a while will rank much faster than new domains, since they’ve likely been writing about the topic and building high-quality links for years. This can help you minimize the amount of time you spend in Google’s sandbox. There is still a sandbox period when you repurpose an old domain, but you shouldn’t be in it for as long as you would be with a new domain.

I recommend that beginner’s avoid buying an aged domain. This is because, even though they typically rank quicker, it’s not always the case. Sometimes there are problems with aged domains and it can be tough for a beginner to troubleshoot and figure out why they are having a hard time ranking. Buying a new domain and starting from scratch is the best way to make sure that only the work that you’re doing has an influence on its ability to rank, which makes it easier to figure out where you went wrong if it’s having trouble ranking.

Conclusion

If you’re a beginner starting a new site for the first time, I recommend buying a new branded domain.

Yes, this means that it’ll take a little bit longer for your site to rank, but it benefits you in the long run. There is a limit to how far you can take your site with an exact or partial-match domain, but if it’s a real brand then the sky is the limit.

Aged domains typically rank quicker but sometimes there are problems with them that a beginner may not be able to deal with. It’s better to start with a blank slate with a new domain (Namecheap is beginner-friendly) and ensure that everything that happens on the site is within your control.

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