Web design Sunshine Coast
As we develop and design websites for new customers we do not lose sight of the "big picture". 12website.com recognises the need to produce a website that portrays a customers brand. And what better way to begin this process than to purchase a domain name that is the brand. In the physical world, you can distinguish a business because of its structure, window displays, location ie. on the Sunshine Coast, signs. You can tell that a bank is a bank, or a clothing store is indeed a clothing store.
Domain Names
On the web, however, it is an entirely different story altogether. Your domain name is the only clue to your online business. You do not have visual clues: no location, no look, and no store design. Instead, users have to type in a word or a set of words to reach your site. Your prospective visitor has no way of knowing what your site is all about until he/she finds it and reads its contents. Who can ever tell that Amazon.com sells books? Or that Excite is a search engine? Some domain name info from 1998.
Your domain name can spell your success on the Internet. A good domain name is the best asset you can ever have. It can make your business stand out in the crowd, or just float aimlessly in space. This is one of the details the place to start and then move on. More on Web Design Details from May 2004.
The need to provide immediate clues to an online business led to the prevalence of generic domain names. Generic names instantly provide the user with an idea of what a business is all about, what to expect and look for in a site. For instance, Etoys.com is a toy store.
The temptation of the generic name has been so powerful; that some companies even paid ridiculously high prices to get the name they want. The domains Loans.com and Wines.com were both bought for $3 million each. Telephone.com was acquired for $1.75 million, while Bingo.com sold for $1.1 million.
However, generic names do not necessarily create the “buzz” that you’d like surrounding your website. Branding has always been about proper names:
McDonald's did not name their store Hamburger.
Hertz is not called Car Rental.
Kodak is not Photographs.
Microsoft is not Computer Software.
For better branding results, your domain name should be memorable and easy to remember. Remember the following tips when creating a domain name.
The domain name should be short
The domain name should be simple
It should be suggestive of your business category
It should be unique
It should be easy to interpret and pronounce
It should be personalised
It should not be difficult to spell
It should not be difficult to remember
Ok. Web design is not just "let's get a website up there". A website is part of you overall business:
- - your marketing - More info from June 2003
- - your professional appearance
- - the way you treat your customers
I have digressed from the concept of brand. However please read this section on how powerful a brand can really be.
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