How to Choose a Custom Domain for Your Locafy Landing Page Campaign

When launching a targeted landing page campaign for Locafy, selecting the right custom domain is a critical step. It’s the digital front door for your campaign and can significantly influence both user perception and search engine optimization (SEO).

1. Prioritize Brand Consistency Over Keywords

In the past, it was common to load domains with keywords to gain an SEO advantage, but this strategy has lost its effectiveness. According to a Moz guide, search engines now focus more on content relevance and quality than on exact match domains (EMDs). Instead of cramming keywords into your domain, focus on ensuring it aligns with your brand identity.

For example, avoid a domain like "BestSEOServicesonline.com" and go for something more memorable and directly tied to your company's brand values, such as "BrandSolutions.com." This not only looks more professional but also creates a domain that users are more likely to trust and engage with.

2. Choose a Unique and Distinct Domain

One of the key rules in domain selection is to avoid using brand names that are already in use by other companies. According to Wix’s guide, this can lead to confusion for users, dilute your brand’s identity, and in some cases, even result in legal issues. Ensure your domain is entirely unique to your company and doesn’t resemble other well-established brands in your industry.

By ensuring your domain is distinct, you protect your brand from unnecessary competition and confusion, making it easier for your audience to find and recognize your landing page campaign.

3. Utilize Top-Level Domains (TLDs)

Top-level domains (TLDs) are an important factor in creating a trustworthy and professional domain. Extensions like .com, .net, and .org carry authority and trustworthiness, making them the preferred choice for most businesses. As emphasized by Shopify, while more creative TLDs (like .tech or .solutions) have emerged, they still haven’t gained the same level of recognition as the traditional options.

For your Landing Page campaign, it’s advisable to stick with a .com domain if available, as it’s the most universally recognized and respected. However, other extensions like .net or .solutions could be useful if they align with your campaign objectives.

4. Keep the Domain Short and Easy to Remember

A concise, easy-to-remember domain can enhance both brand recall and SEO. As SEMrush points out, short domains are more likely to be typed accurately, shared, and remembered by users. Ideally, aim for a domain that is no longer than 15 characters and is simple to pronounce and spell.

Consider something like “BobsPlumbing.com” or “RandysSpa.com” instead of lengthy or complex domains. This keeps your campaign’s domain memorable while avoiding potential user frustration due to typos.

5. Avoid Hyphens and Numbers

Hyphens and numbers can make a domain harder to type, pronounce, and remember, which leads to a poor user experience. According to SEO.com, domains with hyphens or numbers are often associated with spammy sites, and this can hurt the credibility of your campaign. Stick to alphanumeric characters, keeping the domain clean and simple.

6. Think Long-Term

When selecting a domain for a campaign, it can be tempting to choose something overly specific or trendy. However, it’s important to think about long-term use. Domains that are flexible enough to accommodate future campaigns or growth will serve you better over time. For example, instead of choosing a domain like "RandysSpa2024Campaign.com," which has a limited lifespan, opt for something that can be reused, such as "DougMarketing.com."

7. Check Domain Availability and Competitors

Before finalizing your domain, conduct a thorough search to ensure that your desired domain name is available and not too similar to those of competitors. Using tools like SEMrush’s Domain Overview can help ensure that your domain is unique and available. This step helps avoid legal disputes and ensures that your brand stands out in the market.

8. Do Not Include Location Names

Locafy's methodology already utilizes local areas and uses those place names in the sitemap. Placing a location name in the main URL will interfere with our optimization. Choosing a custom domain for a Landing Page campaign may take some creativity. If you need any assistance, feel free to reach out to our team to arrive at the right choice.

Conclusion

Choosing the right custom domain for your Locafy landing page campaign requires balancing brand identity, user experience, and SEO best practices. By prioritizing a simple, memorable, and brand-centric domain, you’ll not only improve your campaign’s performance but also ensure long-term scalability and success. Stick to trusted TLDs, avoid keyword stuffing, and ensure your domain is unique and easy to recall—ultimately creating a strong foundation for your campaign’s online presence.