When creating your new website, the first and foremost thing that comes is to buy a domain for your website. The decision to choose the right domain is challenging because you can get confused between the short domain names vs long domain names and which one is better for your website and help it to rank higher.
The debate of which one is better will never end because it depends on your website’s specific goals and needs. So, to solve the argument of short domain vs long domain, we have collected all the information about the impact, advantages, disadvantages, how it can affect SEO, and other factors for you. So, if you want to choose the best domain, go through this blog and find which is better for the website.
However, if you are wondering about the difference between a long domain and a short domain and which is better, read this article. Here we will discuss which is Better by weighing down their advantages and disadvantages so you can decide which is better for your website.
Difference between Short Domain Names vs Long Domain Names?
Before diving deep into the debate of Short domain names vs Long domain names, it is very important to know what is Domain name.
What is Domain?
A domain name is a name at which you register the address of your website. It becomes part of the URL, basically it is a name of your website which can be long and short as well. If you are making a new website then you need a name that will represent you online for example you make a website to share content about politics and choose a relevant domain name as “politicsinfo” followed by a TLD will land users to your website.
Choosing the domain name for your website is very important before you purchase it from a domain registrar. Additionally it is also important to keep in mind that while choosing a domain name you need to consider what kind of name you want: short domain name or long domain name. Do not get confused between the long and short domain names because this article is all about the argument on which one is best for your website.
Benefits with Short Domain Names
Short domain names have become a preferred choice of website owners because they are easy and concise. Most of the businesses now look for the short domain names instead of long domain names to reduce the complexity of searching the websites. Short domains can generally build your brand identity into the online market faster than long domain names.
By choosing the short domain names, you can also get several advantages. Short domain names only consist of 5-8 characters, which benefits users to easily remember your website because it is concise and easy to read.
For example, you can take the example of a Facebook domain name, “fb.com.” “fb” is a shorter domain name but has a great impact because it is short and easy to remember, making it an ideal short domain name. So, choosing the right domain for your website can establish your brand identity and have a strong social impact.
A short domain name will have very low chances of misspellings which can give you the benefit of direct visitor traffic. Moreover, visitors can easily remember the short domain name and refer your website to their friends and family, adding more traffic.
If the short domain name you want for your website is already taken then there is a way you can claim the same short domain name with just little modification. For example you have a website for political website and you want to claim the domain name “dotvote.vote” but the domain is common and already taken by any other business owner then you do not have to change the domain name, all you need is to modify the name and make it unique you can use the domain name of “dot-vote.vote” and claim your favorite domain name.
Disadvantages of Short Domain Names
As we all know, the increase in popularity of short domain names due to their ease also comes with some disadvantages that need to be considered. The biggest disadvantage of Short domain names is their availability because there is always a chance that the name you want is already taken, especially if your brand’s name is not unique. In addition, common phrases and words are not available in short domain as they are already taken, so if you want a short domain name for your website, then you need to be creative about the name, or if you want a name that’s already taken, then you need to pay extra money for it and use a different extension.
Benefits of long name Domain
Whenever you are looking to buy a long name domain, consider its benefits. As people see that shorter domains are more suitable for websites, some potential benefits make the long-name domain the perfect choice for your website. The long domain names consist of 15-18 characters, which gives store owners the benefit of being descriptive about their website, making it easy for visitors to remember the purpose and help them find the website.
For example, if you are running a website for anxiety where valuable advice and resources for people and you have a domain name like “anxietyhelpcenter.com” it could be more specific and effective and also can help your website to attract the visitors.
Being specific with your long domain name is a way to stand out in competition where the competition is high because these descriptive long domain names will differentiate your website from others. Another benefit you can get by choosing a long domain name is boosting your SEO with your domain name. Google algorithms may also consider simple and easy-to-understand domain names to find whether your website is relevant or not for ranking it in top search results.
Another important benefit you can get while choosing a long domain name is a branding opportunity. Combining different words to create a long domain name that reflects the identity and relevancy of your business can create a strong impact on brand recognition and its identity.
Disadvantages of long domain names
With advantages, there are also some disadvantages of long domain names, which you need to consider before buying the domain. The long domain name can be a little difficult for users to remember, and if you have used any special characters, hyphens, or multiple words can lead your website to the disadvantage of decreased traffic.
It can also affect your SEO strategy because SEO considers the word relevancy used in a domain name if you have used multiple words as targeted keywords in the hope that Google will rank your website based on these keywords. In that case, it will negatively affect your SEO strategy because this will be stuffing of keywords that Google does not consider. It will find your website with less authority and will damage your site’s credibility.
Creating a long domain name is all about choosing the name that catches the visitor’s eye, and if you use an unwieldy domain name will also negatively affect your brand identity.
What to Choose from Short Domain Names vs Long Domain Names?
For choosing the right domain between short domain name vs long domain name, no recommendation can fit with all websites. It is important to know that choosing a domain name is tricky and challenging. So start doing your research and find a name that will reflect your brand’s identity and services to give visitors a clear idea. While choosing a long domain name, you can be more descriptive and add your brand name+keyword that describes your services.
However, we recommend short domain names because they have several advantages over long domain names. Short domain names are based on single phrases, which are very easy for users to remember, and it also has a great chance that your visitors can easily recommend it to others which can bring more traffic to your website. Finding a short domain name with 5-8 characters that reflect your brand is hitting the jackpot for a short domain. Short domains are most easily available because, most of the time, they are already taken by other website owners.
Moreover, imagine you are running two websites related to politics and all about it and you post the information content there but both websites have different domain names one website name consists on long domain name and other is of short domain name. The first website has a domain name of ” breakingbattlegrounds” which is a long domain name with three letters and the other websites domain name is “.vote” which is very simple and concise to remember as compared to the long domain name. The argument of long domain name vs short domain name will never stop but if you look at the real life examples and weigh down the benefits you will know that short domains names are a better option for your website.
Do keywords play a role in a URL site's ranking?
Do keywords play a role in URL site ranking? This question comes to everyone’s mind when choosing a URL for websites. It is a common question whether adding multiple keywords to the URLs can enhance their performance and help rank top searches. If you are a website owner looking for the answers, you need to learn about EMDs and how Google sees them. Here you can learn more about the EMDs:
Learn more about exact match domains (EMDs)
EMDs refer to the Exact match Domains, a popular technique used for rankings. The EMD is a type of URL consisting of one or more keywords targeted to rank the website high in rankings. For example, if you search on Google for women’s clothes, the top result is “womenclothes.com,” It is an EMD where “womenclothes” is a targeted keyword.
The strategy of EMDs was very popular before late 2012. It enabled websites to rank on the first pages of Google ( if they do not come top spot) based on the targeted keyword inserted into the domain names. However, this strategy led to many unauthorized and spammy techniques where people started using keyword-stuffed domains with multiple keywords.
This ranking algorithm of Google based on domain name led many web owners to file complaints because of the website of competitors for better ranking due to the keyword used in the domain name and how it overlooked their strategies of link building and On-Page SEO.
Google tool action in October 2012 and updated the algorithms for EMDs. In which the ranking on the website was no longer based on the keywords used in the URL and also penalized the websites which were doing the keyword stuffing in the domain. This means that every website will be ranked on the same criteria, there will be no EMD-based ranking, and every website owner needs to earn their place. For example, a URL like “buywomengirlsclothing.com” will not be more powerful than the URL of “womenclothes.com”.
However, inserting relevant and easy-to-understand keywords into your domain is not bad because it will create a brand identity and establish visitors’ trust. Still, it will no longer help you to rank.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Domain Name
Here are some factors that store owners need to consider while choosing between Short domain name or long domain name.
Purpose of the website
It is very important to consider the factor of the purpose of a website. For example, if you choose a website intended for marketing and branding purposes, then short domain names are usually preferred, and if your website is intended for SEO and descriptive purposes, then choose a long Domain name.
Target audience
Targeting the right audience is crucial for choosing between short domain names and long domain. For example, a short domain name may be suitable if your targeted audience is tech-savvy. Moreover, if your audience is not tech-savvy and unfamiliar with online platforms. In that case, using a long domain name will be good because it is descriptive and can be easy to understand for visitors.
Target your physical location
If your business has a physical location, it is very important to target your location by considering a state or city in your domain that will help visitors to help and remember your website.
Avoid numbers or hyphens
When choosing the domain name between a short domain name or long domain name, it is important to avoid the use of hyphens and numbers in your domain name. Using numbers and hyphens can complicate your domain name and make it hard for visitors to remember it, and they will not be able to find you, which can harm your website.
Try to shorten the length
Creating a domain with a short length can help users remember your site easily. In addition, websites with short will not create any blunders because there is a high chance of mistyping a long Domain name, and then users will not be able to search for you.
Conclusion
Are you looking to start your business but do not know which domain is better, Then go through this article and you can decide which one will work better for your brand.
However, both domains have advantages that can help you increase your brand recognition and identity. The domain helps visitors to understand the business, and they can learn what you are offering. Moreover, always balance user experience and brand identity whenever you choose a domain name.
Unleash the power of a distinctive online identity – get your .vote domain hassle-free at 101domain.com and make waves in the digital landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is a long domain name?
A long domain name is a web address that consists of multiple words or phrases and contains 15 or more characters.
Q2: What is a short domain name?
A short domain name is a web address that contains fewer characters than a traditional URL. They are often used for sharing links on social media or in situations where a long domain name would be unwieldy.
Q3: Is there an advantage to having a long domain name?
A long domain name can sometimes be more descriptive and memorable, which can help visitors remember your website’s name or purpose. However, typing in or sharing on social media may also be more difficult.
Q4: What are the advantages of using a short domain name?
Short domain names are more convenient for sharing on social media platforms, where character limits are often imposed. They are also easier to remember and type in.
Q5: Do search engines favor short domain names over long domain names?
Search engines do not specifically favor either short or long domain names. However, a short domain name may be more beneficial for SEO if it contains relevant keywords.
Q6: Can a long domain name negatively impact website performance?
A long domain name will not negatively impact website performance, but it may be more difficult for visitors to remember or type, resulting in low traffic.
