The Benefits of Premium Domain Names for SMEs

In today’s digital age, having an effective online presence is essential for the success of any small or medium-sized enterprise (SME). One key aspect of this presence is your website’s domain name. Your domain name is often the first impression that potential customers will have of your brand, and it can have a significant impact on your online visibility and credibility.

While it may be tempting to go for a cheaper or easily available domain, investing in a premium domain name can offer numerous advantages for SMEs.

It’s no secret that big brands have serious domain strategies and use domains to their advantage. Large corporations often invest in multiple premium domain names related to their brand or industry to secure their online presence and prevent potential competitors from using similar domains. This allows them to control their online image and messaging and ensures that customers can easily find and remember their website.

Big brands also understand the importance of having a strong domain name for SEO purposes. They often invest in premium domains that are optimised for search engines and use them to drive traffic to their website. This can result in higher search engine rankings and increased visibility, which can translate into more customers and sales.

Here are some examples of top brands across industries and their domain choices:

There are many reasons why those brands take domain names seriously. Here we have outlined some:

Increased Credibility

A premium domain name can instantly boost the credibility of your brand. This is because premium domains are often short, memorable, and easy to spell, making it easier for customers to find and remember your website. Additionally, premium domains often have a history of previous use, which can add to the credibility of your brand.

The power that a top level domain name, dictionary word has with the general public is phenomenal. It creates that authority automatically, instant trust.
Alex Tew, Co-founder of Calm.com

Stronger Brand

A premium domain name can help establish your brand and create a strong online identity. A memorable and unique domain name can differentiate your business from competitors and make a lasting impression on potential customers.

We felt as a company that Jets.com was tremendously powerful for our industry and the product that we’re selling. We figured that anyone who’s going to search for private jets is likely to go to Jets.com. Now when we tell people in general on the phone or in a meeting that we’re Jets.com, the credibility alone by saying Jets.com is worth it.
Damian Klinger, President and Co-Founder of Jets.com

Competitive Advantage

Having a premium domain name can give your SME a competitive advantage in your industry. It shows that you’re a serious player in your market and that you’re willing to invest in your brand.

Standing out just gets harder when people confuse you with other companies. That’s why we went right to the source. There are many copycat Sumo names in the market but by owning Sumo.com, we’re positioned as the original. We are the Sumo.com.
Noah Kagan, Co-Founder of Sumo.com

Increased Traffic

A premium domain name can attract more traffic to your website. A domain name that is easy to remember and relevant to your industry can encourage people to visit your site and learn more about your business.

About 70% of traffic comes from the domain directly – we don’t have to purchase the keywords as much any longer. The domain name is pretty valuable in and of itself.
Tor Sweeney, Owner of Dresses.com

Higher Conversion Rates

A premium domain name can increase conversion rates by making it easier for customers to find and remember your website. This can result in more sales and leads for your business.

We have seen better overall conversions and lower drop-off rates on our campaigns. For us, an important factor is that having a premium domain provides better access to big lead buyers and leading advertisers as well due to, again, the trust factor.
Frans van Hulle, CEO & Co-Founder at PX.com (NamePros)

More Effective Marketing

A premium domain name can make it easier to market your website. A memorable and unique domain name can be easily included in your marketing materials, such as business cards, flyers, and social media profiles.

One of the best decisions we made was to buy TN.com. It wasn’t “cheap” by any stretch of the imagination (especially because we were 100% bootstrapped and raised no investor capital), but not acquiring/having it would have been a far more costly decision for the company as we scaled our OOH marketing efforts.
Tim Hargis, VP, Marketing and Business Development at Tuft & Needle (LinkedIn)

Future-Proofing

Investing in a premium domain name can help future-proof your online presence. As technology and digital trends continue to evolve, having a strong and memorable domain name can help ensure your business remains relevant and successful in the future.

Beyond just the benefits of properly aligning our brand with the .com name, we knew that owning this domain would illustrate to future customers that we’re here to stay for the long haul.
Steli Efti, CEO of Close.com

Increased Brand Recognition

A premium domain name can be more memorable and easier to recall than a generic or long domain name, increasing brand recognition and recall.

We saw a big growth with our repeat customers. We had an average return of repeat customers of over 200% from where it originally was and that was definitely attributable to the brand. When you are Pacific Pillows, you can stumble across a bunch of pillow sites, but when you are Pillows.com, its pretty clear that there is only one Pillows.com.
Craig Clark, Pillows.com

Attracting Investment

For startups and smaller brands looking to attract investment, a premium domain name can demonstrate a level of professionalism and market savvy, making it more attractive to investors.

We didn’t have much cash at the time, we’ve just raised a little round of capital but what I knew was that this name would allow us to be taken a lot more seriously by future investors because it is a lot easier to raise venture capital when you’ve got a domain name like we have because the first thing you see on the deck is the title, and if it says Scan.com it is making them turn to the next page.
Charlie Bullock, founder of Scan.com

Owning a Piece of Digital Real Estate

A domain name is a piece of digital real estate that can have long-term value. By investing in a premium domain name, you’re not just securing your online presence, but you’re also investing in a valuable asset that can have future value.

I am pleased to have completed the acquisition of the Chill.com domain name. We are the proud owners of a highly brandable, premium domain asset reflective of a word that is pervasive in the everyday lives of consumers and is easy to say, spell, and remember.
Callum Sommerton, CEO of Chill Brands

You can see the majority of successful businesses understand the value of investing in a strong domain strategy. They use domains to their advantage by investing in multiple premium domains, optimising their domain portfolios, and using them as a brand asset and tool for marketing and advertising. SMEs can learn from these strategies and invest in a premium domain name to give their brand presence a boost and help them compete with established brands in their industry.

The right domain names are a valuable investment for any brand. If you’re ready to secure the perfect domain name for your business, reach out to us for assistance. We’re here to help you find and acquire the ideal domain for your brand.

Other resources

Is It Worth Paying for a Premium Domain Name?

A Short Guide to Buying a Premium Domain Name

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