Registering multiple domain names for your business may seem like a waste of money or a low-class SEO tactic for attempting to get traffic. However, the truth is that even large companies such as Google have purchased numerous domain names for their companies and brands. Following is an overview of why you should invest a bit of money in a number of domain names and advice on how to do it so you don't spend more than you have to.

Why Buy Multiple Domain Names

Saving Money Long-Term

Believe it or not, buying extra domain names related to your main domain name will save you money long-term. It is not uncommon for shady businesses and people who want to make a bit of extra money to buy domain names that are extremely similar to popular business domain names and then set up their own websites. In some cases this is done as a quick and easy way to get a lot of traffic to a website at the expense of the original business owner. In other instances, the person who bought the name is simply holding onto it in the hope that you will pay a lot of money to buy it back. If something like this happens to you, you will either need to pay a lot of money to hire a lawyer to take the other party to court to pay the other person a lot of money to sell the domain name to you.

There are also instances when legitimate business owners may buy a domain name that is extremely similar to yours. Not all business owners or entrepreneurs do a lot of research before purchasing a domain name, making it easy for businesses that are vastly different from each other to have very similar URLs. This is something you want to avoid as it makes it hard for customers to know who you are and what you do.

Gaining Extra Traffic

It is not uncommon for people to forget how to spell certain words when typing a domain name in Google. In some instances nothing happens; in other cases a person winds up at a website with the misspelled domain name. Many large brand names are aware of this and purposely purchase misspelled domain names in order to redirect them to the company's main website. The result is that a person who misspells a domain name is still taken to the site he or she intended to visit.

Knowing What Domain Names to Purchase

Knowing what domain names to purchase is as important as being aware of the need to buy multiple domain names for your business. Here are some tips that can help you purchase the names you need but not more.

Consider Your Business Type

There are plenty of new TLDs to pick from, including some that are likely to be highly related to your business. Consider your main products and/or services and purchase domain names that feature your company names but end with extensions related to your line of work.

Stick with .com and .net

The most common TLDs are .com and .net. Make sure you buy your chosen URL with both ending variations so that a competitor can't easily take your place online. If you run a non-profit organization then buying your domain name with a .org ending is a wise idea. Don't bother with most other domain name extensions as they are not commonly used by the business community.

Think about Common Misspellings

If you want to know if there is a possibility of people misspelling your business URL, do a simple survey. Ask your workers, friends and even customers what they think about your domain name. If you notice that certain misspellings crop up in various answers then you should seriously consider buying these misspelled variations.

Buying multiple domain names can be costly, especially if you are starting a new company and do not have a lot of cash on hand. Even so, the added expense can be well worth it as it is likely to save you a lot of time, hassle and money once your business becomes well-known online. Your brand name is important and you don't want to have to change your business name and/or URL simply because someone else bought a similar domain name and is using it to draw customers away from your website.

If you are new to online marketing and need help choosing a good business name for your website, take a look at Brandgy's branded domain name options. These include not only great domain names but also logos and other features to help you get your business off the ground in a hurry. Packages are available in various price points for businesses of all sizes and types so get in touch with us at your convenience to find out what package would work best for your business.