Using Domain Names to Boost Searchability

One of the most important marketing decisions you’ll make for your veterinary practice is the selection of a domain name for your website. A domain name uniquely identifies you on the Web, establishes who you are, supports -or undermines- branding efforts, and can determine your ranking in Google and other search engines.

Your Primary Domain Name

Though you can have a number of domain names that bring visitors to your site, you need a primary one that represents your practice. The name of your hospital should be your primary domain name. Since this is the actual name of your business and a big part of your brand, you need to own this very important piece of Web real estate. It’s this name that needs to appear on your marketing collateral, such as brochures, business cards, direct mail pieces and email newsletters.

If this domain is already taken, you need one that is as close as possible to your hospital’s name. Abbreviating one or two of the words in your name is an excellent alternative.

Ownership of two or more domain names is a powerful and cost-effective strategy for staking out and taking ownership of a broad swath of Internet real estate.

If One Domain Name Is Good, Two Are Better

It’s easy to purchase and own several domain names that guide a Web browser (Safari, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.) to your site.

A key factor for high Google rankings is the relationship between search terms and domain name. If someone searches for “NY veterinary hospital,” the website with the domain name “nyveterinaryhospital.com” is almost always one of the first listings to return, no matter how good or bad the website is. Using several relevant domain names casts a broader net.

Domain Names Should Be Memorable

Memorability is where owning two or more domain names becomes particularly important.

Names that are simple and infer a quality or qualities associated with your practice are memorable. If you have a practice name that is long or difficult to remember, using additional domains can help people remember and locate your website. The idea is to distill the most salient characteristics of your practice and include them individually in each domain name you create. For instance, the URL for a cat-only practice could be CatsOnlyVeterinary.com, FelineVeterinary.com or CatVetHosp.com. If you are trying to brand your practice as being affordable, you could try AffordableVet.com and related names.

Remember that these branding and search-friendly names should not replace your hospital’s actual name as your website’s primary URL. Instead, they forward your marketing efforts and increase the chances that pet owners will find your practice on the Internet.

Last, But Not Least: Don’t Wait

Buy your domain names now! Other veterinary practices are trying to increase their Web presence and are buying relevant domain names that you should have. Waiting only sets your marketing efforts back. Our list of available and affordable veterinary hospital domain names can be found here. You can also purchase veterinary hospital domain names at a domain name registry company such as GoDaddy, Hover or Register.com.

With this much at stake, it’s worth seeking advice on how to strategize, select, register, and market your domain names. The veterinary marketing specialists at VetNetwork are standing by and ready to guide your practice toward seeing results! Contact us online or give us a call today at (800) 564-4215 to get started.