Business Website Advice

For smart use of a domain name that is descriptive and ever so helpful in search engine visibility, Christ Church in Russell is centre stage July 2008 for my Website of the Month Award.

If you’ve read my free download Write Your Website for Two Audiences  (soon to be updated) you know that your domain name is one of the elements search engines look at to judge your relevance to the searcher’s query. It’s good to start with a keyword-rich domain name, other than the business name.

Jacqui Knight is a reader of this blog, like you, and has taken on board my workshop and blog advice:  use a keyword rich domain name if you are creating a new website.

Christ Church in Russell is the oldest existing church in New Zealand.  Thus the Christ Church website team chose a domain name that would describe their website with keywords close to what searchers would use. Good thinking.

Searchers don’t really care what you are called, thus your name is not always the best domain name to buy - much to the dismay of branding companies.  You see name branding practices are different for bricks and mortar businesses than it is for online entities.  Name is secondary online. URL is powerful.

Searchers just want to find their the most relevant site to their keyword search phrase.  In this case, searchers just want to visit old churches on their themed holiday around New Zealand or the Bay of Islands.  ‘Smart domain name choice’ I said.  Indeed  http://www.oldchurch.org.nz/  Brilliant! 

Go ahead, google search ‘old church new zealand’ - #6.  Smiles all around. 

I still see some optimising opportunities there but I’m always seeing new opportunities. SEO is a journey that keeps us on our toes.  The people behind the Christ Church website can be confidant they have started their journey on the right foot.  Congratualtions.

Remember, you can make a recommendation for a website or web page of the month on the left side bar.  We want to see examples of good practice. It doesn’t have to be perfect!  I look at mine and see lots I can do to improve. 

 I look forward to hearing from you.  Meanwhile, thank you Christ Church for showing us good domain name choice.

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