If you are getting ready to select a domain name, you should take into account some neuro-linguistic opportunities, SEO benefits and brand value.
Let’s use an example domain of www.KentuckyRestaurantLawyers.com
This URL contains three discrete messages sandwiched into the domain name that are designed to make an impact on Jim (and you) subconsciously and reinforce what Ann Convery refers to as the lizard brain response:
- Kentucky
- Restaurant
- Lawyers
The first subtle message in the domain name is the presence of [the State of] Kentucky. The name of the State in the URL (i.e. domain name) plants the seed in the visitor’s mind that this website has a geographic relevance to Kentucky. When the visitor delves a little further into the site, the connection to the city of Louisville will also become more prominent.
As visitors explore the website and learn more its services and core values, the domain name on its own starts the process of creating a trust bridge between the website content and the visitor. If visitors are able during their investigation to later feel that the company behind the website could relate to their situations, the first subtle message that has already been implanted (like a hypnotic suggestion) is that the firm has some tangible connection to Kentucky.
I will elaborate on this point a little more for the sake of clarity.
At the preliminary lizard stage when people first encounter this website, they do not even consciously know that it’s a law firm because all they have seen is the word Kentucky in the domain name.
But that’s fine, because at the start, there are multiple barriers to win people’s trust that the law firm will have to overcome as people navigate through the site and take the journey to see if this website is a good fit for their needs.
We will discuss more about these barriers as we continue.
The second subtle message in the domain is the word “Restaurant.”
Again, thevisitor’s lizard brain is seeing in the word “restaurant”, another word that hopefully has a tangible connection to the visitor’s current job and profession.
The building blocks are starting to pile up that the site being visited might have something relevant to offer to someone who works in the food business in Kentucky.
Finally, the last word “lawyers” also appears in the domain name.
Now, the first two implanted messages start to make a lot more sense to each visitor’s lizard brain.
When all three messages get combined, the journey of the digital brand value starts moving from the visitor’s subconscious mind to the conscious mind where his decision making process can be further manipulated.
To review, if the KentuckyRestauarantLawyers.com domain is working its magic then here’s what happens for the next visitor, Jim, who finds the site on a search engine listing.
Jim has found a law firm website that represents people who may have been fired like him – and this firm is located specifically in the place (Louisville, KY) where he works (or worked at least until recently) and provides legal services in the area of business that is relevant to his situation.
It’s worth mentioning that this domain name has a potential deficiency because the word “restaurant” can also be restricting.
- If Jim were a manager of a food processor, he might not be so inclined to believe that this firm can help him.
- He might feel this firm is too focused on restaurants.
- Then it would up to the firm’s website to direct him to a page to learn about the firm’s work with other companies in the food business chain.
A better domain might be www.KentuckyFoodLegalGroup.com if the firm wanted to be perceived as being an authority with industry relevance to more companies in the food business arena. We can also use this domain name and change the messaging to target Employers instead of Employees and still get many benefits.
- Companies in the food industry would see Kentucky in the domain and feel there is a geographic trust factor they can mark off on their internal checklist.
- Then they would see the word “food” in the domain and get another reason to mark their checklist with a checkmark for industry relevance.
- Finally, they would see the word “Legal Group” in the domain name and see that this site is from a law firm.
There’s a lot more to unwrap when it comes to values to consider when choosing a domain name.
Hopefully, the ideas mentioned above provide a framework for choosing your next domain name.