The domain name of your website is equivalent to its brand online, and it should therefore be protected and promoted as much as possible. When referring to domain names, the primary domain name is the name that falls between the two dots. For example, in the domain name “www.example.com,” the primary domain name is “example.” In order to purchase multiple versions of this primary domain, you could, for example, register “www.example.co.” You can also purchase alternate versions of the primary domain name, such as “www.examplesite.net.” The following paragraphs outline some of the main benefits of registering multiple versions of your primary domain name.
Monopolizing Competition
Many times website visitors will remember the primary domain name, however they may forget the domain extension or TLD (i.e. –.com,.net, or .org). Thus, when they attempt to return to your website, they may type in the wrong extension and access a blank page, or even worse a competitors website. Unfortunately, many webmasters make the mistake of only buying one version of their primary domain name, leaving the other versions open to registration by their competitors and anyone else that wants to capitalize on their hard-earned web traffic. By purchasing several versions of your primary domain name, you can keep competitors from registering them, while also capturing the traffic that you so rightfully deserve.
Multiple Domain Discounts
Most domain name registrars will provide a significant discount when you purchase alternate versions of your primary domain at the same time. For example, you could purchase “www.example.com” for $10, and then receive the .net, and .org version of the same site for only five dollars more, thereby saving a whopping $25-$30 in most cases. Domain registrars will also give you a significant discount if you purchase more than five domains at once. Thus, instead of just registering alternate extensions for your primary domain, you may want to consider alternate spellings as well. Many times visitors will accidentally make a typo when typing in the name of your website in the web address bar. By having alternate spelling versions of your primary domain you can capture this traffic and prevent competition from accessing it. A good way to find commonly misspelled versions of your primary domain name is to utilize a typo generator, which can be found for free online by conducting a simple web search.
Diversification, Networking, and Domain Forwarding
Having more than one version of your primary domain name will also give you the ability to diversify your web presence more easily. You can also use these multiple versions to establish different websites on each one, thereby building a network of sites that can be interlinked for funneling Web traffic and improving search engine optimization efforts. Alternatively, you can forward various versions of your primary domain name to the most popular version, so that website visitors would be redirected directly through the alternate versions to the main version. For example, if someone visited “www.example.net”, they would instantly be redirected to “www.example.com.” Domain forwarding is a free and simple process that can be performed within the web hosting control panel with just a couple of minutes and minimal experience required.
