Some research suggests that humans forget around 50% of new information within an hour of learning it, highlighting the importance of a memorable domain name that stands out amongst the crowd.

Many people rush through domain registration and choose a cheap option so they can focus on designing the perfect website. However, overlooking the strategic value of choosing a memorable domain name is one of the most common mistakes when setting up a website for your brand, as it can enhance your brand’s identity, shape a visitor’s first impression, and serve as a powerful marketing tool.

The most memorable domain names are easy to remember, familiar, simple to pronounce and type, and create an instant emotional connection with visitors. Website owners can make more informed decisions when they better understand the psychological factors that make simple, short, familiar, and descriptive domain names more memorable.

Let’s explore why domain names are increasingly important, how to create a memorable domain name, and the role of domain extensions.

Why domain names are important

Here are some of the reasons:

• Helps you stand out from competitors. A memorable domain name can help you stand out from competitors, as users remember your brand and find it easy to land on your website.
• Builds credibility and trust. A well-thought-out domain name will build credibility and show visitors they can trust your brand and website. On the other hand, domains with unusual spellings, numbers, or special characters are seen as unprofessional and untrustworthy.
• Boosts traffic. Including industry-relevant keywords in your domain name can enhance your website’s ranking on search engine results pages like Google and Chrome, making it easier for users to find. However, an overly keyword-stuffed domain name can undermine trust.
• Increases click-through rates (CTRs) and decreases bounce rates. A well-chosen domain name has a sizable impact on your website’s CTRs because website visitors know what to expect and are less likely to bounce.

How to create a domain name that people will actually remember

Keep it simple and short

Long domain names don’t directly affect your search engine ranking, but they do affect the user experience (UX). Humans have a limited working memory, so shorter domain names are easier to remember.

Short domain names are also faster and easier to type, which works well for mobile users who may find it difficult to type longer URLs. This is important for users because more than 64% of website traffic comes from mobile devices.

It is recommended, for the sake of human memory, that domain names should generally be between six and 14 characters, and definitely no longer than 17 characters. This doesn’t include the ‘www.’ subdomain or the ‘.com’ and ‘.us’ extensions.

One-word domain names, such as ‘hotels.com’, have an extremely high value (with some selling for millions) due to the search engine optimisation (SEO) benefits. In addition, domain names with excessive numbers and special characters, such as hyphens and apostrophes, are often associated with lower-quality sites and are seen as spam.

Though rarely recommended, longer domain names can still be effective if they follow natural language patterns. For example, ‘BestBurgerShop.com’ and ‘ChicagoPizzaSlice.us’ have more than 17 characters, but are easy to understand and remember.

Ensure it is easy to read and pronounce

The way a word sounds directly affects whether people can remember it. Words that are difficult to pronounce do not stick well in people’s minds, making them less effective.

A good domain name sounds like it is spelt, has limited silent letters, and contains smooth syllables. When testing domain name ideas, say them out loud and see how they roll off the tongue. For example, some of the most memorable domain names in the world include ‘Stripe.com’, ‘Canva.com’, and ‘Apple.com’.

In addition, as voice search becomes increasingly prevalent, domain names that are easy to say out loud and pronounce will become even more critical.

Utilise familiar words

Familiarity plays a critical role in human memory, as people can process recognisable words much faster than unfamiliar ones.

Creating a domain name with familiar words that users already recognise increases the likelihood that it will be memorable and, in most cases, creates a sense of trust and credibility. For example, a domain name like ‘Amazon.com’ was an excellent choice because the word was already familiar to most before the eCommerce brand was created. Alternatively, a domain name like ‘Aaptiv.com’ is much harder to remember because it’s not a real dictionary word.

In addition, when a domain name contains familiar words, it is also easier to spell, increasing the probability of direct website traffic.

Create a connection with users

When a domain name triggers a particular emotion from a website visitor, they are more likely to remember it next time. It’s always a good idea to trigger trust, positivity, and curiosity.

However, depending on your brand and what you offer, the other emotions you want to trigger can vary. For example, ‘GreenLiving.com’ implies your brand is eco-conscious, ‘BraveLiving.com’ conveys bravery and confidence, and ‘PeacefulLiving.com’ focuses on peace and happiness.

In contrast, domain names with no apparent meaning fail to trigger an emotional connection from visitors, making them less memorable and less effective. For example, ‘LivingMaterial.com’ and ‘InsideLiving.com’.

The role of extensions in memorability

While the ‘.com’ extension, or top-level domain (TLD), remains the most valuable due to worldwide familiarity and trust, we’re seeing a rise in alternative, and industry-specific, TLDs such as ‘.ai’, ‘.tech’, and ‘.guru’.

These alternative extensions allow for more industry-personalised and relevant domain names as the internet continues to grow and the pool of available domain names shrinks. However, you may want to play it safe, as the choice of extension can subtly influence how users perceive a brand.

Here are some options for extensions to your domain name, and how users perceive them:

• .com is seen as the most credible and well-known, which is excellent for building trust.
• .org is often associated with nonprofits or organisations, which also reaps trust and professionalism.
• .eu is available to anyone residing within or holding citizenship here in the European Union.
• .ai is popular among brands that focus on artificial intelligence (AI) or use AI tools and technologies.

An alternative TLD will only succeed when it aligns with your brand’s industry and target audience. For example, ‘photoeditor.ai’ is very obviously a photo editor tool that uses AI.

Ready to create a domain name that people will actually remember?

When setting up a website, we know that SEO best practices, imagery, design formats, and colour schemes are on your mind. However, the first impression you give website visitors is the most important, and in most cases, that comes from your domain name.

The human brain is complex to understand, but there is some simple science behind what lengths and words influence the memorability of a domain name. By understanding how words impact users, website owners can create domain names that capture attention, build lasting relationships, and reap success.

Once you have chosen a domain name, it’s essential to check whether it’s available as a social media handle or username across all platforms. This enhances branding and ensures consistency. There is no point having the perfect domain name if users stumble across another business when they try to search for you on Instagram or TikTok.