Your Online Presence Is Not Complete Without a .com Domain Name

By: Verisign

Running a small business is a challenging proposition. Simply ‘keeping the lights on’ is a daunting task in itself. Add to that acquiring new clients, managing cash flows and maintaining quality while trying to grow your business and it can be overwhelming. In the midst of this, investing in a company website may seem like a ‘good to have’ rather than a ‘must have.’ But in reality, investing in a website, and doing so as early as possible, is probably one of the smartest business decisions you’ll make. Owning a business and not having an online presence may mean losing out on great commercial opportunities.

A good first step to establish an online presence is to create a social media presence or list yourself on online directories or e-commerce sites. But stopping there is not enough. Having an online destination website is crucial. A website doubles as a 24/7/365 storefront where customers can reach you. Your website, combined with directory listings and a social media presence, offers your customers the convenience to look up your business offerings no matter when they want or where they are. A website acts as a great marketing platform because, not only can you direct all your online advertising and listings to one central place, but it also can yield powerful insights into your customers’ preferences through metrics such as visits, dwell time and click through rates.

Contrary to popular perception, a website is not an expensive proposition, especially if you compare it to a brick and mortar store. Being visible worldwide at all times means that more people are likely to know about your offering, which eventually means more customers.

But the most compelling argument in favor of having your own website is the credibility it brings to your business. Today, customers will not treat you as a serious or a professional business if you don’t have a website or business email id. Verisign survey revealed that over 90%of small and medium businesses surveyed felt that a branded email makes them look more credible.

If you look around, many brands in India that enjoy a reasonable amount of credibility have a web presence, irrespective of whether or not they sell online. And a recognized domain extension like .com or .net further conveys a professional appearance.

The bottom line is that whether you’re looking to establish your brand or grow your business, having an online presence and an easy to remember digital identity on .com is absolutely imperative. In fact, the world’s top ten most valuable venture-backed private companies all use dot com domain names.2Whether you choose a name that describes your business (like Bookmyshow) or simply a snappy memorable one (think Quickr, Practo, Vedantu) or something with a direct business connect (CarDekho, Policybazaar), te good news is that there are plenty of great .com or .net domain names still available.

So, go grab your dream domain name now. It’s never too early!