Soulcial Mate, Country Club, Superpath, and other popular membership sites have one thing in common: their domain names align with the brand identity and speak directly to the target audience. The result? Enhanced brand recognition, increased credibility, and more qualified traffic.
A good domain name can make your website easier to find and support your marketing strategy. It also gives your business a more professional feel, instilling a sense of trust and familiarity. In some cases, it also evokes positive emotions that strengthen the bond between a brand and its fans.
This is exactly why domain registration shouldn’t be treated as an afterthought but as a key part of your business strategy. It’s one of the first things you should consider when launching a membership site—or any other website, for that matter.
Your Domain Name Matters More Than You Think
Building a membership website takes more than just sharing premium content to attract and engage subscribers. You also need to foster a sense of community and create a brand that people feel connected to. That’s where your domain name comes in.
A well-chosen domain name tells potential customers who you are and what you offer even before they engage with your brand. Basically, it sets the stage for the entire experience, paving the path from curiosity to conversion.
After all, there’s a reason so many companies paid millions for their domain names. For example, CarInsurance.com was sold for $49.7 million in 2019. VacationRentals.com (currently VRBO) was acquired for $35 million in 2007, whereas Tesla.com cost Elon Musk $11 million in 2014.
Not only does a good domain help with branding, but it can also boost SEO. While it doesn’t directly impact your search engine rankings, it may increase click-through rates and make your site more memorable. Plus, it signals relevance to both users and search engines, encouraging engagement.
Over time, these factors can enhance your marketing and SEO efforts. As a result, you may get more traffic, visibility, and brand exposure. A higher visitor count can translate into more subscribers and sales, improving your bottom line.
Choose the Right Domain Name for Your Membership Site
Ready to launch your membership site? First, decide how you’ll go about the domain name. Consider these options:
- Build an all-in-one website: Keep your main site or blog and membership portal on one domain (e.g., fitclub.com).
- Set up a subdomain: Have a main website and a subdomain with member-only access (e.g., fitsquad.fitclub.com).
- Register a brand new domain: Start a new website for members only (e.g., fitsquad.com).
Generally, building an all-in-one site is the easiest and most convenient option. However, you may already have a website, but its purpose or branding doesn’t fully align with your membership offering. If that’s the case, you may be better off starting a new site—and membership brand.
Alternatively, set up a subdomain if you have an established site and want to create a separate membership area. This way, you can test the membership model without overhauling your main site or starting a new website.
Next, follow the steps below to choose the perfect domain name:
Keep It Short and Memorable
A Backlinko study found that short URLs tend to perform better in search results, with those in Google’s top 10 averaging about 66 characters in length. Moreover, shorter URLs generally have higher click-through rates (CTR), leading to increased organic traffic.
Since you can’t have a short URL without a short domain name, keep the latter under 15 characters. Aim for one to three words like “Fit Squad,” “Foodies Hub,” or “MindFuel.”
Need one more reason to keep your domain name short? People will remember it more easily, which could result in repeat visits and strong brand recall.
As a general rule, avoid special characters, numbers, unconventional spelling, double letters, or complex words. Use hyphens only if you have no other option (e.g., your preferred domain name is already taken).
Make It Relevant
When someone sees or hears about your domain name for the first time, they should instantly get a sense of what you offer.
For example, KetoTrust.com immediately makes you think of the keto diet. Compare that to something vague like NutraAxis.com, which says nothing about the site’s content. While Keto Trust sets a specific expectation, Nutra Axis could be anything from supplements to fitness tech or medical equipment.
However, this doesn’t mean you have to be super descriptive. The keyword here is creativity. Brainstorm words and phrases that relate to your brand, then mix, match, shorten, or fuse them to create something unique.
Think of CodeNest, which combines “code” and “nest” to evoke a dedicated space for developers. Another example is Pinterest, where the words “pin” and “interest” merge to suggest a place where users can pin things they are interested in.
Use Your Target Keyword
A decade ago, exact-match domains were worth their weight in gold. That’s no longer the case, as Google made it clear that having keywords in the domain name doesn’t impact SEO.
Even so, you may use your target keyword if it makes the domain more relevant. If, say, you’re building a membership site revolving around the keto diet, your website’s name may include terms like “ketogenic,” “ketosis,” or “keto recipes.”
Backlinko research shows that URLs containing keywords have a higher CTR than those without. While a website’s URL consists of more than just the domain name, incorporating relevant keywords in the domain can still be beneficial.
Choose a Trusted Domain Extension
Stick to popular domain extensions like “.com,” “.org,” “.edu,” or “.co.” Alternatively, choose a country code top-level domain, such as “.uk,” “.us,” or “.au.”
One reason is that certain domain extensions are commonly used by scammers and could deter visitors. Let’s see a few examples:
- .country
- .stream
- .download
- .xin
- .gdn
- .xyz
- .vip
- .party
If the .com version of your preferred domain isn’t available, try slight variations or shortened versions. Use a domain name generator to brainstorm ideas, or take the DIY route by mixing and matching words. You can also check domain marketplaces to see if there’s anything that fits your niche.
Think Long-Term
Choose a domain name that can grow with your business. Today, you might be sharing keto-friendly recipes with your subscribers, but what if you start offering coaching, retreats, or workshops later on?
If your domain name is “Keto Recipes Club,” you’ll have a hard time promoting your other services under the same brand. Simply put, it will limit your reach. Sure, you can switch to a new domain, but you might end up confusing your audience and losing SEO.
Don’t Make a Rushed Decision
As a final word, don’t rush into choosing a domain name. Do your research, ask for feedback, and check for copyright issues. Also, avoid names that resemble those of other brands—even if they’re not trademarked.
Once you’ve found a good match, purchase other versions of the domain to protect your brand and leave room for growth. For example, look into country code top-level domains, common misspellings, and plural/singular variants.
Go one step further and trademark your domain to ensure no one else can legally use a similar name. This process is costly and time-consuming, but it may be worth it if you’re looking to build a brand.
