Should You Buy Misspellings, Mistakes, and Alternatives of Your Domain Name?
Have you tried giving someone your phone number, but they accidentally typed the wrong digit? One small mistake and they can’t reach you. The same happens when people type in with a long or tricky domain name, especially if they only hear it through word of mouth.
Whether we like it or not, people often make typing mistakes. Without these variations, they might miss your site, or worse, be redirected to a fake URL that could cause inconvenience or potential problems. These could eventually lead to phishing, scams, and harmful viruses. That’s why it’s vital to add some common misspellings and alternative endings of your singular domain name to your list. This will help people find your business site, even if they type the wrong domain.
In this blog, we’ll cover all the important elements why you need to consider registering misspellings and alternative domain names of your website.
Common misspellings, variations, and domain alternatives
Even popular websites Pinterest and Canva face problems with daily users registering misspelled versions of their domains. According to recent statistics, over 22.7% Canva is searched incorrectly searched online by 22%. The site is often misspelled as “www.Canvas.com” This error alone brings in over 2,000 visits a month. Other common mistakes include “Camva,” “cnava,” and “canca.” These also lead to error messages.
Moreover, it’s important that you learn these common types of domain variations and mistakes when people search for you. Here are some common alternatives:
Typos
These are simple mistakes people make while typing. For example, they might type “Gooogle.com” instead of “Google.com.”
Sound-alike misspellings
Words that sound the same but are spelled differently can cause confusion. For example, “to” and “too” or “their” and “there.”. One example of this is .com and .cam. While .com is widely used for general commercial websites, .cam is typically associated with camera or video-related content, leading to potential confusion.
Singular vs. plural versions
Sometimes, people type the singular form of a word when it should be plural, or vice versa. For example, “car.com” instead of “cars.com.”
Nearby key mistakes
When people type quickly, especially on a QWERTY keyboard (the standard keyboard layout most people use), they might hit the wrong key because it’s next to the correct one. For example, typing “Gppgle.com” instead of “Google.com” is a common mistake.
Registering other domain endings (Extensions):
It’s a good idea to register different domain endings that look or sound similar to your main one. For example, if your site is “example.com,” consider also registering “example.net” or “example.org.” This helps prevent losing visitors who might type in the wrong extension and ensures they still find your site.
Why does securing misspellings and alternative TLDs protect your brand and traffic?
Securing misspelled domains is an effective and simple strategy to protect your brand and maximize website traffic. It ensures that even small errors by users don’t lead them to other sites. Here are the key benefits:
- SEO advantages.
Capture long-tail keywords and rank for search variations, increasing organic traffic and improving your chances of appearing in search results.
- Prevents competitors and scammers.
Stops competitors or scammers from buying similar or misspelled domains. This prevents URL hijacking, fake URLs, or affiliate link from misleading customers or profiting from your brand.
- Improved user experience.
Ensures that users who mistype your domain are still directed to your site, reducing frustration and helping to maintain customer loyalty.
- Cost-effective marketing.
Purchasing additional domains is more affordable than losing potential traffic. The long-term savings outweigh the initial cost of securing extra domains.
- Protects brand identity.
Safeguards your brand from being misused or copied online. This reinforces trust and ensures that users always land on your official website.
- Maintains traffic.
Securing misspelled domains ensures users reach your site, even if they make a typo. This helps keep your site accessible and prevents the loss of potential visitors
By securing these variations, you maintain your brand’s integrity, avoid confusion, and ensure your audience consistently finds your real site.
How to identify and secure the right misspellings and alternatives?
To figure out which domain variations to secure, there are several strategies and tools you can use. These can help you identify common misspellings and variations that are worth registering.
Using tools like Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free tool for website owners. It monitors search performance and identifies issues. It tracks search queries and clicks. Moreover, it shows common misspellings users make. This helps you decide which misspellings to secure. Thus, visitors can find your site, even with typing errors.
Use tools like Google Analytics to check your website traffic
It helps you spot patterns. For example, users might try to access misspelled versions of your domain or use different extensions. Check referral traffic and error logs to identify common access mistakes. This data guides you in choosing which misspelled domains to register. This way, you can capture more visitors and ensure they find your website.
Gathering customer feedback
Direct feedback from customers can also help. Ask how they spell or search for your site, especially if your business name is long or tricky. Their input will help you find valuable misspellings or alternative names to make sure they get the correct domain.
Redirecting and utilizing misspelled domains for SEO and marketing
Misspelled domain names can often lead to lost traffic and potential customers. But you can use redirects and strategic positioning to turn these mistakes into opportunities. Maximize your campaign’s impact by following these steps:
Setting up redirects for mistyped domains
Redirects ensure that visitors who accidentally type in a wrong or misspelled domain still land on your website. The most common type is a 301 redirect, which permanently sends users from the incorrect URL to your correct one. Here’s how to set it up:
- Choose a Redirect Method. Most web hosting providers offer an option to redirect domains, often called URL forwarding. To set this up, log in to your hosting account and find the section for domain management. Look for options like “Redirects” or “Forwarding.” If your hosting doesn’t have this feature, you can use a DNS setting or a WordPress plugin like “Redirection.” This will ensure that, if visitors misspell your domain, they’ll reach your website.
- Set Up the Redirect. If you’re using WordPress, you can also install a plugin like “Redirection” to manage this. Enter the misspelled domain as the “Source” and your actual domain as the “Destination.”
- Test the Redirect. After saving your settings, you can try typing in the mistyped URL to ensure it redirects properly. This guarantees that even if users make small errors when typing your site’s name, they’ll still find your website.
Creating custom landing pages for campaigns
Registering misspelled domains aren’t just for fixing user mistakes. You can also utilize it to fuel your marketing strategy by creating unique landing pages for visitors who enter this domain variation. Take seasonal promotions or new product launches, for example. This can turn typos into engaging marketing tools that surprise your visitors.
Using country-specific TLDs for local audiences
If your business caters to a global audience, using country-specific TLDs (like .co.uk for the UK or .ca for Canada) can help you better reach local customers. Here’s how:
- Improves local SEO. Search engines favor country-specific TLDs for local searches. For instance, a .ca domain will rank higher for Canadian users searching for relevant products or services.
- Builds trust. Local customers may feel more comfortable purchasing from a domain that matches their location. A .co and .uk domain suggests that your business caters to the needs of customers that are directly from UK.
- Creates localized content. You can create localized versions of your website tailored to specific regions. For example, a .co.uk domain might feature UK-specific pricing, shipping options, and promotions, making it more relevant to the local audience.
Domain.com makes it easy to purchase and manage country-specific TLDs, so you can expand your reach and target the right audiences with localized domains. Our tool AI Domain Generator can help you generate and secure these TLDs and integrate them seamlessly into your brand.
Secure your domain to protect your brand
With Domain.com, protecting your domain and brand is simple. We offer more than 300 domain extensions. You can register various versions, including common misspellings.
We also have our AI domain generator and website builder that makes managing domains and setting up redirects easy. This way, you can block competitors from using similar names.
Using Domain.com creates a great experience for your customers. It protects your brand and positions your business for long-term success. You can also discover our blogs and knowledge base and find out more about your concerns and the services we offer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many domain variations should I register?
- It’s recommended to register at least 5 to 10 domain variations, including common misspellings, abbreviations, and relevant extensions. This helps capture more traffic and protect your brand from competitors or errors.
What happens if I don’t secure misspelled domains?
- You risk losing traffic or having competitors buy them, potentially diverting customers away from your business.
How much does it cost to secure additional domains?
- Visit our website and use the domain search tool to check prices and availability for securing additional domains.
Can owning multiple domains help my business grow?
- Yes, it can capture more traffic, improve SEO, and protect your brand, which all contribute to business growth.