Net Q & A

A good domain name can be an asset, but it's not the end-all and be-all.

If you want to buy a Compaq computer, yes, you might well guess that the domain name would be compaq.com. On the other hand, most people don't guess at domain names when seeking a lawyer.

Some search engines do give some weight to the domain name when ranking search results. I stress "some" search engines and "some" weight. However, domain names are just one of many factors, even for the search engines that consider them, and the beneficial effect can easily be outweighed by other factors, such as the number of other sites that build links to a site, and the "quality" of those sites. Giving heavy weight to the latter factors is a major trend in contemporary web site design.

Possibly the biggest advantage of having a custom domain name related to a particular area of law is that it makes a statement about the law firm's expertise, and makes it easier to remember. For example, one law firm web site operates under the domain name buglaw.com. The law firm uses this domain name to market the part of their practice that represent exterminators. It's unlikely that the name helps people find them through search engines, but it is short and memorable, and says, "We are serious about this area of law."

You can (and should) get the biggest advantages of having a custom domain name related to a particular area of law without paying a premium to a domain name broker. Note also that you can have multiple domain names pointing to the same site or to subsections of the same site. Domain names are cheap ($35 a year or less) and this can be a particularly powerful marketing strategy.

There are still plenty of domain names available to those with a little imagination. However, remember that the domain name is much less important than other factors, including: