Will Google Domains Become the Leading Domain Registrar?

I google (yes, it’s a verb) approximately 20 things a day. You might think I’m kidding. I’m not. Think about it—you use it to look up a song you heard on the radio, to find a phone number for a local HVAC company, and for directions to a restaurant.

What simply started out as a search engine has developed into something much bigger than anyone originally anticipated. From email and language translation, to map services and video sharing, Google is able to provide a user with almost anything they’re looking for. (But not every endeavor always worked out.)

Now, Google is adding another notch to its belt—website domain registration. What does this mean for small businesses? What about other domain registrars? Only time will tell.

I’m Talking to You Small Business Owners

More than half of small businesses don’t have a website. Many small companies rely solely on social media sites like Facebook, but when it comes to growing your company’s leads, sales, and revenue, you need a website. It works as a 24/7/365 sales rep—why wouldn’t you want that?

This is part of the reason why Google decided to enter the domain marketplace. In their announcement last year they said, “It’s 2014 and it seems obvious, but across laptops, tablets and mobile devices, a website is one of the first places people go to find information about a business. But amazingly, our research shows that 55% of small businesses still don’t have one.

So as we explore ways to help small businesses succeed online (through tools like Google My Business), we thought it made sense to look more closely at the starting point of every business’s online presence – a website. And that starts with a domain name.”

Google is right—the first step to creating your virtual sales rep (aka your website) is to come up with a domain name. We suggest consulting with an online marketing company. (You don’t want to end up with a domain name that does nothing for your company or SEO.) A digital marketing company can help decide:

• If the domain should be your company name
• If a keyword or keywords should be used
• If a geo-modifier should be incorporated

Decided on a domain name? There are tons of places you can register it. Honestly, it’s your preference. You can go register with Google Domains, or stick with the current front-runner, GoDaddy.

Death by Google for Domain Registrars

Will Google Domains give other domain registration companies a run for their money? With most major endeavors in the past, Google has managed to come out ahead. When Google search was introduced, it became the leading search engine—bringing competitors like AltaVista to their death. Similarly, MapQuest was once the top map service provider—now, with Google Maps as an opponent, it only serves 20 percent of map service users. Will birth of Google Domains have the same impact on competitors?

Although there isn’t anything that truly stands out about Google Domains in comparison to other domain providers, it will likely overtake its competition. Think about it, Google controls the advertising on the most popular search engine—the same search engine that companies like GoDaddy and 1&1 rely on to gain domain sales from their advertisements. It’s pretty hard (let’s face it, it’s impossible) to outrank Google on Google.

Building Your Company Website

Decided on a domain name AND a domain company to use? Now it’s time for the fun part. Like I mentioned in a previous blog, there are website builders you can use to design a simple company website. But honestly, unless you’re a neighborhood dog walker trying to get your name out around the town, these won’t do you much good. As a growing home service company, your website is not an area in which you should be pinching pennies. It’s true when they say you get what you pay for.

At Blue Corona, many of our clients are small-to-medium-sized home service companies who generate around 5 figures worth of revenue from their website alone every month. In order to grow your business and generate revenue from your website, you should invest in a professional and custom built website. (Check out some custom site examples.) Believe us when we say that the success from your website will outweigh the initial cost! Contact our digital marketing specialists for assistance getting your small business website up and running!