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Whether you are a blogger, small business owner, or job seeker, buying your own domain name offers many benefits. It helps you stand out, protects you from unwanted public scrutiny, and provides an efficient way to promote your name. Registering your own piece of the internet delivers numerous advantages. Here is a list of the top five reasons to own a personal domain name and start building your online success, here a list of the top 5 reasons to own a URL.
1. Professionalism
Do you remember the email address you created at thirteen? The ridiculous unicornsandponies123@yahoo.com that you somehow still use today? Owning a domain like firstnamelastname.com can save you from the embarrassment of sharing that old email with a potential client or boss. A personalized domain allows you to forward emails through your URL to your personal account. Not only does John@doe.com exude professionalism and sophistication, but it’s also easy to remember and efficient to share. For small business owners, this can be a game-changer in attracting more clients. Consider this: are you more likely to contact the person with the memorable John@doe.com or the one whose contact information you lost on a random scrap of paper?
2. Control
Purchasing your own domain name is a strategic power move. In personal branding, the last thing you want is for someone to Google your name and find a video of a drunken karaoke night, awkward family photos, or worse. There’s always a “worse.” The top 5 reasons to own a URL helps minimize this embarrassment. Thanks to search engine algorithms, a firstnamelastname.com domain can push last year’s mishaps from page one to page thirteen. While the memories may linger in your mind, this move keeps them out of others’. Additionally, you can redirect your domain to any page you choose, such as your LinkedIn or Facebook profile, showcasing what you want others to see while hiding what you don’t.
3. Prevention
If you don’t own your firstnamelastname.com, someone else likely does or will in the future. Whether they share your name or hold a grudge against you, they could harm your reputation simply by owning a domain with your name.
With over seven billion people on the planet, no name is entirely unique. If you secure JohnSmith.com before another John Smith does, you gain a significant edge in personal branding. This comes down to control. Imagine a searcher looking for a specific John Smith. When they type the name into a search engine and find JohnSmith.com, they may click out of curiosity. Instead of finding the person they were searching for, they discover your website selling striped socks. While this isn’t what they expected, who can resist striped socks? You’ve just gained a customer who otherwise wouldn’t have known about your product.
On the flip side, if another John Smith claims JohnSmith.com, you could lose opportunities. Potential employers or clients might mistakenly think you’re in the sock business—or worse.
Owning your domain also protects you from malicious intent. Consider someone like Jimmy Jenkins, whom you upset years ago. If Jimmy buys JohnSmith.com, he could use it to display embarrassing photos, create a defamatory website, or publish an obnoxious blog pretending to be you. By claiming your domain name, you safeguard your reputation and take control of how your name is presented online.
4. It’s Inexpensive
Purchasing your own URL offers the added benefit of affordability. A standard firstnamelastname.com typically costs only $10-$15 per year, and some providers even offer the first year free with a hosting package. You can also buy a domain outright for a one-time fee, which can be more cost-effective for business owners or long-term users.
The low cost of domains allows you to buy as many as you want. Why stop at firstnamelastname.com when you can also purchase locationbusiness.com or oneword.com? Expanding your domain portfolio opens up more possibilities for branding yourself online.
As previously mentioned, owning a domain gives you control over what viewers see about you on the internet. Owning multiple domains amplifies this benefit by pushing undesired content even further back in search results—from page thirteen to page twenty-five or beyond.
5. Investment
If you aren’t using a domain name for yourself or your business, consider investing in one. Many domains cost only $25-$50 per year, or you can pay a one-time fee to own a URL outright. Some domain names appreciate significantly over time. If you hold onto one long enough, someone may eventually be willing to pay a substantial amount for it. The domain, Firstsport.com sold for $24,480—a lucrative payoff, especially if it was purchased for a fraction of that price.
Ultimately, top 5 reasons to own a URL, whether you use a URL to professionalize your email, control your online presence, or turn a profit, the decision is yours. With so many possibilities surrounding domain ownership, the real question is: why are you still reading this? Time is ticking. Grab your domain while it’s still available—they go fast, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.