Key takeaways:

• The majority of consumers (70%) prefer compound domains to invented words for new brands
• Women are more likely than men to favor invented word domains (34% vs. 25%)
• 34% of 18 – 34s favor invented words, vs. 26% of over 55s.

Objective: Exact-match domains are a must-have for brand credibility, so name and domain choice go hand in hand. Among the many considerations that founders must integrate into their naming strategy are consumer expectations. We asked consumers, across all demographics, which of two key domain types they consider more credible for a new brand to help guide this early-stage brand decision.

Question:

Which domain feels more credible for a new brand?

• Compound word domains, e.g. AdsAlly.com, samesight.com
• Invented word domains, e.g., upzon.com, nyter.com

Audience:

A representative panel of American consumers aged 18 – 64.

Overall Results

• The majority of consumers (70%) prefer compound domains to invented words

Which domain feels more credible for a new brand?

Gender Breakdown

• Both men and women favor compound words over invented word domains
• Women are more likely to favor invented word domains (34% vs. 25%)

Which domain feels more credible for a new brand?

Age Breakdown

• Younger consumers are more likely to prefer invented word domains.
• 34% of 18 – 34s favor invented words, vs. 26% of over 55s.
• Older consumers strongly favor compound word domains

18 – 34

Which domain feels more credible for a new brand?

35 – 54

Which domain feels more credible for a new brand?

55 – 64

Which domain feels more credible for a new brand?

Conclusion

There are no hard and fast rules in choosing a domain, and memorability, brandability, and availability will all play a role. However, our results show that brands targeting younger consumers or a female audience may benefit more from considering an invented word domain. For new brands, launching with credibility matters and domain choice can play a key role in building a credible online identity.

If you’re interested in digging deeper into our findings, or asking your own questions on domain choice and branding topics, contact thom@atomradar.com to learn more.

Want personalized insights?

Run your own brand surveys and more with AtomRadar. Our data can power your brand development.

Get Started

Schedule a Consultation

×

Need data now?

Run your own surveys and discover deep insights with Atom Surveys

Get Started

About The Author

Grant Polachek

Grant Polachek is Chief Growth Officer at Atom.com. With 15 years experience in marketing, he has run market research projects for brands like Dell, Hilton, and Alibaba. Grant has expertise in a range of topics including domain names, naming and digital marketing.

View All Posts