domain-selection

# Strategy: Domain Selection

Guides initial domain choice for a single site: Brand vs Partial Match vs Exact Match domains, TLD selection (.ai, .com, .io), length, readability, history check, and defensive registration. A good domain affects SEO, brand perception, and UX. See **domain-architecture** when planning for multiple products; **rebranding-strategy** when changing domain.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

**Reference**: [Alignify: Domain SEO – How to Choose SEO-Friendly Domains](https://alignify.co/zh/seo/domain) — detailed guide, AI brand naming, TLD recommendations, rebrand cases.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read Sections 2 (Positioning), 3 (Target Audience), 8 (Brand & Voice).

Identify:
1. **Product type**: Tool, content, e-commerce, AI product, etc.
2. **Brand stage**: New brand vs established; solo vs team
3. **Goals**: Quick SEO traffic vs long-term brand building

## Domain Type: Brand vs PMD vs EMD

| Type | Description | SEO | Brand | Best For |
|------|-------------|-----|-------|----------|
| **Branded Domain** | Domain = brand; no functional keywords (Notion, Canva, Perplexity) | Long-term; Google favors brands | High | Teams; long-term brand building |
| **Partial Match (PMD)** | Part of domain relates to function (FlowGPT, Dify, Reportify) | Balance; signals topic | Medium | AI tools; balance SEO + brand |
| **Exact Match (EMD)** | Domain = search query (png2jpg.com, aiartgenerator.cc) | Fast early traffic; ceiling lower | Low | Solo devs; tool sites; site networks |

**Google stance**: Keywords in domain no longer directly affect ranking; domain still matters for UX and brand. EMDs work when paired with quality content; branded domains with entity recognition matter more long-term.

**Recommendation**:
- **Brand building** → Branded or PMD; plan for months
- **Quick SEO traffic** → EMD or PMD; good for tool sites, converters, generators
- **AI products** → PMD (xxxGPT, xxxify) or Branded; avoid generic names that cause search confusion (e.g., multiple "Speak AI" products)

## TLD Selection

| TLD | Use Case | Notes |
|-----|----------|-------|
| **.com** | Default choice; highest trust | Most preferred; often expensive |
| **.ai** | AI products | ccTLD (Anguilla); auto-hyperlinks in Excel/Sheets/Feishu → natural backlinks; signals AI |
| **.io** | Tech, SaaS | Popular; geopolitical risk (Chagos Islands) |
| **.co, .app, .pro** | Alternatives | If .com taken |
| **.new** | Instant-create tools | For bolt.new, claude.new style; see Alignify .new guide |

**AI products**: Prefer **.ai**, **.com**, or **.io**. Avoid niche TLDs (.im, .xyz, .inc, .art, .dev)—higher risk of resolution issues (e.g., Notion .so outage).

## Domain Best Practices

| Rule | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| **Short & memorable** | Easier to type, share, recall |
| **Avoid hyphens** | Looks unprofessional; can signal low quality |
| **Check history** | Use Archive.org; avoid previously penalized domains |
| **Defensive registration** | Register .net, .org, variants; redirect to main; do not deploy on multiple domains |
| **Impersonation variants** | For AI products: register brand+ai, brand+app, brand+official; see **brand-protection** for impersonation response |
| **Accurate WHOIS; renew on time** | Avoid loss or hijacking |

## .ai Domain Natural Backlinks

When brand name includes `.ai` (e.g., Character.ai, Leonardo.Ai), the full string auto-hyperlinks in Excel, Google Sheets, Feishu, and some IM apps. Each mention = potential backlink. Useful for AI products where the generic name alone (e.g., "Character") is a common noun.

## Output Format

- **Domain type** recommendation (Brand / PMD / EMD) with rationale
- **TLD** recommendation
- **Checklist** (length, readability, history, defensive registration)
- **Related** next steps (website-structure, rebranding-strategy)

## Related Skills

- **branding**: Brand strategy; domain selection implements brand positioning
- **website-structure**: Plan pages after domain choice; single-domain structure
- **domain-architecture**: Subfolder vs subdomain vs independent when multiple products
- **rebranding-strategy**: Domain change, 301 redirects; use when rebranding
- **brand-protection**: Defensive registration for impersonation prevention; fake site response
- **link-building**: Build authority after domain is chosen