Influencers are considered powerful agents of change as they leverage their online platforms to inspire, inform and entertain millions of followers across the globe. Because of this, influencers must truly own their digital presence – by linking content in their social media bios, copyrighting their work or registering websites to showcase their work. Solidifying your digital blueprint can also come in more creative forms, which have gone relatively unnoticed so far. One of these is domain names – specifically, a .bio domain name.

With that in mind, influencers must understand how they can stand out by connecting their platforms to a personal, branded domain name to house their content. One increasingly popular way to do this is with the domain extension, .bio, where an influencer’s name becomes a critical component of the domain itself. An example is moniquesmith.bio, which is unique to the owner and easy to remember for others. In a report carried out by Identity Digital, .bio is part of its top ten top-level domains (TLDs) of the month, climbing five positions higher since March 2023.

With this domain name growing in popularity, now is the time to take advantage and build a website in the most impactful way for a brand. For many, a mere ‘link in bio’ or a generic website name will no longer cut it.

Connecting platforms

The evolution of domain names is giving businesses unprecedented opportunities for personal and corporate branding that were previously unattainable. It’s no longer just about .com or .co.uk; a whole host of web addresses have been created that can cater to most needs.

Today, web addresses can provide a greater sense of brand cohesion and convenience for content creators while allowing people and businesses to centralise all materials under one hub. Today’s consumers crave authenticity, and .bio is one clever way of welcoming them into one’s business. To take this further, consider how an influencer could use the .bio domain name to emphasise their authenticity in sharing their values, experiences and lifestyle choices with their audiences. This is because a reader instantly understands that a ‘bio’ domain will link to biographical and interesting information.

In today’s disrupted social media environment, that authenticity manifests in another way too – and that’s truly owning one’s online presence. Unlike being subject to the decisions made by social media platforms, where handles can be taken away after years of ownership, domain names might offer the stability that might not be found elsewhere. 

At the same time, having a central hub for one’s digital identity also enables domain owners to track and analyse metrics such as traffic, engagement rates, or click-throughs on their content.

Building an impactful website

Whatever the trade or profession, consider what makes your website different and what will pique the interest of your audience in visiting your platform. While there is no one size fits all approach to this, some guiding principles will help any influencer of any shape or size.

First things first, before taking any steps towards the design, any professional must understand the market trends and audience needs, whatever the industry they operate in. That will help users narrow down the options for a domain name.

Content should be impactful, compelling, brand-appropriate, and speak directly to the audience. Interactive elements should be included when mapping out the digital content, as this will boost user engagement and SEO.

Once the domain name and content are ready for launch, SEO is the logical next step in getting one’s digital presence noticed. While it is something of an art as much as a science, using shorter and more memorable domain names that include keywords on both sides of the dot helps provide greater clarity to search engines. This makes the site more likely to turn up in relevant search results while improving its visibility and credibility.

In today’s environment, standing out from the crowd is essential. But it’s important to build capabilities that help users track their impact. After all, most influencers’ profits come from sales and engagement on their platforms. Therefore, analytics and tracking are crucial to finding the strengths and weaknesses of your website to optimise it accordingly.

What makes a strong domain name

Any memorable, brandable, and easily searchable domain name is a strong one. A domain name, in essence, is the same as the sign above a storefront – and should be picked with as much care.

It’s no different for influencers. Like any other digital business, influencers should consider both sides of the dot when looking for innovative web addresses. Having outlined how influencers can take advantage of connecting everything under one domain name, .bio is a perfect example of enhanced personal branding - while also creating a dedicated website that serves as a hub for one’s work.

Choosing the right domain name can be like opening your first store, and it needs time and effort until it’s ready. But once complete, you can take pride in it, stress-free. So, in whatever business or professional journey you embark on, always consider your brand, your goals, your industry, and most especially, your audience.