Psychology of the Click: What Makes a Link Clickable?

male hands-on computer browsing the web

You’ve heard there’s a psychology behind why people spend longer time on certain websites, certain colors or keywords or headlines can really capture an audience’s attention. But did you ever consider that there is a marketing psychological reason people might not click on a link to your website? In this blog, we will dive into the psychology of the click and provide an explanation for why people might be hesitant to click on your domain and how a domain name can get people’s attention.

Link Trust

beginning of new link being typed out

With so many scams and suspicious links floating around the internet, a lot of people are more hesitant to click on a link they’ve never seen before. People are less likely to click on a link if they aren’t 100% sure where it will take them. Many companies or people use link shorteners for social media purposes, but unless you post static images describing what you’re linking to, people may be more hesitant to click on a random generic shortened link they come across. 

This is why having a customized link can shorten your domain and lead up to a 39% increase in clickthrough rate. No matter if you are a bigger brand or a smaller brand, having a custom domain name showcases who you are to potential visitors and lets them know a bit about who you are. Versus a generic domain name or shortened URL that takes them to an unknown website location, there is more of an established trust if a link is clear about your company and brand.

If you are interested in creating a vanity URL with a unique Top Level Domain, which basically means you are using something other than a .com. There are a variety of unique Top Level Domains to choose from that can enhance your brandings, such as .store, .unicorn, and many others. You may be thinking, ‘How can people have link trust in a domain that isn’t .com?’ 

The simple answer is: the internet has been increasing its awareness and is more welcoming to different Top Level domains. In 2015 there was a boom of new Generic Top Level Domains available since ICANN, (which is the abbreviation for Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) opened applications for people to apply for Generic Top Level Domains. 

Since then, we are starting to notice a higher volume of unique URLs that can end in a variety of different Top Level Domains. Thus, people are wiser to understand if you have a .Vegas domain, that you are a legitimate website and not some sort of spam link. Plus, .com has been around since 1985, so it’s about time for some unique changes when it comes to registering domains!

Appealing Domain Elements

The way you can really make your domain appealing to new clients or users is by thinking with a marketing mindset. People are more likely to remember not only your brand but your website name if you have something short and sweet. People enjoy things that are catchy, such as slogans, jingles, and names. Having a domain is no different!

If you want to utilize your domain for branding it would be wise to keep it relevant to your business, but also short enough that people can remember. A great example of a catchy domain name that could be registered (if it hasn’t been already) in the .Vegas extension:  Let’s say you have a tech company called “Viva,” you could register the domain “Vivia” at your registrar of choice in the .Vegas domain extension and you have yourself branded as www.Viva.Vegas. That would be awesome, wouldn’t it?

This is just one example of a clever use of a domain name. It’s short and memorable, and it adds that Vegas flair to your branding. There are over 1,000 new domain extensions available to try and implement this towards your branding to make your domain appealing to click on. 

Can Branded Links Increase SEO?

Having an optimized link makes SEO stand out

Yes! Search Engine Optimization also known more commonly as SEO rewards those who are keyword-heavy and what better way to apply your targeted keywords than to directly have them in your URL?

The tricky part is being as specific as possible about what your company or brand is when creating your domain. In order to rank higher on search engine result pages you want to make sure that even if your URL is keyed into your targeted words, your website also has a big focus on using those keywords within its copy. 

A good example could be if you have a plumbing business and want to rank higher in search engine results. If you decide to register the name ”www.iama.plumber,” you have the ability to rank higher if your keyword ‘plumber’ since not only is the word plumber used in copy to describe your services, but it’s even within your domain name!

What if I Already Have a .com Website?

If you have already renewed or registered a .com domain and maybe now you found a generic Top Level Domain that you think will help you not only shorten your current URL, but also appeals to your branding. Well, fear not, if your desired URL name is available with that registrar then you can just redirect traffic from your custom URL name to your already-in-use .com website.

This may sound a bit tricky, but essentially it is like using a link shortener website, the only major difference is you would be registering and paying for a completely different URL. This may not sound super appealing, but it does secure you a unique vanity URL from being scooped up by someone else and is guaranteed to make your website stand out from the crowd. 

There are so many fun ways to implement marketing strategies into your website. Take a step back and think, ‘what would make a link to a website in your industry more appealing?” Ask yourself if you would rather click on a link: www.brandname.com or www.brandname.Vegas? 

The excitement and appeal of Las Vegas are too hard to pass up when choosing which link to click on.  Interested in having a .Vegas for yourself? Connect with us today and turn on the excitement of being a part of the Las Vegas branding. Have questions or need assistance? Contact us at support@the.vegas and we will gladly assist you with any questions, comments, or concerns.