If you want your website to rank well in Google, you need to play the game
Naturally here at Masonicwebsite we build websites properly. We’ve done it for hundreds of Lodges since 2010. We’d love to build one for your Lodge, contact us here. So we know that having your own domain name for your website is vital.
The reason people work with us is that we build websites that help them attract new members to their Lodge.
We also help them communicate with their existing members better.
We also are very good at building sites that help Masonic venues generate more business.
And we do those things by working with best practices in Google.
So it is absolutely imperative that every the site we build for aLodges has it’s own domains.
When was the last time you saw a hyphenated domain name rank? – SearchEngineJournal
No business can succeed with a website that is part of someone’s else’s business.
It’s not cocacola.google.com for a reason. It’s not Asda.microsoft.co.uk either.
So why would you use a service that only offers your site a place on their hosting? You wouldn’t. Which is why we don’t offer it. All of our Lodge websites have a uniques domain name.
If you are on shared domain hosting you run the risk of them shutting down.
Freemasonsweb shut down
MasterMason has served notice that it is shutting down.
Not that we are going to (we are too busy!) but all of our sites are hosted on WordPress.com. And WordPress enable all websites to show their own domain. WordPress.com is not shutting down. Their parent company Auttomatic.com is valued at $1.2BN
Sure you can have yourlodgename.wordpress.com but we guarantee you no-one else uses that style of domain for a reason. you will want yourlodgename.org
Google hates long complicated domain names
You can no longer buy a domain that only has 4 digits. They have ALL been purchased. Even xzqg.com
There is a reason for this, people prefer shorter domains as they are easier to type, therefore Google favours them. If your website address was yourlodgename.masonic-lodge.co.uk or similar this is the complete opposite to that. You just are not going to rank as highly as if the domain was yourlodgename.org
Google ranks sites based on their usability to the audience – ie how useful is this site to answer the questions that the audience is posing?
If you are trying to attract new members from your geographical location, let’s say Garforth outside of Leeds for example, it makes no sense if your site is part of a larger site that focuses on the whole of the UK. This is how Google sees it, it is undeniable that your site will not rank as well for your keywords if you do not have your own domain.
Many years ago there was a very old fashioned Freemasonry website solution called Freemasonsweb. Yes you could get a website on it, but all of the address were yourlodgename.masonic-lodge.org.uk or similar.This is just not Google friendly. There is a reason that all companies want to have the shortest domain possible. Google.com for example. Just like with a car registration FY1 is going to be a lot more expense to buy than GE75DFG for example. It’s easier to remember. And if it easier then Google will promote is above those sites that aren’t easy.
This is why WordPress offers custom domain names. If they didn’t no businesses would use them.
Think if when you a see a van with Contact Us on the side, but plumberABC@hotmail as the contact address – this looks unprofessional and frankly lazy. We can guarantee you that the plumber would be generating a lot more leads if they have a proper domain and a proper contact us email address. colin@plumbersyoulike.com or contact@plumbers.co.uk for example.
Don’t just take our word that having your own domain name is vital – Short Names Are Better. Good domains have short names. Reference – Network Solutions
https://www.searchenginejournal.com ” hyphens make a domain name look tacky and spammy”
So we very strongly advise you to choose a website development company that let your Lodge or Masonic venue have it’s own domain name.