To understand the effect a domain name can have on your organization or brand’s reputation, we first need to break down the component parts that make up a domain name. 

In Chapter 1.1, we discussed the technology and systems behind domain names and how those systems can influence your reputation. In this chapter section, we’ll focus on the actual thing that you buy–your website address–and how its parts can influence how your reputation is perceived by algorithms. 

Domain Structure & How It Can Affect Your Reputation

Let’s examine the structure of domain names starting from the top or more specifically, the top-level domain and then we can discuss the reputational implications of each part of a domain name.