By Pip Duma
Why It’s Time to Drop the “www.”: The Rise of Naked URLs
In the early days of the internet, www. was a badge of honour.
Today? It's dead weight.
As user expectations rise and digital competition gets fiercer, outdated practices like using “www.” or tolerating sluggish load speeds are more than just old-school—they’re actively harming your brand.
If your domain still looks like it was registered in 2004, or your website takes more than a couple of seconds to load, then you’re already falling behind.
Why Your Domain Might Be Letting You Down
A clunky domain or underperforming site isn’t just a bad look, it can hurt your traffic, trust, and conversions. Here’s how:
Brand Inconsistency
Using www. on some platforms but not others creates confusion. A clean, consistent domain boosts credibility and looks more modern across ads, emails, and socials.
SEO Setbacks
Duplicate content issues? Crawling inefficiencies? Not choosing a canonical domain can quietly tank your SEO performance behind the scenes.
Longer URLs = Weaker UX
When people type, share, or link to your site, shorter is always better. www. adds unnecessary characters and friction.
So, What Should You Be Doing Instead?
- Simplify Your Domain
Drop the www. and go naked (don’t worry, it’s safe). A cleaner domain reads better, looks better, and works better across every touchpoint. - Set Up 301 Redirects + Canonical Tags
Redirect all traffic to one preferred version of your domain and define it clearly with canonical tags to keep search engines happy and traffic flowing smoothly. - Boost Site Performance
Page speed is no longer optional. Use tools like Lighthouse or GTmetrix to diagnose performance issues—and fix them. Fast-loading websites perform better everywhere. - Align Your Tools & Tracking
Make sure platforms like Google Analytics, ad networks, and email platforms are all aligned to your canonical domain. That way, nothing breaks (and you don’t lose valuable data).
A fast, simplified website isn’t just a “nice to have” anymore, it’s a competitive advantage.
When you remove the clutter and optimise for performance, everything works harder for you: your brand, your SEO, your ads, and your customer experience.
So go on—drop the www., speed things up, and show your users (and Google) you mean business.
If you need help navigating the naked domain, simply send us a message and we'll be happy to guide you in the right direction.
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