Are domain names going matter in the era of AI?

You may have heard the chatter that SEO is dead or that links don't matter anymore.

It's not true, but it does bring up a bigger, more relevant question in today's landscape: does your domain name even matter in the world of AI?

If you're thinking about domain names for your current business or a future venture, this is for you. We all know that to grow a business today, you need to win online. But with tons of conflicting advice out there, how can you tell which strategies work and which are a waste of time and money?

The truth is, your domain has evolved. It's moved from being just a URL to becoming your business's trust anchor.

From URL to Trust Anchor

We're moving from a "click-first" web experience to a "citation-first" one. Historically, you'd search Google and see a list of blue links to click. Now, you're increasingly getting AI-powered summaries that directly cite their sources.

AI agents aren't just looking for keywords; they're looking for entities they can trust. They want to be confident that a source like "wolfiq.com.au" is a real authority they can safely put in front of their users. Your domain name is the primary label for that entity.

This is why your NAP (Name, Address, and Phone number) consistency is so critical. Think of these as the building blocks of trust. When multiple directories and online profiles all list the exact same NAP for your business, it reinforces your identity. Every consistent citation across the internet increases the confidence AI has in your business as a legitimate, trustworthy entity.

3 Ways to Strengthen Your Domain's Authority in the AI Era

The game is changing, but you can adapt. Here’s what you should be focusing on to ensure your domain serves as a strong trust anchor for your business.

1. Prioritize Brand Over Keywords

In the past, businesses crammed keywords into their domain names (e.g., "bestplumbersinsydney.com"). Today, that strategy is outdated. AI is designed to cite brands, not awkward keyword strings.

Your focus should be on choosing a short, memorable, and brandable domain—ideally under 10 characters. If it's catchy and easy to say out loud, it's easier for customers to share, which adds to your brand's strength. As for domain extensions, while new options like .xyz and .io are rising, traditional extensions like .com (or .com.au in Australia) still carry more weight. They signal that you're serious about your business and have invested in a premium digital asset.

2. Clean Up Your Digital Footprint

Over the years, a business naturally acquires a trail of online mentions and links—a digital footprint. You’d be amazed how many of these become outdated. That old address, a disconnected landline number, or a previous business registration number can linger on forgotten directories for years.

Every time an AI model comes across these inconsistencies, your trust anchor gets a dent. It creates confusion and signals that your data isn't reliable. The best way to tackle this? Perform searches for your business and actively look for these inconsistencies. Find that old address on a dusty directory? Reach out and get it updated. A proactive cleanup is now more important than ever for building and maintaining trust with AI systems.

3. Solidify Your Technical Foundations with Schema

Finally, your website's technical health is paramount. Most AI models don't just "read" your website like a human; they analyze its underlying structure, particularly the schema markup (a type of structured data).

A well-implemented schema file acts as a clear, machine-readable summary of your business. It explicitly connects your domain to all your other online media assets. For example, your schema should clearly state that the website "yourbrand.com" is owned by "Your Brand LLC," which is also the same entity that owns your Google Business Profile, your official LinkedIn page, and your other social media profiles. This structured data ties everything together, making it easy for AI to understand who you are and confirm your authority across the web.

Even though people might type your domain name into their browser less often in the future, it will remain the primary label that both people and machines use to verify your business's credibility.