Marketplace domains must signal trust to both buyers and sellers. .co.uk extension, professional naming, SSL, and age signals reduce friction for UK two-sided platforms.
Marketplace Domain Credibility
User-generated content platforms (Airbnb, eBay, Etsy model) need strong trust signals. Domain choice affects: Seller signup rate (will I get paid?), buyer confidence (is this legitimate?), both = conversion rates.
Descriptive vs Brandable
Descriptive (FreelancerMarketplace.co.uk): Explains purpose, harder to brand. Brandable (Fiverr.com, Upwork.com): Stronger long-term, requires marketing to explain. Marketplace = start descriptive, evolve to brandable.
Subdomain Strategy for Sides
Seller portal: sell.YourPlatform.co.uk. Buyer experience: YourPlatform.co.uk (main domain). Help center: help.YourPlatform.co.uk. Segmentation via subdomains improves UX clarity for each audience.
Trademark Lens checks marketplace platform names for domain availability - secure trust-signaling domain before platform development begins.