Picking a Domain Name

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:00:00 -0600

Are you thinking about building a new website - or launching a new company, service or product line but don't know how to go about it? We typically start by brainstorming a list of names. We hope to stumble upon something as clever, catchy and successful as "Google", or "Coca-Cola." We gravitate to names that are intensely personal or meaningful - to us. But, will it have meaning to the niche market we hope to attract?

Harry Beckwith wrote a book called, "The Invisible Touch." In it he outlines what he calls, "The Four Keys to Modern Marketing." Key #2: Brand. Here's a list of some concepts we can think about when it comes time to picking a name, a brand:

A brand does not merely attract clients, it convinces clients that they got just what the brand promised.
What attractive and desirable qualities should my brand embody?
Choose a name that is unique, sensory, creative and outstanding (e.g. Red Pepper).
Look for a name that makes the prospect, not you, sound important.
The more commonplace you sound, the less interest you will attract.
Say your name out loud, and listen very carefully.
Keep your name short - eleven letters or four syllables max.

One more thing to add to Mr. Beckwith's discussion: Look for a name you'd like to see at the top of the search engine results. Learn to think like your ideal customer thinks. What's important to them? What are their needs? What are they looking for? Have keyword research done that will show you how effective your name can potentially be in being visible in the Search Engine results, AND your target market. Now, your domain name alone won't bring you to the top, but it's a great starting point from which to build everything else upon: Title and Description Tags, Web Content, File Names, etc.

I recently completed some Search Engine Optimization (SEO) training. One short statement in the course stood out with respect to the site URL: "Include the keywords (that your target market is searching for) in the URL, short and meaningful." Think about making your URL part of, or the same as your company name, your brand. And, as we learn from Mr. Beckwith: Make it your domain. Own it. Be it.

Raining Cats & Dogs

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:00:00 -0600

I don't have cats. They make my eyes water and itch. I have dogs. Maddy and Hunter. They're English Springer Spaniels. Nine and 1-1/2 years old. They're water dogs. But I've never seen them raining down like water from the sky! Or, any other dog or cat for that matter. They just like to go out and get wet and muddy. Then I get to wipe them up...wipe up the floor and say, "Geez it's sure raining cats and dogs out there."

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Picking a Domain Name

Raining Cats & Dogs