Thursday, March 4
Domain names for marketing
I recently was emailed with this great question:
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One thing I am looking at is using additional domain names that relate to my coaching niche. Some of the ones I want to use are not available as .com but are available as .net,.org, .us or .biz. My question is do you think any of the top levels is better than another?
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This is a great question and here is my 3 cents on it (in order of preference):
.com is far and away the most preferable domain extension. I actually advise clients that if some variation of their company name can't be used with .com, to pick another name! The marketing liability is just that big. ".com" says legitimacy, it says original, it says you're getting the real deal.
.org is my next pick. Formerly limited to non-profit organizations, now there is no legal barrier to anyone using .org and it carries positive associations with doing good, with a larger organization, and with a "cause."
.net is OK. It implies "network" and if you do indeed have a network of professionals that you work with or refer business to, this might position you as an aggregator of expertise, and not just someone flying solo. Formerly used only for telecommunications companies and internet providers, those associations are quickly disappearing.
I would avoid .us and .biz - they reek of fly-by-night, scams, hot stock tips, cruises, and toner refill companies. If I had to pick a preference, I would sooner see a .biz which at least has some business association, even if it is clearly third-tier and somewhat shady as far as legitimacy. As for .us that is really pretty weak and it's usually the leavings on the table when all other domain extensions have been taken.
Another option is .tv which I am also not crazy about with one exception. If you're in the broadcast or video business, a .tv extension makes a ton of sense and actually makes your domain easy to remember and it becomes part of your brand. See an excellent use of this here: http://www.greenworks.tv
Hope that helps you make your decisions. Email me privately if you'd like to discuss further. By the way, I own over 100 domain names for my various brands, products and services, simply to "protect the territory." So I've done some thinking about this!! Take care.
-- D.
=======================
David Newman, Founder | 3sixT
We help people sell from the heart
=======================
w: http://www.360phila.com
t: 610.527.5325 | e: david@360phila.com
=======================
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One thing I am looking at is using additional domain names that relate to my coaching niche. Some of the ones I want to use are not available as .com but are available as .net,.org, .us or .biz. My question is do you think any of the top levels is better than another?
---
This is a great question and here is my 3 cents on it (in order of preference):
.com is far and away the most preferable domain extension. I actually advise clients that if some variation of their company name can't be used with .com, to pick another name! The marketing liability is just that big. ".com" says legitimacy, it says original, it says you're getting the real deal.
.org is my next pick. Formerly limited to non-profit organizations, now there is no legal barrier to anyone using .org and it carries positive associations with doing good, with a larger organization, and with a "cause."
.net is OK. It implies "network" and if you do indeed have a network of professionals that you work with or refer business to, this might position you as an aggregator of expertise, and not just someone flying solo. Formerly used only for telecommunications companies and internet providers, those associations are quickly disappearing.
I would avoid .us and .biz - they reek of fly-by-night, scams, hot stock tips, cruises, and toner refill companies. If I had to pick a preference, I would sooner see a .biz which at least has some business association, even if it is clearly third-tier and somewhat shady as far as legitimacy. As for .us that is really pretty weak and it's usually the leavings on the table when all other domain extensions have been taken.
Another option is .tv which I am also not crazy about with one exception. If you're in the broadcast or video business, a .tv extension makes a ton of sense and actually makes your domain easy to remember and it becomes part of your brand. See an excellent use of this here: http://www.greenworks.tv
Hope that helps you make your decisions. Email me privately if you'd like to discuss further. By the way, I own over 100 domain names for my various brands, products and services, simply to "protect the territory." So I've done some thinking about this!! Take care.
-- D.
=======================
David Newman, Founder | 3sixT
We help people sell from the heart
=======================
w: http://www.360phila.com
t: 610.527.5325 | e: david@360phila.com
=======================
