Posted by TulsaNotary on 4/1/10 3:18pm Msg #330000
Choose your domain name(s) wisely.
In the "Advertising" thread started earlier, Carol reminded us to "Choose your domain name(s) wisely."
I'm working on a website hosted by Go Daddy; I bought the domain name "AdvantageNotaryServicesOK"--a good suggestion I feel from a friend.
I'd like to know what the thought processes were when choosing the domain names for your websites; and if you have other suggestions for mine.
TIA Phyllis/Tulsa, OK
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Reply by Stamper_WI on 4/1/10 3:27pm Msg #330004
The shortest most direct route to your site. Mine is winotary.com
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Reply by Stamper_WI on 4/1/10 3:32pm Msg #330010
Let me clarify
Think about how someone would search you out. What you put on your home page is extremely imortant as well.
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Reply by Roger_OH on 4/1/10 3:33pm Msg #330011
Re: Choose your domain name(s) wisely - most assuredly...
Chicago Bob may remember a number of years ago, when this topic came up after a notary actually had the email addy of "[e-mail address]."!
Don't know that she got much business, at least of the notary kind.
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Reply by Laura_V on 4/2/10 10:04am Msg #330100
OMG - that's not even funny if she was a mobile notary. n/m
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Reply by MW/VA on 4/1/10 3:30pm Msg #330008
IMO it's very important to choose a name that won't be mistaken for an ss. I know someone who did that, and they were constantly being contacted by notaries to "sign up". I used the straight-forward approach--Wells Notary Services, and got my domain name through Yahoo Small Business.
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Reply by Marian_in_CA on 4/1/10 3:34pm Msg #330012
In our industry, one's location is pretty important... so that's why I ultimately changed my business name last year to 'High Desert Notary'. It says where I am and what I do. It's been very helpful, too!
HOwever, the change tanked my search engine results, so I'm still building that back up. I'm okay with that, though. People still find me!
Of course, it's not just the domain name that helps. There are a lot of factors that go in to it.
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Reply by Patti Corcoran on 4/1/10 5:27pm Msg #330017
I have given this much thought and I tried to put myself in the shoes of someone in another state trying to find a notary. So I chose the name of my county since (I think) that they would search there.
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Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 4/1/10 7:05pm Msg #330027
Some actual domain names...
...all with unintentional alternative readings, that you DON’T want to pick up if they ever become available:
1hourscrap.com actionpaintballsac.com americanscrapmetal.com apetit.com arsequipment.com beaverliquors.com bitart.com childrenslaughter.com childrenswear.co.uk daleshitchinstation.com dicksonweb.com effoff.com gotahoe.com hollandshitfestival.nl ipallover.no ipanywhere.com lumbermansexchange.com masterbaitonline.com molestationnursery.com penisland.net rateaten.com ringtoneshits.com speedofart.com teachersbs.co.uk thedirtyhoe.biz therapistfinder.com twatravel.com whorepresents.com co.ck
A couple that are just interesting: doominow holytaco godhatesshrimp Idon'tlikeyouinthatway ratemyturban
And one I don’t even want to know about, much less visit: hotchickswithdouchebags
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Reply by Grammyzoom on 4/1/10 7:41pm Msg #330031
Re: Some actual domain names...
I went with simple.................... isigndocs.net'
I did learn a valuable lesson however. Years ago I had isigndocs.COM and unfortunately let it lapse and when I realized it lapsed a couple of weeks later I tried to renew it and it was already taken. It was taken by someone who never used it. Apparently there are people out there who gobble up expired domain names and hold them hostage until someone is willing to pay a lot of money for them.
I was not about to pay some scoundrel for what I considered MY Domain! So, I went with the isigndocs.NET and have had it for years. But look out whoever you are who has the .com because if you let it go when it expires, I will grab it out from under you (I hope).
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Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/2/10 10:17am Msg #330102
Re: Some actual domain names...
"I did learn a valuable lesson however. Years ago I had isigndocs.COM and unfortunately let it lapse and when I realized it lapsed a couple of weeks later I tried to renew it and it was already taken. It was taken by someone who never used it. Apparently there are people out there who gobble up expired domain names and hold them hostage until someone is willing to pay a lot of money for them."
I remember a few years ago a notary's domain was taken over by a porn site.(I am not sure whether she let it lapse and this happened) So, when I decided to not renew my domain name (I have no need of a website), I asked another Florida notary if she would like it, as I didn't want it to lapse and be taken over by a porn site. All she had to do was pay for the renewal, I wasn't selling it. She said she wanted it. So, I let the company I registered through that she was taking it over. They transferred it to her name. I just checked the domain name and now it belongs to spyder domains, so they are going to be selling it I presume.
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Reply by PAW on 4/1/10 8:05pm Msg #330034
Choose your domain name(s) wisely AND your email address
As part of your marketing plan, you should consider email marketing strategies to those companies that you already have worked with as well as those you would like to work with. Effective email communication is an extremely important aspect of your campaign. You need to have your audience want to open and read your email, not simply toss it in the trash. David F. Carr, a Forbes' Business Intelligence columnist, has written an excellent piece on mass marketing using email; "Why should I open your email? - Tips for getting customers to read your messages." You can read his article at http://tinyurl.com/yef3bh6.
IMO, one of the most important tips that David offers, is:
"Please identify yourself. This may seem ridiculously basic, but I receive a lot of otherwise legitimate commercial e-mail that fails to meet this test.
"The 'From' field in your e-mail consists of your e-mail address, plus optional text for a display name. For an individual note sent to a business contact and a few CCs, something like 'David F. Carr' with the e-mail [e-mail address] is fine. Assuming you have a business domain name, use an e-mail account associated with it, which looks more official than [e-mail address]. Many small business people persist in using a personal e-mail account for business, perhaps because they never got around to setting up an e-mail associated with their Web site, or never got in the habit of using it."
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Reply by LKT/CA on 4/1/10 9:56pm Msg #330049
You can't go wrong just using your own name.
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Reply by Laura_V on 4/1/10 11:33pm Msg #330059
Writing good domain names is like writing limmericks.
I happen to write funny limmericks even tho I find them tedious as heck to get right.
If interested in process, add a post to mine and I'll try to post a response on Fri.
One stupid short limmerick re my first pug dog: You'd better duck when she sneezes. It happens whenever she pleases. It's a sure bet your face will get wet. Leaving you calling for Jesus.
Worked 18 fun, lucrative hours today and just winding down to Pratt fall which should happn in 5...4.....2..
.
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Reply by SheilaSJCA on 4/2/10 12:20am Msg #330068
What always surprises me, is how signing companies pop up, with names similar to infamous signing companies already in existence. How can they start using a name without giving it alot of thought and thorough research? Why would you want everyone to confuse your new business, with an exsisting one, with a poor rep? Just today, I was called by a brand new signing service today, with a name that made me think twice about even talking to them.
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Reply by Laura_V on 4/2/10 10:06am Msg #330101
Great url. Dorothy MI has a great one too -
ProfessionalNotaryMI.com
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Reply by CF on 4/2/10 12:48pm Msg #330125
Just remember you can have more than one domain name
linked to your web page. So you can try and capitalize on different searches that people may type in to find you. Your host provider can link all the domain names up to your site. Godaddy is real cheap to buy domain names from.
Example: michigannotary.com- notarymichigan.com-notaryinmichigan.com
So when people type in a search they will get your page from any of the 3 domain names.
I have about 6 linked to my one site...that needs to be completed....long story it has been a "contact me" page for 2 years. But I do get a lot of calls off of it- even though it is incomplete for general notary work.
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Reply by Laura_V on 4/2/10 12:51pm Msg #330126
CF is right. I have over 40 urls. I'm tired. n/m
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Reply by ReneeK_MI on 4/2/10 1:03pm Msg #330127
My BIGGEST mistake was using my name!
I will spend the rest of my working life spelling it all out over the phone "K - O - V as in Victor - A - C as in Cat - S as in Sam".
It never occurred to me when I was setting up my domain & web e-mail account to consider how easily I could provide my e-mail address to someone over the phone. Not only my last name (which NOBODY ever spells right, and which has so many hard-to-decipher letters) but my first name is also often spelled wrong. One wrong letter, and you're not getting THAT e-mail!
Keep it short & simple and EASY TO SPELL and/or understand over the phone!
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