Should your domain name be your name? It’s a fair question. But what’s the answer?
Is it a good idea?
It can depend to an extent what kind of internet business you are in. If you are a writer then buying this kind of domain name is a good idea, since people will probably look up your name online to see where else your name has cropped up. If you have your own website linked to your name, then you will be found easily and you can then showcase your work to potential buyers.
But does the same apply to other internet businesses? Is a personal domain name rather vain, or is it a good idea?
Depends on the Website
In short, it can depend on the type of website and internet business you want to set up. Some people have attached their own person domain name to their blog, and in this case it can work very well because it is a personal thing. But what if you are establishing an internet business which sells computer supplies?
In this case your own personal domain name may be a little out of place, since people will be looking for a website address which highlights the type of business that is being run.
Perhaps the only exception would be if you use your surname as part of your business name. For example Joe Bloggs could run Bloggs’ Computer Supplies, and get that as a domain name.
In the end the basic rule of thumb is this – if your website is chiefly about you in some way then a personal domain name is fine. But if it is about your business then you might want to give it a miss and go for something more descriptive. Blogs can get away with it, even if they are promotional in some way, but regular websites don’t work well unless they are all about you.
About Sean Rasmussen
Thanks for posting, definitely going to subscribe!See you on my reader.
Good post Sean.
Most of my sites aren’t personal ones but I have registered a domain in my company name so that it can be a hub.I think for me this will work out just fine
Hi Sean,
I didn’t think about choosing your name as a domain name when your site is primarily about you. But, I guess it makes sense. I just thought I needed to be more successful before I considered this.
But, I guess if I wait until I’m successful someone may register my name before me. That wouldn’t be good. I read recently where someone had Drew Carey’s name as their Twitter name and he was trying to buy it back from them. It’s a good argument for registering your name even if you don’t intend to use it.
When you are the product you are selling (as the speaker, educator etc.) then I think it makes a lot of sense to have your name as the domain name. And as this always might happen and most names are around more than once I guess it is a good idea to register it just in case
Hi Renee,
I think you should register your name as you never know when you’ll want it. It would be heartbreaking if you went to register your name and someone had already taken it.
It is a good idea to grab your own name as a doman name – for the reason you say – if you are the product (so to speak!), but also for the time in the future when your name is a recognisable brand (e.g. Sean). All you have to do is park it for a minimal cost if you don’t actually want to build a site yet.
I missed out on mine – so Tree Of The Singing Wind will have to be it!
Thanks for clearing this up. I sometimes google my name (well who doesn’t) and it comes up with quite a lot of stuff which I have done and since I’m not actually trying to sell myself, I don’t think I really need to buy a domain name in my own name.
Hi Sean,
It’s probably quite common for people to think about buying their own name as a domain name. I know I did and buy the time I decided to buy my name .com someone had it and up for sale costing a few thousand dollars.
My name is common so may be that’s why they thought someone will buy it. I now have my name .org but do not intend using it as a business name to sell products.
Hi Sean
I bought my name .com and .net last year as I just thought it a good idea while it they were available.
I recall someone in YOTA actually saying it is to our advantage to have it so I did it straight away.
It is a small price to pay for $10 a year.
I agree it is cheap to buy and park it until you want it.
Looks like I could buy mine, though I don’t have plans for needing it. My shop name is taken, though I could add a word at the end and have it. I’ll have to think about it.
It doesn’t hurt to buy your own name as a domain name. If you don’t want it for a business linked or about you (e.g. as a writer) keep it parked – until such time as you have a reputation in business – like Sean has. He is identified in affiliate marketing by personal name as well as his business names.
I have wandered whether it was worth buying my name as a domain name, great explanation of the benefits of doing this or not.
Hi Sarah
With what you are doing I think it is a good idea. As well as writers, anyone who is creating or handcrafting a product of their own or attaching their name to a particular product which doesn’t have it’s own name could also benefit.
Another point about having your own domain name is you can then point it to another long domain name. Shorter is better for advertising purposes.
I have not used my own name for mine but have used the company name with ‘nz’ after it. So instead of having energised.teaminmotion.com I registered bhipnz.com and this points to it.
I actually tried to get my name when I bought my first domain names but it had been taken, so settled for peppersprofits.com since then I have learn’t so much and I don’t think I would make that choice again at least not for a while.
Buying your name as a domain name can be useful if, as the article mentions, your are a writer, a performer, an Internet Marketing guru,
etc. and your name is your brand. Otherwise, it is more a vanity thing.
The chances of being able to obtain the domain are better the more unique your name. With a common name the chances of the domain being available are slim. For example, as most of you know, I normally go by Don White. The .com, .net and .org variations are already registered. There are some other other top level domains that are available but in my case it would simple be a vanity domain.
And y’all know that I’m not vain, eh?
Hi Don
I bought my own name as a domain name as I want to start a blog which is just about all the fun stuff in life. A really laid back blog where I can just warble on (as I do). I would like to connect to all my friends through this blog with my art, video and writing rather than an affiliate site or product site where I am selling something. It’s like a house. I want to entertain my friends in the comfort of the lounge room, not in the loo, or in the garage nor in the kitchen. Now I am sure you would have a place where you entertain your friends (somewhere near the malt?)
Personal sites like you suggest Elly are neat ideas and families often have them – and record all the family stuff (weddings, graduations etc) so that long distance relatives and friends can keep up through the site and especially the images uploaded.
One thing against buying your own name is to use it for your local business or online business.
Even if you are well known locally, it is better to have a domain name that refers to that industry/service rather than you. And, then have it well seeded with your name and variations on it.
Those who know you can find you through your name as a keyword; and those who don’t can find you through Googling something about your industry or service..
I did this with a friend’s hair salon. Called it best hair salon – those who know him just Google his name and his site comes up. They don’t have to even enter the URL.
Those who don’t know him ask Google for references to the best hair salons – and his usually comes up near the top of page 1, if not at the top.
It is through the SEO that makes this work.
I have my name as a domain and it is currently parked. I’m not really sure at this stage what I am going to do with it, but I thought it important to purchase it if was going to be serious about internet marketing. One idea is to have it like a hub for all my other pages – but I am worried that it wwill not work!
Owning your name as a domain name is a necessity today. After reading this article, I found a site called getyourna.me and within 2 days, I had my blog up and running. It is so crucial these days to set yourself apart from the masses and owning your name as a domain name shows that you are technologically trendy and professionally proactive.