Domain purchase advice

Jimmy1983 · 21 May 2012 at 14:50

Iam intending to setup a basic wordpress site for my photography and need to buy a domain. Can you knowledgeable people offer me some advice on the process involved?

Ive had a look on 123reg for ideas, is it just a case of thinking of a good domain name and checking to see if its available? Then go from there...

GravyMonster · 21 May 2012 at 14:54

Yep, pretty much.

Banzai_Joe · 21 May 2012 at 14:55

i use 123reg. There's loads others but they seem ok for me.

Jimmy1983 · 21 May 2012 at 15:02

Cheers fellas, now I need ideas for the domain name :confused:

jameswhitephotography.com / .co.uk has been taken as I expected really :mad:

Banzai_Joe · 21 May 2012 at 15:25

too long, easy to misspell.
jwt.co.uk?

Jimmy1983 · 21 May 2012 at 15:27

Banzai_Joe said:
too long, easy to misspell.
jwt.co.uk?

Do you mean jwp.co.uk ?

Banzai_Joe · 21 May 2012 at 15:36

Haa..i put jwp at first. God knows why i then changed it? But yes, thanks i did mean jwp
jwp.co.uk
jwphotography.co.uk
clickjwp.co.uk
jwphot.co.uk

etc etc

Jimmy1983 · 21 May 2012 at 15:44

Banzai_Joe said:
clickjwp.co.uk
jwphot.co.uk

Hmmm, jwphot :eek:

Thanks for the ideas

michaelp · 21 May 2012 at 22:06

You should have a look at this.

Its just general tips on choosing a domain name.
http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/domainname.shtml

and also http://www.gbbo.co.uk/ <- After 60 days you can transfer the free .co.uk website address to your website. or you can point to your url from there instantly.

Jimmy1983 · 21 May 2012 at 23:48

michaelp said:
You should have a look at this.

Its just general tips on choosing a domain name.
http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/domainname.shtml

Thanks, vgood read

jamespwhite.com is free iam not sure if I want photography in the URL tho what would you guys suggest?

michaelp said:
and also http://www.gbbo.co.uk/ <- After 60 days you can transfer the free .co.uk website address to your website. or you can point to your url from there instantly.

Cheers was thinking of getting the domain from 123reg...

GravyMonster · 22 May 2012 at 08:54

Jimmy1983 said:
jamespwhite.com is free iam not sure if I want photography in the URL tho what would you guys suggest?

I'd get a domain with and without. You can 301 redirect one to the other for now, and then if you decide you want a personal domain you can split them.

Jimmy1983 · 22 May 2012 at 09:09

Spunkey said:
I'd get a domain with and without. You can 301 redirect one to the other for now, and then if you decide you want a personal domain you can split them.

Thanks, quite happy with jamespwhite would prefer to be able to drop the p tho. But james-white and james.white is already taken.

Do many people use their middle names in URL's nowadays?

Also would the price of said URL be the same from price wherever I purchase it from? jamespwhite is £10.99 currently on 123reg

m4rkw7 · 23 May 2012 at 00:01

Different prices through different people. Try Godaddy.com or Vidahost.com
The shorter the domain, the better imo.

Jimmy1983 · 23 May 2012 at 11:01

m4rkw7 said:
Different prices through different people. Try Godaddy.com or Vidahost.com
The shorter the domain, the better imo.

Cheers man

Jimmy1983 · 24 May 2012 at 12:42

Still trying do decided on a sutable name

What do people think to

Jameswhitepix and photojameswhite ?

GaryH-21 · 24 May 2012 at 12:55

jameswhiteonline.co.uk ?? 2 years, £6.98
jameswhitemedia.co.uk?

the problem with having your name in it, is that if you're adding a word after it, it becomes a pretty long domain name which is prone to spelling mistakes and/or people won't remember it!

radderfire · 24 May 2012 at 13:13

Jimmy1983 said:
Still trying do decided on a sutable name

What do people think to

Jameswhitepix and photojameswhite ?

No and no.

First of all, how are you going to "brand" your business, i.e. what is the best business name you would tell someone? E.g. how would you answer your business phone line?

Rgds

Jimmy1983 · 25 May 2012 at 13:31

GaryH-21 said:
jameswhiteonline.co.uk ?? 2 years, £6.98
jameswhitemedia.co.uk?

the problem with having your name in it, is that if you're adding a word after it, it becomes a pretty long domain name which is prone to spelling mistakes and/or people won't remember it!

Yeah I see your point, but I dont really want to design a brand name. I feel using my name would suit my needs better. Jameswhiteuk is free but don't feel thats good option either

radderfire said:
No and no.

First of all, how are you going to "brand" your business, i.e. what is the best business name you would tell someone? E.g. how would you answer your business phone line?

Rgds

Ref above, don't feel I want to go down the brand route.

GaryH-21 · 25 May 2012 at 15:06

Remember, you can always start off with just your name or something simple and get another domain name further down the line... It's not a one-chance decision

Jimmy1983 · 26 May 2012 at 02:13

GaryH-21 said:
Remember, you can always start off with just your name or something simple and get another domain name further down the line... It's not a one-chance decision

Hmmm, I thought it was pretty much :confused:

but long term if I did change domain name I might have a good number of people following me changing it may cause a lot of confusion.

Iam not sure tho I could be wrong, you probably understand this subject more than me! Thanks again