What's in a name?

[Chris]

How important do you guys think a domain actually is? I'm starting a comedy forum (thanks to the encouragement (http://www.forumuniversity.com/campus/showthread.php?t=1046) from you guys). I have to make the decision to use the domain talkcomedy.net/.org which I have already registered or purchase a more memorable domain (I'd like the domain to have "forum" in the name).

My personal belief has always been that if you build a brand, people will remember it. There have been many successful brands around more or less odd names.

So personally I'd like to go ahead with development of TalkComedy but I wondered what you all thought. Thanks! :fu:

[SoftWareRevue]

I actually like the talkcomedy domain. It's very easy to remember. The only problem is that you may lose some traffic by those that instinctively will type in .com.

But, you say you want the word forum in the name. TalkComedy doesn't contain forum. :P

TalkComedyForum does though. :D

You could probably find a memorable domain name that included the word forum if you played with it a bit.

jocularforum, funniesforum, grinsforum, hooplaforum, jokingforum, schtickforum, slapstickforum, whoopeeforum are some that come to mind off the top of my head (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/comedy). And all are available as dot coms. I'm sure there are more. ;)

[Chris]

Thanks Dennis. I was actually considering registering comedyforums.ws - but like you said, I'm still losing people who want to use .com. I still think .net is better than .ws, too. So I'm not really sure which to develop.

[Scott]

I actually like the talkcomedy domain. It's very easy to remember. Seconded!

Sure, you might lose a bit of traffic from it not being a .com, but I don't think many people these days randomly type words in the address bar hoping it'll get somewhere. What I mean is most people (at least in the first case) will follow links and provided you get them right you don't have much to worry about.

Not sure about sticking forum on the end either, becomes quite long that way. :iunno:

[Chris]

Thanks Scott! Looks like I'm going forward with this then :)

Next I just need to find a host. I'm with ASmallOrange now for my personal site, but I don't think their database times are super-speedy. I think I may know of a site, a forum maybe, where I can discuss things that relate to hosting. Yeah, I think I'll give that site a shot. :banana:

After that I'm willing to pay for a unique vB skin and logo. Then a little content here, a little promotion there, and it looks like I'm golden?

[Scott]

Good luck and keep us informed on how it goes! :)