New Directions for Domains, Domainers, and Domaining
14 Mar
I get a big kick out of seeing domains for sale that have to have an explanation to identify it or the sellers interpretation of what the domain says, especially acronyms.
Basically, 99% of the time it is telling me Look what I made up for the meaning and you can use it too.
The power of persuasion.
A while back I was interested in buying the domain name GRL.us simply because it is my initials. That domain name was posted along with perhaps 200 more on one of the domain forums. The seller was taking offers. I offered a respectable $200.00 and thought I would use it purely for the novelty of it or perhaps as an email.
The seller turned down my offer and added, Oh no. That says GIRL. I am going to have to have more for that.
Needless to say, I did not buy it. The purchase was purely for the novelty of it, $200 was respectable for an LLL.us, and finally…um, no – it does not say girl. It only says three letters – G R L.
All the sounds like, looks like, feels like, smells like, tastes like nonsense is exactly that -nonsense.
Absolutely there are always exceptions to the rules. An identifying phrase with a few choice keywords will help it get indexed. There is nothing wrong with salesmanship, marketing, and promoting your name with descriptive text.
But not the snake oil salesmanship. There is usually very little ingredients to the contents that is actually good and beneficial.
That is what distinguishes some names into a class all by themselves and what helps identify this as The Art of Domaining.
For the most part it is generally a monumental waste of time to spend that time fabricating all these acronyms or descriptive text. If you want to try to convince another domainer that this is the name above all others that really stands apart then have at it.
Not once have I ever sold a domain to an end user and I have had to explain to that end user what it says or what it means.
The end user has been the one who has sought me out. That end user is also a consumer and already knows that the domain name means to them.
In The Art of Domaining there is very little, if any, need to say anything that helps quantify or qualify the sale.
What, beyond a word or two, can you offer or say to make that word more than just a sequence of numbers or letters?
Usually nothing.
In my previous career as an illustrator and designer, it was my portfolio of original work that would get me the job. I am talking about a physical leather-bound case about 30″ x 40″ loaded with hand selected works of art and usually limited to 15-20 pieces.
Art Directors and Creative Directors are notoriously busy people. If you are in a large advertising mecca like New York rarely would you ever meet with anyone. You left your portfolio at the door along with all the other portfolios.
In essence, the portfolio did all the talking. If it was good enough I would perhaps get a call back.
I want to stress that there is no difference in art art portfolio and one of a domain portfolio with one major exception – domain names are nothing more than concepts. They are not a finished piece of art. My art portfolio were examples of my finished and published works. The art portfolio represents my ability to take a piece from the concept stages all the way to the published work.
Going from the selection of a domain and creating a site is very much the same. Except this has become an age of virtual portfolios.
I was able to take all my years of honing my skills and my God given talent and create something that in the end demonstrated that I was a true asset to an organization.
Amazingly, there is strong parallel between a portfolio of graphics and a portfolio of domain names.
Imagine going to an Art Show opening at some posh gallery and the artist is present and has to walk with the crowd and explain what each piece means and represent. Sure, with abstract pieces perhaps a little interpretation is needed. In the end the person just stands there and just blankly stares at the piece and gives an Aha nod of approval or simply states, I still don’t get it.
A great work of art stands on its own.
Welcome to the Art of Domaining or Domaining as an Art Form.
4 Responses for "The Art of Domaining: Don’t Say A Word"
[...] Art of Domaining: Don’t Say A Word The Art of Domaining: Don’t Say A Word describes a comparison of Fine Art and Domaining. Enjoy! [...]
Good article. Makes sense because you should never need to explain what a domain means as far as use goes, which with good domains is obvious. Your ‘GRL’ example is an example of a name where it needs to be explained.
This is why multi-word generics are so good what with the keyword targeting possibilities. However, with that said, adding descriptions is ok assuming it adds to the prospective advertisers or buyers knowledge such as traffic, statistics and usage potential, including popularity of the exact term in Google.
Your points are well taken.
In regards to stats, etc, it typically is only domainers who know such a thing exists. An end user is less likely to ask for something like this and is only interested in the domain name and the significance it represents to them and their interests.
[...] wrote a post the other day entitled The Art of Domaining: Don’t Say a Word that I apply to my domain choices. Basically, my philosophy is does the name stand on its own? [...]
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