Master Your Domain

It’s not about vanity when registering your personal name as an Internet domain. It’s simply a cheap way to protect personal real estate.

Let this wretched conversation saga be your CALL TO ACTION to register your name as a website address.

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(Note: I was way too late to register JohnMoore.com. Also too late to register JohnHMoore. I have registered JohnHardinMoore.com.)

Comments

[Joel D Canfield]

Fourteen years ago I waffled for two weeks about spending $70 for Joel.com—and missed getting it. The original owner still has it; will probably have his children and grandchildren renew it in perpetuity.

I've signed my name Joel D Canfield forever, so my personal site is JoelDCanfield.com

Now that domain names are under $10/year, anyone who ever intends to have an internet presence, professional or personal, should start now.

And *especially* if you're going to pretend to be an expert about that intarweb thing.

[Stephen Denny]

Two years ago, I registered my own personal name domain, www.stephendenny.com. It redirects to my professional website.

We just had a new baby boy five months ago. Register his name on a .com? No way, no how. All taken. I wonder what happens when all the domain names are gone? Will the internet naming convention look like getting an AOL email account? Will we all be registering our proverbial www.brandautopsy7925.com in the near future?

Yikes. Can't wait for the jingle.

[Domain Sillyness]

Do you really think registering your domain "firstlast.com" is going to prevent anyone from causing harm to you?

I could create one in blogspot "firstlast.blogspot.com" and benefit from Google's strong search engine juice and cause just as much damage with NO money.

Also, I could buy HateJohnMoore.com and also do similar damage.

Before we go off and buy a bunch of domain names, let's consider the real issue: Anyone can brandjack and you can't stop it.

[johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy)]

Mr. Domain Sillyness ... don't be silly. I am not saying buying one's name as a domain will prevent a determined detractor from dissing you online. I am saying it is smart to buy your name or some variation of your name as an Internet web address. It's buying up personal real estate.

Shel purchasing ShelIsrael.com would not have prevented Loren from doing a satire site. Might have put a tiny speed bump in Loren's way.

The point is ... buying a web address with your name is not a vanity issue, it is simply a smart and cheap real estate purchase.

[BIG Kahuna]

It also depends on whether or not you brand your name or not. I don't. I brand my company, Brand Identity Guru. Taking a corporate branding strategy really can prevent a lot of this, it depends on how you want to be perceived.

[johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy)]

Scott ... or maybe this has nothing to do with corporate branding strategy. Perhaps a goofy uncle just wants to do something for his nephew and niece.

[Pat Nerr]

I hate it when people steal domain names that would serve an organization better than http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/home/home.jsp... not sure it rolls off the tongue so much.

[Jebs House]

I'm not sure what the hold-up is... maybe they have re-thought their stance on how this is going to actually make the company any money. Or perhaps their lawyers pointed out the liability of providing agents a platform to stick their feet in their mouth. Whatever it is, it's hardly something I'd claim as being "Well done".
www.jebshouse.com

[Chris Houchens]

I registed my own name, http://www.ChrisHouchens.com, a few years ago for business purposes. I have an unique last name, but I recently went ahead and registered my son's name as well. It's a better investment than some other things I could buy for him

[Stewart Engelman Internet Domains]

Hello,

Things aren't quite as dire as you make out. Personal names enjoy alot of protection even without a trademark. You can't use someone's name as a 2nd level domain token in respect of US jurisdiction extensions unless you have a valid biographical site up about the person, and are not falsely implying that the person endorses anything you are doing on the site.

The above protections were signed into law when Clinton was president, as a major part of the federal Lanham Act. I guess Monica didn't get all of his attention.