Chanting a Blogging Mantra for Rockstar Domains

July 3rd, 2009 → 3:38 pm @ elmot

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Chanting a Blogging Mantra for Rockstar Domains

Hum…Hum…Hum…

I am once again trying to invoke the power of the whole cosmos by reciting a new mantra that hopefully could override the basic sad fact that I am a total idiot when it comes to technicalities on blogging.

“I know how to tweak my blog.” Hum…

You got it right. Jan’s latest post announced that I am moving this blog to its new home on a wordpress self-hosted blog courtesy of very generous blogging buddies. And though Big Bro already announced it to the whole universe via his superb post that the “house blessing” would be “very very soon”, it may once again take me another weekend to get all things fixed and before you could see the whole new look of Ani-Mo!. If only my parents endowed me with a Bill-Gates-patterned genes, the moving out could have been a breeze.

 

 

My Thoughts on How to Choose a Rockstar Domain Name
“I am a tech-savvy blogging geek.” Hum….
I got lots of great suggestions on my previous post of what domain name to take with Elmotlumot.com topping the list and only a select but persevering blogging buddies pushing for me to sport Quickieblogger.com and Niluluhurangblogger.com. Now, I am wondering why no one ever affirmed my suggestion of taking Superveryhandsomeblogger.com? Old Zen master whispered to me: “just believe in yourself.” Hum…
Few important points on choosing a domain name that I considered. Since I am not the tech-savvy guy, I forgo of sharing technical stuffs here and end up looking like a Jay Leno trying to be like Oprah:
1. Your domain name should also be your blog site.
This may be elementary to some but a few fundamental items on this one are worth remembering especially for all those who are also planning to take their blogging to the next level. It is much easier for readers and people to remember a blog’s name than its url because readers focus much of their attention on the content of one’s blog (or comment form, for rabid commenters, ehehe) and not much on its url. Hey, one cannot comment on the url!

More often than not, first time readers and visitors get the imprint of your blog or site through its big bold blog title on your header and browse through your blog posts. And with the ultra sensitive url form and address structure, a missing letter, misspelled domain name or wrong domain name extension could usher your visitors and returning readers to another blog; to its owner’s delight.

Here are some examples:

Blog Name/Title—-Domain name plus their extension

Writing to Exhale—-www.writingtoexhale.com
The Struggling Blogger—-www.thestrugglingblogger.com
Jaypee Online—-www.jaypeeonline.net

Therefore, putting synchrony with your blog’s name and domain name could give convenience to your readers and visitors rather than giving them a maze to test their patience. Imagine if your blog has this setting: your blog name is The Struggling Blogger and its domain name plus extension is www.writingtoexhaleandinhale.net. Total blogging disaster!

2. A domain name describes your persona

One should never get a domain that he loathes, for blogging should bring us total control, confidence and harmony and not a conflict over what we do. It should be indicative of the personality of the blogger behind the blog. As uber blogger Jan told me on one of our many conversations on his long and vibrant comment forms: your blog is your resume. Our blogs tell us of who we are as the blog and the blogger is only one, unless of course you have a multiple blogging personality syndrome. Coherence between our blog’s Yin and Yang gives and readers a sense of genuine identity and not some pretentious blogging expeditions and experiment on the blogosphere. It also unconsciously sends some personal trademark to all those who visits such a blog.

3. A domain name gives readers your sense of blogging style and branding

We may be blogging on different kinds of niche but in the end, the one who rises up is the one with great class and effective branding. And domain names work also to this effect. One great blog I could share here is that of the child protégé Dan Miranda who shares about self-improvement posts on his blog Command Your Time. His domain name which is basically is also his blog name automatically gives us the idea what this guy has to share and what kind of stuffs he is up to. Same with that of Jan’s Writing to Exhale and that of Problogger or Copyblogger and many more. That is why I think it is quite crucial for one who is going to start his blogging on a self-hosted blog to examine also what kind of blogging style and branding he/she wants to build over his/her blog before choosing a domain name.

Leaving Ani-mo! For Pinoysoundingboard

I may be reaping lots of traffic come the start of UAAP with the Ateneo clashing over arch-rival La Salle for having Ani-Mo! as my blog name. But after some brainstorming and focusing on those three stuffs to consider on choosing a domain name, I realized that my blog name (which is also the same in part on my present domain name on blogger) is not really that reflective of my take on things and my direction on blogging.

Though it could give maybe some setback on my ranking and present PR come my eventual evacuation, changing my blog name Ani-Mo! into Pinoysoundingboard has set clearer parameters for my blogging and has given me more focus on what direction to take. It also reflects my persona and the sense of brand I want to build over my blog. And more importantly, I have come to synchronize my blog name that of my domain name, which basically I failed to do in blogger.

Pinoysoundingboard.com therefore will be my wordpress self-hosted blog about commentaries on current events and blogging with a magazine-type wordpress theme.

I just hope that when I move out of blogger to house my blog on a new and more spacious home, I would not find myself chanting my mantra all day long all by myself. But first thing is to tweak all the stuffs that need to be fixed. Just so thankful that there are so many generous people who are set to help me out.

Hum… Hum….

Hum….

What were your considerations in choosing your blog name and domain name? How do you find my new blog name and its domain?

image by Chucks

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“man is free, but anywhere he is in chains” jean-jacques rousseau

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