brand/image vs seo?

I posted this in google because I'm primarily concerned with google, really.

I'm thinking about launching a commercial site (my first ever, woo), and I'm wondering... would you rather go with straight keywords for your domain, or market some sort of catchy name?

I can really, really see how the keywords could help from an SEO standpoint, even if google doesn't DIRECTLY look at the domain- for example, if I got my site into google and the domain was "used-widgets.com" the anchor text be "used widgets" of course (because that's the name of the site).

however, I just don't like the "feel" of something like that.. even if it may be more effective. I'd rather go with some sort of unique and interesting name.

any thoughts?

 

In my view you should go for the Brand but there are ways to incorporate the keywords into a name and still keep the branding which is why we created the OK group eg France-OK, Ski-France-OK etc.

However there is the SEO side that you should know - Google does look directly at the domain name. Just recently I launched a new site it was Botted in hours and listed within the day and was No1 for the domain name phrase in that day - I reported this in one other thread of yours - go and search on zplus2 [you will find the thread there too] - originally the only link in was for SEO and it pointed at the index

 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=zplus2+

digitalpoint actually shows before you

I understand that there may be a small benefit directly from the domain (or there may not be), but that's something that may change in the future- but anchor text most likely won't, and it'd indirectly have an impact on what anchor text is used for a lot of the incoming links.

in any case, there's a huge benefit to be had in SEO terms from having the "right domain".. I'm just sort of debating if I should take advantage of that or not

 

You must keep clear in your mind the distinction between the name of your domain and the name of your site. The name of your domain is an exact thing, registered, and slurped up by the bots. The name of your site is an amorphous thing that it is up to you to make manifest and definite by how and where you use it.

If your site is about clawhammer banjos, the domain name clawhammer-banjos.com would be nice. But if that were taken (it apparently is not), and and others much like it too, you'd end up settling. But nothing stops you from "naming" your site The World's Greatest-Ever Clawhammer Banjo Site and so promoting it. So long as the name is not too cumbersome (that example pushes the limits), and is natural and clearly related to your topic, that should be what it becomes known as. The SEO point to all that is that your chosen name then becomes the most likely anchor text for links to you.

So you can have it both ways: get the most coldly logical SEO-derived domain name you can, then make up whatever fanciful but catchy name you like, so long as it embodies your keyword phrase.

At the end of the day, precious few visitors get to sites by having memorized and typed in a domain name.

 

Absolutely, but eventually [long time] the branding does do just that.

I know - that is called "authority" and shows the importance of that in Google - my site is only 3 pages and "news" and will stay that way while we test "online poker" as a control for Compar

 

If you come up with a new brand, it's so easy to rank an internal page on that phrase - or - buy the url and redirect it to your seo site.

E.g. www.ecilop.com redirected to www.speed-cameras.com (or www.speedcameras.com)
brand= ecilop (offline marketing draws prospects to the brand)
product= speed cameras (online phrase captures search traffic)

If the sales were with a hight traffic search on 'speed cameras' then go the keyword url.

Even if you establish ecilop as a major brand, and a percentage of search traffic goes to your brand name - you can rank for the brand from an internal page.

I have to agree with the 'OK' branding concept.

Food, colour, smell - very memorable... e.g. 'Red Hot Chill Peppars' 'Red Hat' 'Blue Tooth' 'Apple Computers' etc

So something like:
www.ecilopspeedcameras.com or

Buy also:
www.ecilop-speed-cameras.com
www.esp.com
www.ecilop.com

The reason why you need a brand though is:
recognition (I know that brand)
recall (the brand was)
association (with sector / product or service / selling point e.g. ecilop=accuracy)
diversification (under water cameras, speedometers, stop watch etc)

Ideally, I would want to own the sector with a domain name (e.g. www.speedcameras.com or www.traffic.com)

 

Don't forgett associative works as well.

e.g. the-fast-click-site for high speed cameras.... by SpeedClick(TM)

Our "play" site departures-arrivals is a fair example its "findable" by entering the words in any major SE (well and the services as well) and it's not restrictive as it can become authoritave and themed.


As a side remark a lot of developers or site owners seem to forget the power of favorites / bookmark.
DAC has about 2.5% bookmark rate and now after a year (full season cycle) repeat visitors / direct hit's are soaring.

M