Website Name?

[Sunflower]

Appreciate your comments please.

I was thinking of doing a 'play' on my name for my website. Surname is 'Harte', so was thinking of 'Hartebeat', but thinking again would I get more hits if I called it 'Heartbeat'. What do you think? Don't think many people are going to do a search on 'Hartebeat' do you? All comments welcome.

Thank you!

[thepatria]

Re: Website Name?

emmmmm.........maybe, but i don't think a web name will make a difference, isn't it the search engine optimization that count?

[Vasili]

Re: Website Name?

LOL

It really depends on what's available, and what you intend to do with the site (personal, eCommerce, Blog, etc.) that will set the values and effectiveness of the domain. All the Content and other elements (including the type of foundation) you use to construct the website contribute to the greater Values, if they support the optimal standards.

For instance, these are currently available:
HarteToHeart.com
TheHarteBeat.com .... great name for a blog, like the "News Beat"
HarteFelt.com .... good for a personal, or "artistic" site as 'felt' plays into feelings/interpretation
HarteFlow.com .... same as above

Since the domain Name is the Primary value of a site's Optimization value, it will be intrinsically woven into the Page Title first, and will be the first 'test' by the Search Engines. Keep in mind that beyond the Domain Name itself and the Page Title values you should be interested to focus on building, it all comes down to the overall relevancy you create site-wide .... and this is why refining the choice of domain name to reflect the Site Purpose is critical. It is not simply choosing a clever name, although names are the first place to start!

All goes to show you that building a website requires some real thought and effort if it is to perform as expected (or to potential). The sooner you start, the better, as the rush to get clever and fitting Domains is not likely to slow down anytime soon: it has only been 11 months since many of the 2 or 3 word domains I passed on earlier are now commanding "Premium" prices (anywhere from $300 to $50,000)!!!!

[Vasili]

Re: Website Name?

Nothing?

[kortia]

Re: Website Name?

It was a great thing to have your site name as your keyword, until Google went hmmm. Now a days It really does not matter. As long as your site is built around your keyword. It depends on competition for a given keyword. Vasili is correct about blogs etc, however ALWAYS, keep your domain as short as possible or make them rhyme... use the first 2 letters of each name and make it fun! Ex: Nabisco.... short for National Biscuit corporation. Or bikibo short for bikini bottom. wodi World Directory :):) Kortia - the .com does not matter. .ws, .net they all rank just as well also.

Think about the domains that stick in your head. Small and easy to remember. bluevoda is a perfect example. Small rules and yes SEO is the key to any site. Content is king *not meaning tons of, but meaning the most relevant of what was searched for and in regards to that particular keyword.

[Vasili]

Re: Website Name?

It was a great thing to have your site name as your keyword, until Google went hmmm. Now a days It really does not matter. As long as your site is built around your keyword. It depends on competition for a given keyword. Vasili is correct about blogs etc, however ALWAYS, keep your domain as short as possible or make them rhyme... use the first 2 letters of each name and make it fun! Ex: Nabisco.... short for National Biscuit corporation. Or bikibo short for bikini bottom. wodi World Directory :):) Kortia - the .com does not matter. .ws, .net they all rank just as well also.

Think about the domains that stick in your head. Small and easy to remember. bluevoda is a perfect example. Small rules and yes SEO is the key to any site. Content is king *not meaning tons of, but meaning the most relevant of what was searched for and in regards to that particular keyword.

I strongly disagree on a number of key points, and really wonder where you get this stuff!

1. Nowadays it really does matter how a domain is structured, and whatever Google puts forth as their standard is mimiced by the others without fail. The model will never move beyond the preferred 2-3 words, using normal, Searchable, naturally occurring English. This ties directly into what makes a Key Word a KEY WORD and the foundation of how a domain reflects true and natural relevance site-wide (within natural Content, especially). Abnormal spellings or cryptic word forms will never be entered into an original Search unless it has been impressed upon the client, which traditionally will depend on other advertising or promotional activity -- which costs money and time to plant on the brains of prospective customers. This is exactly why the phenomena of Premium Domains has emerged, where a once $9 2-word choice might now fetch upwards of $800: nothing will replace natural word domains.

2. It does not depend on your Key Word: your Key Words and KW values are dependent on the site: specific genre of the site, the industry, and the Content that is created for the website --- and how well it is crafted. More obviously, your KW's are chosen based on the specific focus of all these elements, and although it does help to have your domain be an essential part of that, more often than not business names are not the same and need be the domain whether they fit into the scheme or not. Your KW's are supported by and elevated values based upon the core SE metrics: a) Build, and how it stacks up to W3 and Perfect Page; b) relevancy, and how it is effected (site-wide, page, etc.); c) Content, and the uniqueness of that content as it conforms to relevancy and filtered values for compliance (natural, approved, etc.).

3. The extensions do matter when it comes to preference, both from SE's and especially customers. The .COM extension will never be subordinated, in the minds of people nor in the manner in which they are given import by the Search industry. True, some lesser extensions like .NET .ORG and even .BIZ seem to fare better than .INFO and .US and the up-and-coming .TV, but the .COM extension assures you that a domain will never be first scored by or "hubbed" by a local network prior to being "reported" to the Main processing. This is especially true when working with foreign extensions (.IE, .WS, .CO.UK, etc.), as they are always dismayed to discover their sites are ranked locally first and often have difficulty breaking onto the Main network, the real WWW.

4. Content is King, and is the core to everything SEO: without it, there would not even be a construct model to follow, or any building of relevance! The "tip" to keep Content tight is more for the benefit of predictable conversion, since site visitors have falling attention spans and don't read much anymore. They tend to be entranced with eye-candy like image links and interactive methods to locate what they want to drill in for. Without well-composed Content, the site would be nothing but a directory of links, and would score like one. Far too often, however, web builders fail to recognize the relationship between Content and Construct, and how optimization is really another fancy word for precision: you either follow the prescribed methods and comply with current standards, or you take a hit. Whatever effort you put into planning not only the layout but the composition will determine how your site will fare. *This is why CMS is becoming more an more popular, for not only is the dynamic foundation itself preferred by SE's, but it has multiple methods to include Content in many formats (articles, Blog entries, RSS, etc) to build a deeper relevance and supporting valuation system.

Strategy is not just a board game, it is a way to describe planning and forethought with a purpose. Maybe I was a little too glib or too "referential" in offering some domain names earlier, but the ideas suggested above needed to be addressed specifically, lest others get the wrong idea completely as they glean from our Forums.

[Karen Mac]

Re: Website Name?

Kortia

Who are you anyway? Do you have a vodahost account? Im beginning to question your motives being here. If its just to peddle your services as an SEO guru, youre in for a little surprise. Ive contradicted a post of yours already, and now this one.

If you want to solicit your services then hop to the Classified ads section and post your services there. And if you truly want to help people out, then do so.. but both of your answers seem to be canned responses, like a sales pitch, so.. if you are really good, youll dump the canned responses and answer appropos.

Not trying to be hard on you.. just doing my job as moderator to make sure people get the RIGHT information. Oh and one more thing.. dont let me catch you soliciting peoples profiles.

Karen

[kortia]

Re: Website Name?

Sorry getting use to this forum... did not mean to post that twice.

[kortia]

Re: Website Name?

I said "WAS" an easy way to get to the top fast. NOT any more. Google fixed that
you twisted what I said. I am not trying to offend anyone. or get business from a forum. Please do not punch below the belt. If you disagree just do so.

I do not own but one out of 100 sites that have the domain as a keyword. and yes it is in the number one spot, but not because of the domain name.


Not even. For some reason I am not getting emails on any of these topics.

I am not trying to curl any ones hair. And I literally just added services on my site a few days ago and was not taking any more business at the time I posted this. I do a large amount of free consulting with excellent results. I go right off of Google guide lines, right from their mouth. http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=34432

Yes I am a voda account holder, however I cannot figure out how to use it efficiently. (Fast that is) that is how I ended up here and then had to disagree on a few things. ( SEO changes like the laws do) an attorney keeps up, and so should a SEOS.

I probably make the ugliest websites there is but one thing I am great at is building sites to Google guide lines.

I build many sites for me, not for the general public and yes it really bothers me when people give out information that is incorrect.

A lot of folks have one answer “build back links”

So no I am not here for anyone’s business, I make a ton of money doing my own thing. Kortia is a brand new site that sat because I had other money making sites and I just relaunched it. As you know the keyword seo is extremely competitive.

My passion would be one day to do seo full time as a consultant, however right now I have too many other sites to build that is making money.

So I am in NO way trying to offend anyone that has been dominating this site/forum. \

I do like helping people just like the next person and I can say that I only have a few post compared to several thousand from other people.

So who is it that is the one that is soliciting business? Some people hang in the forum all day bird dogging post for brownie points....

I am just trying to help people out.

I am not a now it all.. But I can tell you for a fact that if Google based your domain name on just the domain name people like www.barnesandnoble.com would not be number 2 for the keyword “books”.

I had one guy argue that an ext with - was no better than _ when Google was telling me in an email that it did. I get info straight from the horse’s mouth.

Then I had 10 people tell me I was wrong.
I can tell you this. Every site I have built that is 2 months old is in the top ten or number one spot. Many have been for years. So I must be doing something right.


I am not trying to offend anyone. I have sites that have a domain that has absolutely 0 to do with the keyword in the top 10. That was 1 of the 200 changes Google changed this year.

O and here is the info from Google about - or _ .
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=76329&hl=en
Google will tell you everything- all you have to do is ask.

So I am here to learn as well as help. What about you?

[kortia]

Re: Website Name?

Kortia

Who are you anyway? Do you have a vodahost account? Im beginning to question your motives being here. If its just to peddle your services as an SEO guru, youre in for a little surprise. Ive contradicted a post of yours already, and now this one.

If you want to solicit your services then hop to the Classified ads section and post your services there. And if you truly want to help people out, then do so.. but both of your answers seem to be canned responses, like a sales pitch, so.. if you are really good, youll dump the canned responses and answer appropos.

Not trying to be hard on you.. just doing my job as moderator to make sure people get the RIGHT information. Oh and one more thing.. dont let me catch you soliciting peoples profiles.

Karen

P.S.
My name is Rodney. and I think with whole 5 post is clear I am not soliciting. As far as the other post it is closed ? So I cant elaborate on it can I ? Or can I? There was obviously some miss under standings.

I must not have had my email notification on.

By the way Vasili beautiful sites. You have put a lot of work into them. Good luck with your move.

[kortia]

Re: Website Name?

I strongly disagree on a number of key points, and really wonder where you get this stuff!
From Google

1. Nowadays it really does matter how a domain is structured, and whatever Google puts forth as their standard is mimiced by the others without fail. The model will never move beyond the preferred 2-3 words, using normal, Searchable, naturally occurring English. This ties directly into what makes a Key Word a KEY WORD and the foundation of how a domain reflects true and natural relevance site-wide (within natural Content, especially). Abnormal spellings or cryptic word forms will never be entered into an original Search unless it has been impressed upon the client, which traditionally will depend on other advertising or promotional activity -- which costs money and time to plant on the brains of prospective customers. This is exactly why the phenomena of Premium Domains has emerged, where a once $9 2-word choice might now fetch upwards of $800: nothing will replace natural word domains.

Of course it matters how a domain is structured! It just does not matter hat your domain name is. Google is not going to send you to the end of the line because your domain name is your company name.I will find the direct link to Google on that subject. Even the Voda training video said to keep it short. They also said in the video to NOT use a - if at all possible. Google disagrees with that as well. It is in the link I posted prior to this one. Straight to Googles site

2. It does not depend on your Key Word: your Key Words and KW values are dependent on the site: specific genre of the site, the industry, and the Content that is created for the website --- and how well it is crafted. More obviously, your KW's are chosen based on the specific focus of all these elements, and although it does help to have your domain be an essential part of that, more often than not business names are not the same and need be the domain whether they fit into the scheme or not. Your KW's are supported by and elevated values based upon the core SE metrics: a) Build, and how it stacks up to W3 and Perfect Page; b) relevancy, and how it is effected (site-wide, page, etc.); c) Content, and the uniqueness of that content as it conforms to relevancy and filtered values for compliance (natural, approved, etc.).

Your content is your keyword (or in it !) . Just like on your site vodatips. The site is about "voda tips" so the more content you have on that page about that keyword is king. Good information is best. Content is what your site is about, what your site is about should have the keyword in it...

3. The extensions do matter when it comes to preference, both from SE's and especially customers. The .COM extension will never be subordinated, in the minds of people nor in the manner in which they are given import by the Search industry. True, some lesser extensions like .NET .ORG and even .BIZ seem to fare better than .INFO and .US and the up-and-coming .TV, but the .COM extension assures you that a domain will never be first scored by or "hubbed" by a local network prior to being "reported" to the Main processing. This is especially true when working with foreign extensions (.IE, .WS, .CO.UK, etc.), as they are always dismayed to discover their sites are ranked locally first and often have difficulty breaking onto the Main network, the real WWW.
Google does not discriminate .com nor .net or org etc. I have .ws domains in the number one spot.
If you are in the UK I would not use .US nor if I was in the US would I use .UK, those are different countries, unless you intend to market to another country.
What I mean is a .net will rank just as well as a .com and a .ws will as well and .org etc. (.WS use to stand for west Somalia, was bought out by Global domains international and now stands for Website.

4. Content is King, and is the core to everything SEO: without it, there would not even be a construct model to follow, or any building of relevance! The "tip" to keep Content tight is more for the benefit of predictable conversion, since site visitors have falling attention spans and don't read much anymore. They tend to be entranced with eye-candy like image links and interactive methods to locate what they want to drill in for. Without well-composed Content, the site would be nothing but a directory of links, and would score like one. Far too often, however, web builders fail to recognize the relationship between Content and Construct, and how optimization is really another fancy word for precision: you either follow the prescribed methods and comply with current standards, or you take a hit. Whatever effort you put into planning not only the layout but the composition will determine how your site will fare. *This is why CMS is becoming more an more popular, for not only is the dynamic foundation itself preferred by SE's, but it has multiple methods to include Content in many formats (articles, Blog entries, RSS, etc) to build a deeper relevance and supporting valuation system.
Content is King and is one of the 200 things you need to get your score higher. If Google just based it off of content people would have a book on their home page. And yes Google is completely restructuring so I do agree.
Your content needs to be relevant to what the individual is looking for, whatever that maybe. Google also just changed the hover keywords as well. People were abusing them. Put a lot of pictures and make the hover full of keywords.
The best flat out way is to read Google’s updates :) They tell you everything you need to know.



Strategy is not just a board game, it is a way to describe planning and forethought with a purpose. Maybe I was a little too glib or too "referential" in offering some domain names earlier, but the ideas suggested above needed to be addressed specifically, lest others get the wrong idea completely as they glean from our Forums.

Your content is your keyword ( or in it !) . Just like on your site vodatips. the site is about "voda tips" so the more content you have on that page about that keyword is king. Good information is best.

Strategy is getting the best score for what you are marketing for. Google bases every site on a long list of things. Not just a few.
They literally just changed 200 things! That is also from the horse’s mouth.

[Vasili]

Re: Website Name?

By the way Vasili beautiful sites. You have put a lot of work into them. Good luck with your move.

Thanks. You've only seen the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid! LOL

Your content is your keyword ( or in it !) . Just like on your site vodatips. the site is about "voda tips" so the more content you have on that page about that keyword is king. Good information is best.
Strategy is getting the best score for what you are marketing for. Google bases every site on a long list of things. Not just a few.
They literally just changed 200 things! That is also from the horse’s mouth.

Google has all but eliminated the import of Key Words along with much of the "traditional" metric values 99% of the webbing world is so engrained building around and "optimizing" toward. Professional SEO services have been thrust back into the fire trying to distinguish their services clearly in this new territory as a result, and have fallen back to the core importance of Content and Perfect Page construct as Google themselves balk at remaining anything but "experimental" since implementing a blended service of "suggested search" which was intended to enhance advertisers rather than merely respond to consumer trending.

Much of what you mention is sound, but not entirely current nor actionable: SEO has fallen apart and is no longer "tweakable" even remotely as it could have been -- "loopholes' notwithstanding. Google openly admits this, and like said earlier, is reluctant to define a new strategy. Therefoere it is up to the webbies of the world to go back to square one to perfect the build, content, overall relevance, and demonstrated opportunity for resourceful caching if to somehow be worthy as a purely deeper result for Search Clients/Querries.

For this Community, though, the emphasis is on applying the technical aspects of optimization as VodaHost clients learn to make a website (especially with Blue Voda), and the hope is to cognizantly understand the relationships between them so as to better prepare their site overall for predictable performance. When it comes to the eclectic issues of "optimization" (the 'process' as in 'the 'program' -- ongoing, and not just the 'preparation'), then the role of senior peers will continue as it is now: to offer greater resources and perspectives that can be found not only as current, but elsewhere additionally, to add to their experience. We simply cannot hope to be all to all, but can indeed remain the Net's best by offering the awesome Blue Voda Web Builder (and the unbeatable hosting) and supporting those who use it peer-to-peer! Yes?

SEO is not a science, per se, and cannot be "taught" easily or concurrantly with any standardization -- it is too fluid, and the rules change just as the core metrics do. At best, one can only hope the elements that are actionable and static such as the technical constructs and relational relevances are reasonably understood for each to achive a level of compliance first ... then the deep thinking and hard work comes into play as an option, not as an ambiguous overwhelming demand.

Which brings us back to your original post and the "issues" you voiced an opinion on: we can all now clearly agree it is not important to focus on using Key Words in a domain (nice if you can, but not critical) as you stated. Nor is it in any way, shape, or form advisable to use abbreviations or non-normative ("unnatural") word variations. In fact, Google specifically comments on this practice, and likens it to an observation made years ago regarding non-English speaking domain speculators creating word formations that bots could not value properly. IN fact, they would flag the domain and site entirely as suspect, for there was not enough "compliance" to indicate a definitive string of relational values to the pages themselves. So, on those two points alone, you are quite amiss ... despite the eloquent back-pedalling. No big, though, nor is there anything being held against you (so no need to defend your success in other areas not called into question!).

We are all striving to deal with Googlization of the once free WWW the best we can.

IMO
..