Why it pays to do domain name research.

Damn it. What a mistake.

I still love the domain name. I registered it eons ago.

And the idea behind it had merit – an online portal for busy women to exchange ideas and give advice on home-based business opportunities, work, relationships, children, life…and how to balance all of the above. It would include ‘how to’ guides like “How to apply mascara on lashes and vegemite on bread all at the same time.” I’ve already created the video.

Plus a job listings functionality where women who were trying to re-enter the workforce could find work to suit their new motherhood role.

But I had to scrap it…JUST before I was about to go live. All that work down the drain:(

Why?

Because the .au domain name I registered? had a .com equivalent that, let’s just say, showed women in the type of ‘positions’ and ‘roles ‘I had NOT envisaged for the .au site.

It was my friend Wendy who saved my ALMOST porn site-owning a#se. (Owe you one Wendy!)

If it weren’t for her I’d be receiving calls from disgusted parents from my kiddy’s school by now.

“My mum runs very-bad-name-for-a-site-that-is-associated-with-a-very-naughty-website.com.au”.

Embarrassingly, after asking Wendy if she wanted to be a part of my .au idea she was discussing it with some work colleagues – she was explaining that it would be a fresh new way for women to communicate online.

While proudly purporting the concept, she looked up the name in front of them all, only to find the .com version of the name.

“Nahhh…that can’t be it?”

So she emailed me asking what it was. I proudly replied with the name – “www.villagewomen.com.au”.

Check out www.villagewomen.com to see how badly things can become if you don’t do your domain name research first. Ahem.

Pretty funny really. Imagine doing the keyword research and SEO for a site like that!

The moral of this Loud Cow story?

Think of your domain name as a piece of real estate. Do your research. Find out who your neighbours are in the same street. If it’s in a dodgy area, don’t buy it.

I made a big mistake. But…

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”

George Bernard Shaw.

Happy New Year from Loud Cow!

Bye for now,

Catie