Comments on: Why You Might Need Additional Domain Names for Your Art

By: Jennifer Lucht

Fri, 24 Jan 2014 01:08:11 +0000

Hi Alyson,
I’m an artist and a web site developer specializing in artist websites.
If the company you are working with is professional, there is no reason having your domain name and website hosting in the same place should create an uncomfortable situation.
We provide both domain registration and hosting services for our customers. There are aspects involved in managing a domain that most people don’t have the technical knowledge for or desire to be bothered with. We take care of all these things for our customers.
Some customers do want to manage their own domains and that’s ok with us too. The point is they shouldn’t feel like they have to.
And, if someone wants to move their domain elsewhere, we release it – no questions asked.

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Mon, 30 Dec 2013 15:06:41 +0000

In reply to Janis N. Senungetuk.

Janis: I’m not a fan of combining websites for two different audiences. It leads to confusion.

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By: Janis N. Senungetuk

Mon, 30 Dec 2013 06:31:36 +0000

My name is very long, so it doesn’t work as a domain name. On one website I’m combining two businesses. One is fine art photography and the other is as a social media consultant for artists and creative business. I’m transitioning into the consultant position after 30+ years as a working artist. I want the domain name to work for both. Since I’m not using my name, how important is it for the domain name to specifically connect to both related businesses?

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By: Multiple Websites for Multiple Businesses « Art Biz Blog

Mon, 11 Nov 2013 11:45:21 +0000

[…] like to see you at least have separate URLs for those other art forms, which you can use to promote to the specific […]

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By: Rob Coomer

Wed, 16 Oct 2013 16:30:30 +0000

We’re selling art, not widgets competing on a global basis. Most of our sales, at my level anyway, don’t come from the web. They come from direct personal contact, even though that may result in a web sale. The point of multiple domains, even if they point to a page within your current site, is to get eyes on the right page from someone you meet. Do you tell them go to johndoesphotos.com/pictures/030913/crazycats02.html or crazycats.com? Which one would your customer be likely to remember and actually visit? Forget SEO in that instance, it’s all about your customers and their emotional connection and can they find the pieces when they decide to buy.
Yes, there should also be other lead ins from the home page, but again, it’s about marketing that product face to face and not letting them get lost along the way if you can’t accomplish that sale right then. you want a memorable connection.
SEO for our market is mostly buzz words and voodoo offers from unqualified startup web programmers. Working in the design world, I see too many companies led astray from actual marketing by unrealistic pie in the sky promises from lousy designers with money back traffic promises that actually don’t increase sales because they didn’t effectively market the product or attract the right customer. It has to all be done together.
Domain names aren’t expensive, I probably have 20+, most just parked for future use, but I have them if I need them as a marketing tool.

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 22:04:09 +0000

In reply to Jeanette Minnich.

Jeanette: There are a lot. I just buy mine through GoDaddy.com

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 22:03:18 +0000

In reply to Frances Clements Fawcett.

Sorry I forgot to respond to this FCF. The reason I like mine separate is that when it comes time to change hosting (and there will be a time), it’s easier to change when they’re separate. You have to ask a host to “release” your URL if you move and they know something is up and it just becomes an awkward mess. Happened to me years ago and I’ve never made the same mistake.

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By: Jeanette Minnich

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 14:09:52 +0000

I was reading the whole thread, but couldn’t find the answer to my question, which is “where do you go to buy a domain if you aren’t planning to set up a website right away?” Are there some specific clearing houses for domain names, or some that you recommend?

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 18:51:42 +0000

In reply to Matt Mikulla.

Fantastic. Thanks, Matt! I think you need to write a guest post for me. 🙂

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By: Matt Mikulla

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 13:29:02 +0000

Hey Alyson,
Pointing artbizmakeover.com to artbizcoach.com/… is acceptable.
I was illustrating the strategy of purchasing numerous domains especially if they have a large number of links to them and redirecting them to your main domain.
Additionally using keywords in your main domain like abstractpainter.com or abstractpaintingsforsale.com used to be very effective at ranking high for search terms like “abstract painter” just by having those words in your domain.
Google has dampened the positive ranking affect of these domains. It still can work but not so reliably and shouldn’t be counted on for search engine ranking and traffic.
If you want to use the domain name abstractpainter.com go ahead but with the plan to build a brand around that domain.
These are very technical issues and most likely not a concern for most of your commenters.
You just need to be careful sometimes about pointing additional domains to a primary domain using permanent redirect.

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