Register a Domain: Brand Name VS Product Name

[Iresh.Dilan]

Hi All,

Since Google give more priority to brand names and most of the penalized websites by Google's Penguin update are websites which had links with promoted keywords, is it a good idea to register a new domain by the product name (ex: www.leatherbags.com) ?. Or is it good to register the domain by the company or brand name and then build a reputable brand first before targeting product based keywords (ex: leather bags) ?.

[danatanseo]

This is an interesting question because my company just launched a sister-brand a year ago. We had man discussions about whether or not to make the website domain and EMD or a brand name. what came out of those discussions was that we wanted something long-term. We were going to be selling a highly-competitive product. There were already dozens of companies selling the "product." Branding was really about the only thing that was going to set us apart.

I think your question is a great one because it gets to the core of Wil Reynolds' #RCS argument. Real companies have a brand, and that brand means something. It speaks to s specific group of people who, hopefully, are rabidly loyal fans f the brand. These people might be able to get that same product anywhere...but they choose to buy it from you because your brand makes them feel like they want to feel. A product can't do that. A brand can.

I'd go full-tilt towards the brand. Brand everything, top to bottom, sideways and inside out. Live it, speak it, breathe it. Amazon sells products. You can buy diamond earrings on Amazon. But if you want to seriously impress your girlfriend or wife-to-be, nothing will replace walking into Tiffany's and buying a diamond. Maybe it's the same diamond, but in that moment, it's not just about the product. It's about how that brand makes you feel about yourself. That's a way deeper thing.

Dana