Domain name choices

[Kalorlo]

I'm thinking of getting my domain name registered so that it's there when I need it and so that I can slowly start designing a website. Question is, do I go for .com or .co.uk? The first is more universal (and probably the first thing people try if they can't quite remember the URL) and the second makes it obvious I'm UK-based. I don't know which would be better!

(I'm not considering the cost difference - over a year it's negligible anyway).

The other question is whether to go for www.kalorlo.com or something like www.jewellerybykalorlo.com. I think I'll register a variant with just my nickname anyway, but I don't know if I need an obvious jewellery URL for a jewellery site.

Aaaand then there's subdomains. If I just got www.kalorlo.com, I could have the jewellery pages at jewellery.kalorlo.com and not worry about registering a second domain...

Complications!

[amazingbabe]

I like jewellerybykalorlo.com....... I think you are right in saying if people don't remember they just put .com xxx My website is created at mrsite.com and i found it very good and easy to use and it is just the basic one xxx

[Trudy]

I decided to buy both .co.uk and com and then have forwarded people to same place if they type in either...it was only an extra £6 I think

[Di Sandland]

I've got both - it prevents others ripping you off when you become the biggest name in jewellery

From a personal point of view, I tend to look for .co.uk because so many of the dot coms are American.

As for your domain name - its important that it contains the word jewellery because that is the keyword most people will put into the search engine when looking for - well - jewellery!

Many authorities say you should use your own name as your domain name because then you're not limited to what you sell. That's fine if you have a recognisable name. Who on earth would consider looking for Dianne Sandland (mind you I do come up with a couple of pages if you Google me!).

[Atelier Ava]

You should go for both .co.uk and .com if you can and the shorter name is always better its easier for people to remember. One tip though when you go to check if its available buy it straight away I checked a name for .co.uk and .com and it was available when I went to register it a week later the .com was gone and has someone sitting on it, that is its not being used and months late it still is'nt.
If you have jewellery in the name it does help but with thousands of jewellery sites its what you do to your site that raises you up on the search engines.

[Trudy]

I checked a name for .co.uk and .com and it was available when I went to register it a week later the .com was gone and has someone sitting on it, that is its not being used and months late it still is'nt.

This is so annoying! I checked so many names that I wanted but they had the same thing...no one using it but someone sitting on it...very frustrating

[snow_imp]

This is so annoying! I checked so many names that I wanted but they had the same thing...no one using it but someone sitting on it...very frustrating

I know exactly what you mean - I was checking out some ideas last week and I do NOT want to have pay someone to give up something they aren't actually using! I don't think it should be allowed, but that's not easy I guess. Ho hum, back to the drawing board.

[Atelier Ava]

They are just waiting for someone to cough up loads a money

[Kalorlo]

Thanks all - I think I'll go with kalorlo.com and .co.uk, and use jewellery as a subdomain, so it'll be in the URLs for the jewellery section once you go past the front page. Plan is to get them registered once I get back home tonight.

[Di Sandland]

Don't forget that you don't have to call your site what the domain name is. Its titles and headings that get picked up by the robots. My site name is mooncottagejewellery but the title of the site is Jewellery at Moon Cottage. I know there's not much difference there but I'm trying (badly I think) to explain that you're not limited by your domain name and you don't have to have Jewellery by Karlolo as a subdomain.