My 'umble view is that web-names are all-important.
It is important to align your web-name with your brand name. e.g. if you are
Xtown museums then stick to this - or if you use something more snazzy e.g.
Xmus.com, then make sure you also register the other names that people might
use.
The costs of registering domain names is very small - about 5p per day. So I
would keep all possible aliases (including earlier URLs) and provide
automatic links to the correct URL (giving automatic reminders asking users
to update).
Should you book .com ?
I would say definitely YES - even if it is not your main site.
If you do not, somebody else (one of your competitors?) might use it.
What would you give for M&S.com ? My kids Matthew and Shirley hope to get
there before you! :)
JOHN BIBBY
-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Michael Comiskey
Sent: 27 November 2007 14:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The use of .com domain for UK museums
Hi Mike
I don't have anything to do with this.
I was informed of the decision today by our ICT Manager who presented it
as something he had been told to implement.
I'm not sure it is a good idea myself, but it is out of my hands.
Michael
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of Mike Ellis
> Sent: 27 Novembr 2007 14:25
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: The use of .com domain for UK museums
>
> Hi Michael
>
> I don't think there's any difference at all between .com and
> .org.uk, and certainly not in wider public perception (which
> is the important thing...). You'll probably hear some noise
> around the fact that .com is considered US or commerce based,
> but I think that's legacy noise rather than anything with any
> real bearing to where we are today. The "uk" bit of your
> domain may still be considered important, though, but again
> that's really personal preference rather than anything else.
> As someone who does this stuff all day I do have a tendency
> to look at a domain and say "ooh, a UK based company" but to
> be honest 1) having that domain doesn't mean it's true and 2)
> Most people won't even look at the address bar - they'll just
> go for the first result in Google...
>
> At the end of the day, the SEO and findability of your site
> is way, way more important than the domain name, and that's
> where your question raises some danger flags. Moving a domain
> name is a dangerous business if you've already established a
> good page rank and SEO. At the end of the day if the only
> thing you're changing is the TLD (the .com / .org.uk bit of
> your domain) then the question really is - if it ain't broke,
> why fix it?
>
> If instead the change is universal - as your email suggests -
> and you're actually renaming the whole brand, then my vote is
> that it doesn't make any difference at all - go with
> something short and memorable before the TLD and whichever
> your preference after it. Make sure you have a sensible
> procedure for managing the change, though - redirects,
> communicating the change, only marketing one url, etc etc...
>
> Cheers
>
> Mike
>
> Ps. It'll cost you a little more each year for .com. May or
> may not be a consideration :-)
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> Mike Ellis
> Solutions Architect
>
> Eduserv
> [log in to unmask]
> tel: 01225 474300
> fax: 01225 474301
> www.eduserv.org.uk
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Michael Comiskey
> Sent: 27 November 2007 14:15
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: The use of .com domain for UK museums
>
> Hi all
>
> I have an enquiry about how .com addresses are regarded by museum
> professionals and the general public.
>
> I have heard that my organisation is moving to the use of a
> .com suffix
> (away from org.uk)as part of an overall name change.
>
> Are there any UK museums using .com as part of their main
> organisational
> web address or for email addresses (as opposed to trading companies or
> shops)?
>
> If so, why was a .com chosen?
>
> Michael
>
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************************************************************************
National Museums Northern Ireland comprises the Ulster Museum, Ulster Folk
and Transport Museum, Ulster American Folk Park, Armagh County Museum and
W5.
The Ulster Museum is currently closed for major redevelopment. Details of
the museum's programme of outreach activities during closure can be found at
www.ulstermuseum.org.uk.
All our other sites are open as normal.
Any views expressed by the sender of this message are not necessarily those
of the National Museums Northern Ireland. This email and any files
transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual or
entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error
please notify the sender immediately by using the reply facility in your
email software.
All emails are swept for the presence of viruses.
************************************************************************
**************************************************
For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the list, visit the
website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk
**************************************************
**************************************************
For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the list, visit the website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk
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