Are you missing out on this Traffic? I was…
Written by Rosalind Gardner on April 2, 2007 · Comments (14)
Filed Under Search Engine Marketing ·
You could be missing out on the easiest, inexpensive and the most obvious way to get traffic to your site.
I was… and I should have known better, as one of the biggest secrets to my success, is no real ’secret’ at at all. It lies in the fact that my name, Rosalind Gardner, has become quite popular in the affiliate marketing industry.
Although your name may not yet be that popular, it’s still very important to do what you can NOW to promote your own name and use it to drive traffic to your existing site(s).
And the most obvious, easiest and cheapest way for you to do that is to register a domain name in your own name and then Work It!
Here’s an example of what happens when you don’t take advantage of having a domain name in your own name. I registered RosalindGardner.com back in June of 2002 (BEFORE I wrote my book and before my name was popular) and did nothing with it except …later set up a redirect to NetProfitsToday.com. By result, RosalindGardner.com failed to register on the search engine’s radar.
So, although a search for ‘Rosalind Gardner’ garners NetProfitsToday.com a first place listing, all but one (SuperAffiliateHandbook.com) of the search results on the first page belong to other webmasters.
How incredibly stupid! I should have worked to OWN the majority of listings on the first page of results for my own name.
Better late than never, so, this weekend I started blogging at RosalindGardner.com, so we’ll see how long it takes for it to get the #1 position.
Please don’t make the same mistake I made — regardless of your name’s current popularity.
Register your name’s domain TODAY and use that domain as a business card site that points to your other sites or even as a personal blog monetized with Google Adsense, Kontera, Chitika or other contextual advertising network.
BTW, if your name is taken, use your middle initial or middle name in the domain name and then be sure to use that full name on your site. For example, suppose your name is Richard C. Green. RichardGreen.com is already taken, so register RichardCGreen.com and be sure to use your middle initial in all communications so people think of the ‘C’ when searching for you or your site.
Once your site is in place - and it won’t take long to set up a blog with an About or Product page - when people ask you what you do, just send them to My(Your)Name.com.
Driving traffic doesn’t get any simpler than that.
Popularity: 14% [?]
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or the No-Hype, No-BS, No Spam NPT newsletter. Thanks for visiting!
Comments
14 Responses to “Are you missing out on this Traffic? I was…”
Michael on April 3rd, 2007 9:58 am
Of the top 100 results for my name I own most of the result sites. I think it helps to use your real name, instead of using multiple fake names. nice post. Michael Heindel
[Reply]
Nell Taliercio on April 3rd, 2007 16:47 pm
Good advice. I’ve had my name for awhile now although I have to say most people don’t know how to spell or say my last name. These are the situations where I wish I had jones or smith for a last name lol
[Reply]
Kirk Galbraith on April 3rd, 2007 23:37 pm
Hey Rosalind Yes, life in the Okanagan is little like paradise and it’s nice to be golfing already. Do you have a coupon # for the Globat.com. It wouldn’t accept your name for referral. Thanks.
[Reply]
Nick Diorio on April 5th, 2007 12:15 pm
Hello Rosalind. As stated in comment 2, if our name is a bit hard to spell or pronounce, does name recognition work as well? Also, are you endorsing Globat.com as a hosting service? I also had the same problem about using your name, RosalindGardner.com or NetProfitsToday.com as a referral on using Globat. Thank You
[Reply]
Rosalind Gardner on April 6th, 2007 7:04 am
Hi Kirk and Nick,
The coupon code should be automotically generated by the system. Don’t worry about the referal code.
Cheers,
Ros
[Reply]
Debra - THAT Painter Lady on April 6th, 2007 12:45 pm
WOW… I got some hosting over at GloBat (Thanks for the free year) and installed my latest WordPress Blog almost instantly!
I have had my full name - domain name for several years and let it sit. But now that we are all into Branding… I am going to start blogging and get all 10 spots on google search. I am on spot 7 thru 10, but that just isn’t good enough.
Good luck to us all!
[Reply]
Debra - THAT Painter Lady on April 9th, 2007 18:53 pm
Update - Globat installed an older version of Wordpress. So I tried to contact them about upgrading to a new version… so I could just reinstall through a one click system. Didn’t get a response.
They don’t really have a c-panel like the majority of hosting companies and they don’t let you have access to a lot of things you would normally find in a c-panel.
I questioned them on this as well… still waiting for a response.
I tried 5 different themes and I could never get any of them to use widgets correctly. These are all widget ready themes and I have several other blogs already… so I do know how to install etc.
I did cancel my account with them and I am now in the middle of the tedious process of domain name pointing.
I think they probably have a good product, it is just different in so many ways from other hosting I have used. I think the resistance to change issue might have gotten in the way a tiny bit as well.
So… it was a learning experience but I Globat would not be on my top 10 list of recommended hosting. Free year or not.
Not toooo harsh I hope.
Debra
[Reply]
Rosalind Gardner on April 10th, 2007 7:11 am
Hi Debra,
Thanks for letting me know. Installing the latest version of Wordpress is easily done — I’ll do my best to get in touch with the ‘powers that be’, let them know what you had to say and see what can be done to improve their service.
Cheers,
Ros
[Reply]
Michael J F on April 11th, 2007 22:56 pm
All the variations of my name that you suggested are taken already! =(
Should I start going by a pseudonym?
[Reply]
Rosalind Gardner on April 15th, 2007 8:55 am
Hi Michael,
You could use a pseudonym, or just give yourself a nickname. For example, if your niche was motorcycles… call yourself, Mike the Biker. OK, lame, I know.. but it’s early.
Cheers,
Ros
[Reply]
Debra - THAT Painter Lady on May 11th, 2007 14:56 pm
Another Update - Here is the latest email response from Globat…
hank you for contacting Globat.com.
Please be advised that your refund is already scheduled on 07/30/07
Okay… so they now get to keep my hard earned dollars for nearly 4 months. Globat has got a thing or three to learn about customer service.
Plus… they do have a guarantee! - 1-Year Money-Back Guarantee ensures that you’ll be fully satisfied.-
Hmmm… I wonder if that 1 year guarantee means you must wait a year for the refund???
Good Luck Everyone!
Debra
[Reply]
Richard on August 20th, 2007 8:45 am
Thanks Rosalind, what a GREAT IDEA!!
In response to Michael (comment #10), for the purpose of marketing why not change your middle initial? I’m sure that all variations can’t be taken (especially letters like “Q” and “U”. If you’re willing to use a pseudonym, you’re at least much closer with “MichaelQ(Yourlast name). The odd middle initial might even make prospective clickers more inquisitive.
[Reply]
Jerry Wipf on January 30th, 2008 10:54 am
Hello Ros..
Just wanted to let you know that the link “Free WEB Hosting For One Year” in the blog post above has expired…
Cheers
ME
[Reply]
Rosalind Gardner on January 30th, 2008 17:25 pm
Hey Jerry,
Thanks much for letting me know. I replaced those links with my standard BlueHost favorites.
Cheers,
Ros
P.S. Are ya still singing?
[Reply]
Got something to say?