I've been struggling with this for over a year...

I'm slooooooowly working on creating another website > I don't want to go into details about the site but in a nutshell it's going to be a place where readers and authors can connect to share their literature (books, poems, short stories, the works)

i've got most of it mapped out except for the friggin name. I've gone through what seems like a gazillion possible domain names and can't pick one. However it's getting crunch time and i'm leaning towards:

www.MindMocha.com

While it doesn't have anything to do with coffee, I thought the name brought up warm feelings of intellectual sharing (but perhaps i'm nuts)

Anyways before i settle on that, I wanted to ask my friends if you like it too or have any thoughts on it - so if you do, please share

* Side Note- another name that i am highly considering is www.Foboko.com > it doesn't mean anything but its kinda of catchy, short and can be branded

Well Nic,

How about something that includes your main search term? SE traffic not part of the plan?

Regards,
Laurie.

SE traffic is ALWAYS part of the plan

But in this case i want something appeal to my market and potential visitors as well as be brandable

People first, SE's second

Plus most search terms are to narrow for a project that's broad such as this

so while it could be something like BookClub.com (not that that's available), i don't want to narrow the scope of the site to just "books" as it's for more then that. So while search terms are a bonus, I'm not sure any apply in my case that are broad enough

thanks for the feedback Laurie- you back from the trip? And where are those pics you promised?

After giving this some thought NIc,

From the two above I like MindMocha.com
Rolls off the tongue nicely and IMO fits the site (going with the nutshell description) Feed the mind energy like you feed the body energy. Or similar to an after dinner cup of coffee. Relax the mind after the work day.

Actually I took it more as "stimulating the mind"  which I believe work for the site as explained.

just a sugjestion..  What about   www.mindmochalitrature.com      probably too long ..
Regards Jan.

Hey Nic.

Plus most search terms are to narrow for a project that's broad such as this

Yes, I think this is the case in all but the most narrow of websites.

And then I wonder just how important is the use of the main keyword in the domain name. The importance must diminish with broardening of the subject matter.

And then I wonder just how many good backlinks are needed to overcome this and other SEO shortcomings.


Yes, I'm back to civilisation for a few days. Have put my travel blog up for review at http://forums.site-reference.com/topic/ … ss-travel/ There are a few photos there, along with some stories.

The wind and dust storm drove me back early.

Regards,
Laurie.

Thanks for the feedback so far guys! Appreciate the thoughts Jody and Steven

Jan- yea i think that's getting to long but not a bad idea- thanks as well

Laurie - this is a bit of an older article ranking factors but they do suggest keywords in a domain name helps; to what extent that's true i am not sure

but i think building a solid site people will like is more important

now let's see that blog...

more feedback welcomed

Just one more thought on this one Nic - are you planning on carrying adsense...?

Here's where your domain name does make a difference.

I have a site called goal-exchange. It's about goal achieving etc. The content is high quality and very specific. But inevitably I keep getting the odd advertisement for the stock exchange displayed on the site. Do you want coffee shop adds?

ER

errr, ER I think you will find adsense is more on content than the domain name. Its not hard to force ads through tight content.

Nic, I think you are right about a brandable name and having seo second - there are many icon names out there now that are totally invented - we have a popular hotel booking site here called wotif   - go figure....

So a catchy name, even if it has nothing to do with w the content, as long as there is enough buzz to make it famous!

Like google, Yahoo, Expedia,

Hey ER,

that's a very interesting point....wouldn't even have thought about that!

Adsense..well i probably would use it...at the beginning at least (like using adsense as a placeholder until i can get advertisers directly without giving 50% or more of the $ to Google)

On a side note- have you checked if it's a lot of the same stock exchange ads being displayed? If so you can filter them out



And thanks Matte, so good reinforcement!

Thanks to you both

Nic,
MindMocha would intrigue me enough to really want to check it out, but I don't know how much that has to do with not being a coffee drinker, so I'm not sure what mocha means, but, when I really write and have folks read it, I often suggest they grab a mug, and relax.

Foboko gives me no association -- image wise or word wise -- so I think it would be hard to remember. If you TM or copyright it, you'll need it to be a memorable logo or connect it with a graphic that would forever ingrain the word into the minds of visitors.

Now, gotta give other ideas, simply because I like to do this, and do enjoy writing.

How about something you'd like writers and readers to do on your site -- Brainstorm? I think the dotcom of this isn't taken yet. It gives some idea of the purpose of the site without being typical. Also, already checked it out as a search word, and looks like it could get to the first page easily. Then again, not a likely search for writers or readers.
Writersblock might work, too, although others have taken that one, so might have to futz a little.
Other ideas:
Readerswanted
Writerscritique
ReadaGoodBook
TheNextBestSeller
Writerrrrrrrrs ( the "rrrrr" is a momentary writer's block moment)
SitaSpell
Ingrained
and ...
Wordsmithing, which isn't really a word, but would be easily recognized by writers. Hopefully give a sense of humor, not snootiness.

So, do you like me making your decision more difficult, instead of easier?

I suspect you're really down to your last two choices, so, I'm back to preferring MindMocha, until you can show something that will make Foboko stick in my brain like al denta spaghetti onto a wall!

atwhatcost wrote:

MindMocha would intrigue me enough to really want to check it out, but I don't know how much that has to do with not being a coffee drinker, so I'm not sure what mocha means, but, when I really write and have folks read it, I often suggest they grab a mug, and relax.

hahaha...i've gone through a few cups reading your posts that for sure

Foboko gives me no association -- image wise or word wise -- so I think it would be hard to remember. If you TM or copyright it, you'll need it to be a memorable logo or connect it with a graphic that would forever ingrain the word into the minds of visitors.

very true...how hard to remember?

what about spelling? I don;t like having to spell out domain names for people

Now, gotta give other ideas, simply because I like to do this, and do enjoy writing.

I like the ideas (even though i checked a bunch and they were taken ) > my only issue with most of them is they are too specific > i think the scope of the site is fairly broad and therefore i don't want to use any specific terms that may give people the wrong idea. For example i would not call is  writerscircle.com because that implies its for writers while a good chunk of the site is also for readers. Hope that makes sense

I suspect you're really down to your last two choices, so, I'm back to preferring MindMocha, until you can show something that will make Foboko stick in my brain like al denta spaghetti onto a wall!

hehe thanks so much for your time Lynn...i really appreciate the feedback!

I love MindMocha.  JMO - but what immediately comes to mind is sitting somewhere warm & cozy w/a mug of coffee or hot chocolate - reading a good book. (minus the kids and other noise of the day, lol)
Keep us updated!
BasketLady

Foboko gives me no association -- image wise or word wise -- so I think it would be hard to remember. If you TM or copyright it, you'll need it to be a memorable logo or connect it with a graphic that would forever ingrain the word into the minds of visitors.

very true...how hard to remember?

Had to keep scrolling down to remember it, and the best I could do was come up with "komono" or "Suboki."

what about spelling? I don;t like having to spell out domain names for people.

Unless you make it part of the logo, you'll be spelling it constantly. Then again, not sure there is a name that doesn't have to be spelled out. My screenname (AtWhatCost) really isn't all that hard to understand, but I've never given it to someone, while talking, without ending up spelling it all out, too. (It's my e-mail address under a variety of services, too.) Even if you look up my most obvious KWs, where I'm guaranteed first page, at least, they still need it spelled. Which word is so difficult Teddy, Bear, Journal, or Blog?! I'm surprised you don't have to spell this site's name all the time, and ... a little envious, if you don't, too. LOL

Well I really would not mind what it is called. I use a site called hubpages where people write hubs and post it for others to read and share the income. I enjoy writing there.

My point being, such a site builds up dedicated members who join use and refer others to the site.

MindMocha to me sounds just fine, I believe its the members who will make it popular not the name. I was going to write "Nomenclature" but that would be showing off.

If you are gonna go with mindmocha, it looks like you're gonna have to pay for it.  A quick whois (through Linux, not through one of the registrars' sites) reveals that it's registered to enom with an expiration date of 2 Oct 08, and I doubt they're gonna let it expire without finding a buyer for it.

nah my friend has it....i'm sure a beer or 2 and he'll part with it

Then sounds like the price is right