It's all in the (domain) name....

[MoJoKe]

So, we have had our band together and relatively busy for over 18 months now, and need to sharpen our marketing and online image, may I ask for your help please? We have agreed the current site is not great and looks dated. I did another version which also doesn't quite hit the mark, so we are about to have another go. However, we have three versions of the domain name.

The band is The 60's Explosion, but we have all the following domain names:-

www.the60sexplosion.co.uk

www.sixtiesexplosion.co.uk

www.60sexplosion.co.uk

Marketing and look is sooo important in this business, and I want to get it right, so [size=4]I would like your opinion which looks better and is more user friendly so I can use the "right" one on which to build the new site. It is somewhat academic, but the first of the three is our old site, the other two point at the one I was developing a while back.[/size]

Please vote even if you don't comment! [size=4]Many thanks in advance!![/size]

Edited August 27, 2014 by MoJoKe

[Thunderbird]

The middle one

[bonzodog]

Middle one. I think thats what most people will type if they google it

[Mornats]

Watch out for misinterpretations of the name - sixtie sex plosion comes to mind. Have you thought about using a hyphen to help break it up? Not only for the "sex plosion" reason but to make it easier to parse in general: sixties-explosion.com.

If it helps my job title is User Experience Designer and I've dealt with this sort of thing for years

Edited August 26, 2014 by Mornats

[Rumple]

They all have the word sex in so I'm guessing they all get a certain amount of misguided traffic

On a serious tip I'd say the middle one out of the 3.

[MoJoKe]

Yup, you've mostly spotted the "sex" challenge, I knew that'd happen fairly quickly!

Mornats, I have never been a big fan of hyphens in domain names, as I always think this tends to require more effort in "getting it right" for someone trying to find a site if not seeing it written somewhere?

All the feedback is most welcome. Is the "the" useful in the first one? It is, afterall, the name of the band? (though it does nothing to hide the sex!)

[size=4]I do have a favourite myself, but not going to reveal my thoughts for a while yet![/size]

[HowieBass]

I prefer the top one www.the60sexplosion.co.uk as it's exactly what the name of your band is. At least you're not called Therapist...

[wateroftyne]

It's a shame 'sex' is in there, but the middle one scans better.

Hyphens are a no-no in domain names these days. They're a bit early 2000's.

[gadgie]

Aye there's 'sex' in it....but really I don't think it's a problem to be honest. Stick with the first one as it is the name after all as it's already been mentioned

[Skol303]

The middle one.

The other two sound like SAGA Holidays' equivalent of Club 18-30.

And no hyphens. They're a no-no in current T'Internet parlance

[Dad3353]

I'd recommend not using (or modifying...) the photo in which the drummer is holding up one finger to the viewer.

No, I know it's a drumstick, but at first glance it could shock some (unless, of course, that's the intention..? [size=4] )[/size]
[size=4]If the 'sex' angle causes problems, a 'dot' separator could be used, perhaps; ie: [/size][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4]www.sixties.explosion.co.uk ..?[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4]Other than that, it's the second version which seems (to me...) to be the most intuitive. You could always change the band name, though..! ('60s Rampage..? '60s Beat..? '60s Golden Era Remembrance Society..?) [/size][/font][/color]

[alyctes]

The middle one.

[the_skezz]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1409081413' post='2536189']
It's a shame 'sex' is in there, but the middle one scans better.

Hyphens are a no-no in domain names these days. They're a bit early 2000's.
[/quote]

Agree with this.

[Mornats]

A way to get around the hyphens is to make a distinction in the type when you write it out. e.g: [color=#ff0000]the[/color]60s[color=#ff0000]explosion[/color].com.

I'd go for the60sexplosion too, as Howie says, it's the name...

Just be glad you're not called Pen Island... hehe.

[r16ktx]

The domain name is irrelevant to people finding your site, but once they do get there it would be better not to have the unfortunate letter combination at all. What about using one of the new TLDs instead? I.e .rocks http://www.name.com/domains/rocks giving you the chance for something like www.sixties.explosion.rocks

Edited August 27, 2014 by r16ktx

[theyellowcar]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1409083130' post='2536221']

[size=4] )[/size]
[size=4]If the 'sex' angle causes problems, a 'dot' separator could be used, perhaps; ie: [/size][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4]www.sixties.explosion.co.uk ..?[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4][/size][/font][/color]
[/quote]

This is exactly what I was thinking. 'Dot' is the new hyphen

[Rumple]

I had no idea hyphens were old fashioned! so dots are considered OK or will they age to? the reason I ask is my business has a hyphen in it's domain name.

[4 Strings]

The real name has an apostrophe. I know it's fashionable and tiresome to rail against these, but if it's your name it should be right.

Does the Explosion belong to the 60s? In which case the ownership involved would require the apostrophe.

Or is it an Explosion of the 60s? In which case the plural would require apostrophe be taken away.

Personally, I wouldn't like 'sex' in the name either, but of the three I'd go for 1, its your name.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1409123780' post='2536429']
I had no idea hyphens were old fashioned! so dots are considered OK or will they age to? the reason I ask is my business has a hyphen in it's domain name.
[/quote]

Probably underscores are the real dated ones, from a time of less flexible naming. If the real name has a hyphen no problem with the domain having one.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1409123960' post='2536430']
The real name has an apostrophe. I know it's fashionable and tiresome to rail against these, but if it's your name it should be right.

Does the Explosion belong to the 60s? In which case the ownership involved would require the apostrophe.

Or is it an Explosion of the 60s? In which case the plural would require apostrophe be taken away.

Personally, I wouldn't like 'sex' in the name either, but of the three I'd go for 1, its your name.
[/quote]

An apostrophe in a domain name?

[Happy Jack]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]www.the60sexapostrophe.co.uk[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color]

[4 Strings]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1409124130' post='2536434']
An apostrophe in a domain name?
[/quote]

No, I was talking about their real name.

[Bolo]

If the sixties had no sex in we would be a dying breed.

Also, use all of the names to point to the same website.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Bolo

[JTUK]

[quote name='bonzodog' timestamp='1409078294' post='2536135']
Middle one. I think thats what most people will type if they google it
[/quote]

Indeed. Most important to use as close to the common search string...
This is the problem, IMO, in using a logo type to identify the band.

I'd use the middle one

[Roland Rock]

I know that you can't put an apostrophe in the domain name, but if you are going to use an apostrophe in the real name, shouldn't it be '60s?

Edited August 27, 2014 by Roland Rock