Domain name - Real Name vs Alias | Warrior Forum - The #1 Digital Marketing Forum & Marketplace

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Newbie123

Hi, I've been wanting to start a blog but something is holding me back on having my real identity out on the internet.

I was just wondering what are the pros and cons of using your real name as opposed to using an alias for internet marketing purposes for a domain name, such as Realname.com to something like www.joedoe.com...

Thank you guys!

Newbie123

There are definitely pros and cons to both. If you use your real name, there is much more trust and credibility. It depends on whether you want to retain your privacy.

One other factor is that using a brand name or alias gives you more of an opportunity to sell the site in the future. Whereas a site with your real name is much harder to sell.

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101AnonymousGuy101

11 years ago

I prefer to use an alias, but some people may prefer to use their real names.

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koreancowboy

11 years ago

I would go ahead and grab your real name as a domain, just in case.

Better you get it than someone that hates you...LOL

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Japles 11 years ago

Originally Posted by koreancowboy

I would go ahead and grab your real name as a domain, just in case.

Better you get it than someone that hates you...LOL

Just watched a video on how Kevin Rose announced his proposal to his wife to his followers.

When he went to buy her a domain name with her new last name, it was taken.

He contacted the owner and they wanted to charge him $5,000 for the name.

My suggestion:

Buy the domain with "your real name" just to ensure that YOU are the owner.

I'd rather pay $12 now then $5,000 in the future.

Really, it all comes down to whether or not you want your name tied down to the product you are promoting.

If it's just an affiliate product, I believe I would use an alias.

However, if you are starting your OWN business and want to build a subscriber list and trust, go with your own name.

Just my thoughts.

All the best,

Josh
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Lokahi

11 years ago

Originally Posted by koreancowboy

I would go ahead and grab your real name as a domain, just in case.

Better you get it than someone that hates you...LOL

But, what if someone else already has secured your name for a domain name? Many names like Mark Smith are very common. Is there an easy work around for that which lets you use your real first/last name combination but maybe add a word on the end?

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Newbie123

11 years ago

Thanks for all the input guys!

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Julius Minor

11 years ago

Use "both".... You can use the brand/alias domain for products and when your ready to "brand" your name you will have it already. And if you google "godaddy promo codes" you can get .com's really cheap.

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Newbie123

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Julius Minor

Use "both".... You can use the brand/alias domain for products and when your ready to "brand" your name you will have it already. And if you google "godaddy promo codes" you can get .com's really cheap.

Thank you

, huge help

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Julius Minor

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Lokahi

But, what if someone else already has secured your name for a domain name? Many names like Mark Smith are very common. Is there an easy work around for that which lets you use your real first/last name combination but maybe add a word on the end?

mark-smith.com
marksmith.org
marksmith.net
marksmithonline.com
marketingwithmark.com...lol

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curationsoft

11 years ago

I suggest that you use your real name to build trust with your customers or visitors on your website

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johnapuna

11 years ago

if you're blogging about personal experiences/techniques, I would say go with your real name. I just went through this decision process. I recently created my personal blog and I decided to use my real name. People tend to connect with you more if you are a real person to them

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mikelmraz

11 years ago

Originally Posted by johnapuna

if you're blogging about personal experiences/techniques, I would say go with your real name. I just went through this decision process. I recently created my personal blog and I decided to use my real name. People tend to connect with you more if you are a real person to them

There are creative ways to get around this.

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sscot

11 years ago

Using real names will be useful to build an initial trust. But, that also will be useless if you don't prove it as "he's really I'm" because anybody can buy a domain for a human name as he wish if the name is available. Under this scenario, you'll need to take advantages with social network profiles.

Thus, with social network profiles, it's possible to build the same trust for an alias name too. So, in present Internet era, I don't see big difference between real and alias names when it consider along conversions.

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hsbinmarket 11 years ago

Real is real !
Everyone loves real, trusts real and feels better to keep with real.
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- Richard Van 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by hsbinmarket
  
  Real is real !
  Everyone loves real, trusts real and feels better to keep with real.
  
  And your name is hsbinmarket? :rolleyes:
  
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  Wibble, bark, my old man's a mushroom etc...
  
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  wtatlas 11 years ago
  
  Does it matter? How would anyone know, aside from your family and friends, whether you are using your own name or not?
  
  Personally I think that the question of trust has nothing to do with it otherwise you would never buy from someone who is not established or hasn't got a large circle of "trusted" people backing him/her up.
  
  Trust comes from the way that you handle a customer's questions, problems, complaints, etc. They don't care whether you're using your real name or not, I doubt if many of them would even bother to find out. They're only interested in what you can do for them and how you go about doing it.
  
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MouseandMice

11 years ago

If you plan on selling the site, Alias.
If you are doing something where you want to build your OWN brand (aka your name), then use your own name.

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moviefigures

11 years ago

There are pros and cons of both. Depends what you're trying to build with it. Do you ever envisage that you may be face-to-
face with people or doing talks? If so, go with your real name.

In my humble opinion there is no problem putting who you are on the Internet. If you use the likes of LinkedIn or Facebook your details are already out there.

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inherenthippo

9 years ago

Honestly, to me, I purchased an alias and a unique one, because I don't want my true identity out on the web. Its my personal preference. My website is www.inherenthippo.com. I use to own my FirstLast.com , but my last name is hard to spell. I see other posts here that worry about other people buying your name. Honestly, I say "who cares." What matters is how you want to brand yourself or your website, and if you want your true identity protected or not. IMO.

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obaynes

9 years ago

I love aliases. The "brand" of your real name is a very fragile thing, and given the relative permanence of the Internet, if you even inadvertently attach it to the wrong thing your credibility could be shot forever.

I may just have a fetish for pen names because I'm a huge fan of B. Traven, though. Guy wrote under multiple pen names and to this day no one is entirely sure who he was.

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mark toughill

9 years ago

I would most definitely go for the real name. You want to be seen as the expert in your niche, so no point in hiding behind an Alias name. This way you build up your credibility and people will trust you and respond to your emails etc.

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JohnMcCabe 9 years ago

If you are looking to build something around your personal experience, I would recommend using a real name. It just doesn't have to be the one on your birth certificate or driver's license. Create your avatar and be consistent with it.

Over the years, I've used several pen names. I stayed consistent by picking the traits in my own personality I wanted the avatar to have, and using those traits. What people got was me, minus the information I didn't want to put "out there."

Not too long ago, I read a story about a blogger who proudly announced on his blog that he was combining a trip to a live event with a family vacation. When he got back, his front door was open and his house was stripped of anything valuable, including the copper pipes and wiring. I don't know if the story was true or not, but it doesn't matter. It's very plausible.

Here's another story for you...

Last night, my wife and I were watching an episode of Forensic Files. This one revolved around a serial killer who had been evading detection until he got stupid. He wrote a note to a reporter with a map to one of his victims to prove he was who he said he was. Investigators tracked the map back to an online service, Expedia. Expedia identified on person accessing the map in the timeframe involved. It was an MSN account, and the killer used his real name as a user name. Combined with the IP, police were able to knock on his door and arrest him. Without the identifying info, police said they might never have caught him.

This was in the late 1990s. Nowadays, there are a lot more resources that even the common person, not a LEO, can track identities. And, based on the news, a lot more nut jobs out there roaming free.
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oskaroskar

9 years ago

It doesn’t matter. Pick any name and it will become your name – for real. It's not a big deal.

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essmeier

9 years ago

This one's easy - is it a site you would show to your mother?

If yes, use your real name.

Charlie

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discrat 9 years ago

Big Frank, cleanup on aisle 5 LOL

Seriously, I have always thought what John says has validity to it.
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- Carsten Tiensuu 9 years ago
  
  Real name for your blog and another domain for your services. Something that brands
  
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