Quick question on website URLs.

First, www.(my full name).com is for sale for $1,400!!!..No thanks. So what to do now?

Would it be better to use a URL like either of these...

www.officialfirstnamelastname.com
Example: www.officialJohnDoe.com

or
www.firstname-lastname.com
Example: www.John-Doe.com

So, use the word official or a hyphen?
Any other suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

The fact that many domains are not being in use, but on sale, is what makes many people angry. It is called cybersquatting, and only big companies, who have copyrighted the .com name can get it.

For you, you need to get creative, and many people who are just now putting up their first website, are facing the same problem.

What you can do.

THE HYPHEN SOLUTION: The problem with doing the hyphen is, that people tend to forget them, and then they land on someone else's page.

I also would not use those suggestions (probably from GoDaddy?), as they all sound weird.

So what can you do?

1. You can choose a different domain.

As for a personal webpage of an actor/actress it doesn't necessarily have to be a .com

There are still .net .org .name

2. You can add a word behind your name

like HeatherGrahamacting.com

HeatherGrahamactress.com

3.

Adding a number, like JohnGielgud3.com

Numbers are used (even though in the Roman system) on imdb, and easier to remember than a "soundless" hyphen.

Robert Wilde Photography gave some very good ideas, and made some good points.

I'm just very glad that I got mine before anyone else did! Someone actually contacted me about a year after I got it and wanted it... I said no. And I am not a "squatter", I actually have a website.

Hi, Iceman.

Glad you got your own name .com for your website.

Mine was actually already taken.


PS: Does your screen name point at one of your favorite roles/plays?

Whatever you do, keep it simple. I like the hypen between your first and last name. A lot of people also use a dot between their names.