How many domains do you have/use?

[MPG Photography]

I've recently gone on a domain purchasing spree and have them either all pointing to my website or I plan on making micro-sites for each different domain in the future. My thought process is that I'm going to market my business in several different categories so if I decide to use a different domain for each campaign I have them ready to go. Does anyone else do this or am I just crazy?

For example:

www.yournamephotography.com <----main website
www.catchyname.com <----blogsite
www.localareaphotobooth.com <----domain for photobooth services
www.localareacommercial.com <----domain for commercial services

My concern of course is name branding, I'm wondering if I'm shooting myself in the foot.

PS: Right now I just have a blogsite but I'm working on my portfolio site as we speak...these domains would more than likely point to different sections of my website.

[tracknut]

The only reasons I can think of to have multiple domains are 1) if they are unique businesses that you specifically don't want to overlap, or 2) if you have different enough content on them that you expect a search engine to find that site via search keywords more than your primary site.

Perhaps you shoot HS Seniors, as well as glamor/nude. Those might not be two things to put on the same web site! Or say you are a photographer of animals in Africa, and manage to get the domain "animalphotographer.com", then absolutely I'd do it, even though you already have "yournamephotography.com". Many people will search for "animal photographer" in Google, and most don't know your name.

But for me, the case doesn't extend to picking up a bunch of domains for your commercial photography, wedding photography, blog, photobooth (not sure what that is) etc, etc, etc unless you really plan on a real/full web site for each of those services. Why would you want to drive your blog readers away from your photo site? I don't know what photobooth is, but that sounds like part of a photography business too. But sure, if/when you decide commercial photography is a unique business for you, that requires its own marketing not mixed in with maternity pics, then absolutely that's time to set it up as a separate domain.

Dave, just north of you in Folsom

[MPG Photography]

Hello fellow Northern Californian....yeah I agree with what you are saying when it comes to keeping things separate if they are vastly different (commercial/maternity example). I don't really have a problem though with having any of my content on the same page, but in/under different categories or galleries. I do plan on putting a link to my blog on my website and of course a link to my website on my blog. What I was more talking about is forwarding domains.

To be a little more specific...let's say I was working on a marketing campaign in a local newspaper and I had the opportunity to do three ads for one price. Do you think it would be more beneficial to run all three ads the same with all my products/services listed in the ad with "www.mpgphoto.com" or do you think it would be a better idea to run three different ads that are more specific with really good domain names like "www.photobooth.com", "www.photoparty.com"? When someone types in one of those domain names they would still go to my main website but maybe a landing page for that specific product (so they would still have the ability to browse the other services I offer).

So the cliff-note version of my question is: Do you think people are more likely to go check out a website domain www.mpgphoto.com or www.eventphoto.com (or the like)?

[harroz]

I have 3 different domains, with three different websites. One aimed at commercial, one aimed at weddings, and 1 is a blog, the other 2 are linked from the blog and the blog is linked from them. I like it like this as my name comes up more than once in a local search, my commercial clients can see only commercial images and same for weddings. They're all easy to use so I once set up I don't have to spend any time on them accept on the blog.

The reason this came about is I am a commercial phoTOGRAPHER, BUT GOT Asked to shoot some weddings, this grew, and I have no problem with shooting them, but I didn't want it to effect my commercial business.

Not for everyone but it works for me.

[tracknut]

To be a little more specific...let's say I was working on a marketing campaign in a local newspaper and I had the opportunity to do three ads for one price. Do you think it would be more beneficial to run all three ads the same with all my products/services listed in the ad with "www.mpgphoto.com" or do you think it would be a better idea to run three different ads that are more specific with really good domain names like "www.photobooth.com", "www.photoparty.com"? When someone types in one of those domain names they would still go to my main website but maybe a landing page for that specific product (so they would still have the ability to browse the other services I offer).
In my mind, no, it would be better to have all three ads point to the same domain, in a sense reinforcing the message (like mentioning a 1-800 number three times in an ad).

So the cliff-note version of my question is: Do you think people are more likely to go check out a website domain www.mpgphoto.com (http://www.mpgphoto.com) or www.eventphoto.com (http://www.eventphoto.com) (or the like)?
That's a slightly different question, I think? Given my stand above, I would vote for whichever one you expect to more often appear in searches. In this case specifically, I would guess nobody knows your initials, whereas "event photos" is a more likely search (or something they might remember). Obviously regardless of the domain name, you'll be keywording your site with everything relevant, so it's not like they won't find you by typing in your name or some other appropriate search.

Dave

[sfaust]

Two domains. One for the commercial photography services, and one for video production services. I am in the process of merging them together under one umbrella with landing pages for each side of the business, but cross flow between them.

[JoeyBowman]

I have two domains but each is for a different business.

One of my businesses, www.cherishthemomentphotography.net we have found that the URL is WAY TOO LONG and plan to purchase something shorter in the future though the URL we really want was like $700 the last time I checked.

[Hikin Mike]

I have two domains, my backpacking/hiking website that features my trip journals and photos, The Backcountry (http://www.thebackcountry.org) and my nature photography website, Images in the Backcountry (http://www.imagesinthebackcountry.com).

[mikekelley]

Two. One for my personal stuff and one for my commercial shooting.

[Karl Johnston]

The reason this came about is I am a commercial phoTOGRAPHER, BUT GOT Asked to shoot some weddings, this grew, and I have no problem with shooting them, but I didn't want it to effect my commercial business.

Not for everyone but it works for me.

I thought about doing this too and bunching it all on one site just doesnt make any sense.
One for retail currently.

In the future id like one aimed at wedding, engagement, portrait, boudoir..working with people -kind of business.

Another one for commercial, stock and editorial, maybe model if its relevant.

[RDKirk]

Generally speaking, being a generalist does not sell. People want specialists--a bride is looking for a wedding photographer, not a sports photographer who does weddings. That's one of the big reasons for separate sites.

You would also look at which venues work better for which markets. Family portraits, commercial work--I think conventional websites work better for those. But for seniors you definitely want Facebook and for wedding work blogs seem to be hot.

[Playonpics.com]

I have 2, but then again, their redundant...
www.playonpics.net (server/host account)
www.playonpics.com (redirect, had a past host account on this but issues happened)

[Todd Lambert]

At current count, I have 63 domains. I've got ones for just about everything I could think of, not all photo related of course.

I've actually sold 3 domains now and have made quite a bit of money at that side of it too.

[RDKirk]

I have just one business and one business website, but with six domains pointing to it. Those are common misspellings and common "guesses" of people searching for my site just from my name or the studio name.

One of the common misspellings used to point to a French transsexual support forum. I found out about it when a couple of clients tried to get to my site and ended up there. When that domain name became available, naturally I bought it and pointed it to my main site.

I've got .net and .com...I don't worry about the other extensions because most people aren't going to try them to reach me.

[nonameowns]

i owned .com, .net, .us, .mobi, .biz, .me, .co, .info, .org. all redirect to .me. It's for self identity reasons. Although it is not set for business or anything but who knows.

[bdp23]

Look into Drupal and 'database views' in general. (sure, other cmses do it, but I have experience doing it with drupal)
You can build one website that looks like a number of microsites depending on which domain the traffic comes from.

downside? none really. you can partition it all off very rigidly, or allow for links to "other services by xyz photography group". slightly more complexity, but it's really not as genius-level as it might sound

upside? many.

ease of use and maintenance -- truly, only one set of passwords, upload locations, database management, software updates, etc.
central traffic monitoring
flexibility in redirecting visitors later, no need to merge user databases and newsletters (if you have those features)
use the same image on multiple microsites
add more domains at a whim, just add the domain name, choose a theme and select what content to show there
cross sell with a single backend, site wide or microsite only coupon codes
simple backups: one database, one codebase, etc


im sure there are more

[memoriesoftomorrow]

Let me see...

My main site is memoriesoftomorrow.net but I also own .com, .com.au, .co.uk and .it variations. The .co.uk, .com.au and .it are going to be country specific sites in the future.

I also registered perthweddingphotography.net, perthweddingphotographer.net and internationalweddingphotographer.net which I have plans for being a micro sites/pages for SEO purposes.

I have sincera.com.au which is going to be for my landscape work down the track.

Finally I have peteradams.me which I intend to make into an online business card, bio site.

[Gaarryy]

I've also done what you are thinking of, as well as what a few others have pointed out. Different Business than photography. I for what I was doing I had a very "G" rated site and specific advertising for one domain, while having the "R" rated adult themed totally separate. I did have all emails from both going to one account though.
But it was advantageous to have one site for Corporate and High School type work, and my other nightclub type site.

Totally agree with the person that has the common misspellings also pointing to his site.

eta. I my mind it's better to be a specialist for marketing.. Once you have the client, get rapport going, then you can mention that you also do XYZ.

I should have pointed out that my stuff was more entertainment driven than photography. I got more corporate and HS work just because I advertised as a safe & "G" rated. Many corporate people were nervous spending money and being worried that someone was go to come in not mesh well. My site played that up. But I also did a number of night clubs were it was a more adult themed show, which was also marketed just as that

[momoe]

I have 1 right now, but I think I may buy 2 more. I use wordpress as my website platform and am thinking of having a site for just senior work and 1 for babies and children. My main site will link to them but it will also host all of my concert photos and such. I figure if a mom is looking to hire a photographer for a newborn shoot, she won't care if I do senior work and may be turned off by seeing Rob Zombie and the likes if they surf through my concert portfolio. I just need to figure out a smooth flow between the 3 and how to keep them working together and not have 3 separate log in's