Creating a Website

[Roberto Hernandez]

I hope my question is not way off-topic. My question is about the process of registering a name for your company. I am a filmmaker in a small town and I wanted to create a website that I could refer people to for information about myself or my films and services.

 

After doing some digging and a little internet surfing I found that the name I would like to use already has a film website located in Australia and New Zealand. What should I do? Do I have to come up with another name? Does this mean that I cannot register this name because it is already taken somewhere else in the world? Can I still register this name in the U.S.? What I mean by registering is probably something like copyrighting this name. As for my website; the ".com" for this name is already taken but the name is still available as a ".net" address. Could I get this ".net" without running into problems with the other company?

 

Thank you, any help would be appreciated.

[Chad Stockfleth]

it would probably save you some guff and your clients some confusion if you were to pick another, unique name. thumb through a dictionary at random and i'm sure you can find something.

 

a student in orlando....full sail or ucf?

 

cp

[David W Scott]

When you form a corporation and file a name, it is up to you to have done the due diligence to ensure that there isn't a similar/identical name to yours. Of most concern is whether the other businesses are operating in your field, and if they are operating in the same jurisdiction as you. Sounds like these guys are in the same field as you. Not good, especially if you hope to do any business outside of your town/state/country. (And with the internet, who doesn't?)

 

Besides, you really want the .com

 

It makes it so much easier to get traffic.

 

I'd pick a new name :(

[Jaan Shenberger]

because everyone uses search engines, there is no reason to get an overly descriptive domain (like "florida-cinematographer.com", etc.), since there is really no such thing anymore as people stumbling into your website via typing in a domain.

 

i would just try to have a domain that is easy to remember, easy to spell (very important), and bears some sort of semantic resemblance to your name/company's name (for when you verbally give your website url to a contact). also, people are quick to forget that your site is .net, rather than .com, so i would highly suggest that you try to have a .com domain. it also works in favor to not use dashes (ie. "alan-smithee.com"), since people forget about those too.

 

then just be sure to include metadata into your site so that whenever someone googles "cinematographer Dp florida", to increase the liklihood that your site will pop up.

 

hope this helps.

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

I hope my question is not way off-topic. My question is about the process of registering a name for your company. I am a filmmaker in a small town and I wanted to create a website that I could refer people to for information about myself or my films and services.

 

After doing some digging and a little internet surfing I found that the name I would like to use already has a film website located in Australia and New Zealand. What should I do? Do I have to come up with another name? Does this mean that I cannot register this name because it is already taken somewhere else in the world? Can I still register this name in the U.S.? What I mean by registering is probably something like copyrighting this name. As for my website; the ".com" for this name is already taken but the name is still available as a ".net" address. Could I get this ".net" without running into problems with the other company?

 

Thank you, any help would be appreciated.

 

No, you won't run into problems for having ther same name but a different extension.

 

A .net is a nice extension. You might want to consider a .US

 

.com is nice but the most popular and hardest to get hold of. And the most expensive.

 

Just keep the URL simple and short.

Edited April 26, 2006 by Daniel J. Ashley-Smith

[Roberto Hernandez]

Thanks for all the advice!! I really appreciate it, I wanted to keep my company name because I've used it since I was a little kid. But it sounds like it would be better to come up with a new name instead of risking the fact that it could cause problems or confusion. Thanks again!!

 

 

 

hahaha, yeah I'm a Full Sail student :D