Sometimes the original domain name of your campaign turns out to be the wrong choice. Though you had thoughtfully considered your original domain name, as the campaign moves ahead, you find that it just isn’t working out.
It might be because the name is too long or the candidate’s name is too hard to spell. A name that seemed good in the beginning is now causing complaints from supporters and potential voters who are having a tough time getting to the site.
For example, the political campaign website address of georgejonesfortinytowncouncil.com is, technically, a decent name. It incorporates the candidate name and the position sought. The problem is that the longer the domain name, the harder it is for someone to remember or accurately type into a web browser.
One way to solve the problem of having too complicated a political domain name is to simply get another domain name and redirect (or ‘park’) it to the original. For example, ‘votejones.com‘ could be pointed to the original ‘georgejonesfortinytowncouncil.com‘ site. The shorter name is a lot easier to incorporate into brochures and other print materials. By using a name redirect, you don’t actually need to set up a new website.
You may also want acquire and point a second domain name if the original is easily misspelled. Another instance may be where a campaign is not using another website or microsite anymore yet wants to redirect any residual traffic to their primary site.
On a technical note, this is called a 301 redirect, with ”301″ interpreted by search engines as “moved permanently”. It is not very hard to implement and it should preserve any existing search engine rankings.
We had this issue come up recently for one of our candidates. They thought they needed another website to go with the new name. We were able to get them set up with a second domain name pointing to the original site without a problem.
When to consider registering an alternate domain name:
When the candidate’s name has a common misspelling. If your name or organization is commonly misspelled, it’s a good idea to register that domain name and redirect it to your site. This makes things easier for users who may give up if they don’t reach your site on the first try. It also keeps competitors from snatching the name up and using it for other purposes.
For single and plural variants. If your domain name consists of a noun that has plural and singular forms, you may want to consider getting both names.
In the case of a nickname. If you have a nickname or if an opposing candidate nicknames you, consider purchasing that name defensively. It’s too easy for an opponent to create a website based on your nickname or point the domain to another location that you would not approve of.
For campaign print materials. If you happen to have a very long or difficult domain name, having a secondary name can help. A shorter name can also fit better on brochures, door hangers or campaign signs. Long names are fine when they are web links, but ‘smith4mayor.com’ is a lot easier to type into a web browser than ‘electsmithfortinytownmayor.com’.
When you are planning to use a .org or .net domain. These extensions are fine for organizations and are intended for that use. Even today, however, most people type in .com to the end of a domain they type. Because of that, it’s a good idea to also secure the .com domain in addition to the .org or .net domain name. When someone types in the .com version that you do not own, they will end up in an entirely different website! If you cannot secure the .com version of your name, you may want to try a different name altogether.
When your first choice doesn’t work out. Sometimes your first choice just doesn’t work out. Looking back, the name might have been too long or it no longer matches the position you are currently running for. If this happens, it’s not the end of the world. You can always switch your site to the new domain name, and use your old domain as your secondary domain. Done properly, ‘smith2020.com’ becomes ‘smith2024.com’ without skipping a beat!
With the arrival of new political TLDs like .REPUBLICAN and .DEMOCRAT, some candidates and organizations are using these vanity domains for their branding.
On a technical note, pointing multiple domain names to a single website needs to be done by whoever controls your web hosting. Parking domains or even converting domains from one name to another is not difficult, but if it is not done properly, it can affect your SEO and search engine rankings.
We provide free domain redirects for clients that use multiple domain names. If you want to see if a domain is available and register it for your use, simply go to our client portal. Domains can be registered with or without a campaign hosting package.
- FREE DOWNLOAD: Political Domains and Hosting – What You Need To Know
- Related: 5 Things To Know About Your Campaign’s Domain Name
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