LinkedIn Answers: BizNewsJournal.com vs. LocalMerchantNews.com

One of the benefits of LinkedIn is the opportunity to ask and answer questions related to specific subjects of common interest to fellow members. In case you are one of the uninitiated, "LinkedIn is an online network of more than 20 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries." Today I responded to a question regarding Internet Marketing, specifically which domain name would fellow LinkedIn members choose, BizNewsJournal.com vs. LocalMerchantNews.com. Here's my reply: "I believe the best course of action is to take a step back and consider what is unique and compelling about your site before selecting a name. The (domain) name is the most visible expression of the brand. The present options are simply generic terms that have been combined in an attempt to describe your offering, which is not very compelling absent additional context. Beyond offering "...news about services and products for local merchants/local business," is there a unique or compelling reason to visit? Google is compelling because of the ubiquitous nature of their brand, built on the simplicity of their interface, the comprehensiveness of their search algorithms and the perception that the information as ranked provides directional insight of its importance to others. This is the power of their proposition, which is far greater than the function of searching information. Hence, we have Google as a unique, registerable and protectable trademark to represent a new and disruptive way to identify what is important or of value, as opposed to GlobalOnlineSearch, which possesses none of these qualities. Answer the above question and perhaps you will find the path to the right name." If you would like to find more of my LinkedIn answers, take a peek at my profile and sign up!