Claim My Name Offers Vanity URLs Across Multiple Sites
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As proven by last month's Facebook Vanity URL rush, there's value in personal domain names. As an answer to brand protection across multiple networks, DandyID is launching ClaimMyName at around 3pm this afternoon. The site allows users to register their custom URLs across hundreds of social networking and social media sites for a fee. And the service certainly doesn't come cheap to individuals. The 20 domain starter pack costs $80 and the 300 domain pro pack is $699. Then again, when has security ever been sold at cut rate prices? Essentially this is a seemingly easy way for companies and individuals to mitigate risk; however, when there is no verification process to keep out squatters, the system can definitely backfire.
ClaimMyName works under the assumption that only you would be willing to buy your own domain name. While it seems like a high price tag for individuals, $699 is relatively cheap for a major corporation to buy hundreds of domains bearing its own name or competitor's name.
In fact, at a time when world news travels fastest by Twitter, and elections are financed via Facebook, $699 is an absolute drop in the bucket for politicos. Oh you don't think anyone would stoop to squat on the domains of key opposition figures? Look at the facts. The National Arbitration Forum denied former US President Bill Clinton's cybersquatting complaint against Joseph Culligan who has been redirecting williamclinton.com, williamjclinton.com and presidentbillclinton.com to the Republican National Committee's website.
The National Arbitration Forum is one of the ICANN's selected resolutions providers under the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy. This piece of legislation deals directly with international domain names and cyber squatting. And because the group did not see "evidence of bad faith" in Culligan's usage of the domains, Clinton is left in a lurch. While this isn't surprising to see someone lose the battle for a domain, it is surprising to see someone lose the battle for a domain that is being used in such a obviously misleading manner.
While I feel for the former president, campaign strategists and business pundits have been warning us to register our chosen domains for years. Perhaps Clinton should've simply known better. Just look at the strange nomenclature of a ton of Web 2.0 companies. Do you really think Flickr's first domain choice dropped the "e"? Good domains are few and far between.
It appears that with the Facebook Vanity rush, the subsequent creation of the Personal URL Facebook App and now the launch of ClaimMyName, individuals and companies are thinking about their online legacies. While critics in the Open ID camp certainly have their fair share of issues with domain grabs on 3rd party sites, I've got a personal branding reason to avoid mass registering 3rd party domains. If you're just a normal person without any enemies, and you stake a profile without any intent to use it, you're really just a useless parasite in an otherwise vibrant community. When you don't even want to introduce yourself, but you lay claim to your namesake, you're branding yourself as both lazy and paranoid.
That being said, if you've truly got to protect your brand, or you're the type of person that will attempt to produce great content across multiple sites, then by all means pay DandyID the money and put your best face forward.
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I guess I'm missing something...what if primary URLs/handles/etc are already taken for your particular name? Doesn't seem like this is too sophisticated of any offering, but rather one that simplifies the registration landscape.
You're absolutely right Kevin. If your first choice URLs are already taken (like many were with Facebook), you've got to settle on your 2nd or 3rd choice. However, registration across multiple sites plus the added bonus of having one email to confirm all, is a pretty nifty service.
see what happens when you have (or not!!!!) the right name www.Flicker.com
Seems like a cool tool but kind of expensive for personal use IMHO, especially with no guarantee that you'll get the name you want on ALL sites, and anyway what happens if you've already got an account on one site and want to transfer all of your content to your preferred username? Then perhaps I'd pay.
Thoughts? Cheers!
@brianjking on twitter.
This is a great way to rapidly obtain every domain that is related to your brand. This can be great for start up companies looking to expand and protect their new brand.
Thank you for introducing this to me,
Also, one tool that is similar that might be relevant to this topic is http://www.checkyourusername.com
It allows you to see if your name/brand/company username is available or taken on over 200 sites.
Uhhhhhh, great. However, if internet "history" has taught us anything its that a domain name means zero until there is value behind it. If the target market is individuals then it's a complete waste unless you are Scoble, or the next Scoble. When will the average buyer realize a return on this "investment".....probably never.
If this is all Dandy has left in the tank; they are dead!
Dana, great angle on this... I hadn't really thought through to that conclusion in my write-up over on LG's site. I enjoyed the background support you offered as it really seemed to bring light to a system that is very difficult to work within once someone lays stake to your claim.
Warmest Regards,
K
They better grab this chance!
This is a great way to rapidly obtain every domain that is related to your brand. This can be great for start up companies looking to expand and protect their new brand.
What if my first choice url is already taken for some sites and only available for some sites? Does that mean that some sites will have second choice url or do they all have to have the same url?
Pretty great to have the convenience of registering across multiple sites at once.
Ummmm. $64.95 for over 100 sites seems a lot better service. i have used KnowEm.com to register multiple names for clients and there service hands down is the best i have found.
thankyou
http://www.pursaklargencleri.com
DandyID is a dead horse... this is desperate.
if you've already got an account on one site and want to transfer all of your content to your preferred username?
I think that needs to happen on an individual basis with each service. Some accounts like blogger etc. will have export abilities. Others will be tough.
You can use namechk.com to identify what user name you want to appear in multiple social networking sites and their corresponding availabilities.
Yaa me to agree with you guys and companies can boost up their performance with this.Anyways its sounds good.
They probably don't give you backup for your content as this is more just a place where your passwords and profile info live.
waste of money.