Let me preface this letter by mentioning that I am a horrible writer. Lots of grammar mistakes coming your way…

Time to wake up and stop being lazy…..just sayin. I have posted a few articles regarding professional athletes and  owning your own domain asset but still see a serious bridge that needs to be closed.

Here are a few points of why its time to wake up:

1. Its your name….why should you allow another person to own the name and profit off it? There are a lot of directions that this could lead you, to say the least. From someone with the same name as you to someone cash parking your site and profiting off keywords specific to your sport/brand. Both have different directions on how to approach acquiring but nonetheless it is needed for you to own it based off this point.

2. www.(yourname and/or nickname and/or number).com/net/edu blah blah blah is tired! No one will find you. No one will remember your website. Make it easy for the fan to connect with you. What rolls better, yourname.com or yourname17initialgoeshere.net? Not to mention that Google gives great placement for exact match domains including names. Top 3 of Google or bust. Conversion. Case closed.

3. Monetizing your brand online. Having your definitive domain allows an easier direction for the end user to find your site. “What was Roberto Alomar’s site again? RobbieHOF.com? Shit…I just wont search, I give up. If you are properly monetizing your website, which is the next letter, you can conceivably lose  revenue to your brand or favorite charity you are involved in.

4. CONTROL! “What did ESPN just say about me? Oh, cool. That’s not true at all.” Being able to diffuse potential situations and give your fans access to YOU is something that athletes are lacking online. Being able to have a location to provide this type of control at a moments notice is invaluable to a athletes/celebrities brand.

5. After the Game. What will you do once you retire? Your career ends with multiple injuries or on one freak play? Having a revenue generator for yourself and charities are something that gets overlooked and is not on ANY athletes radar. Definitely wasn’t on mine when I was playing (or should I say on the physical therapy table). Having this asset only ads more opportunity for the future in whatever direction you want to go.

Net Net being able to own your domain is an asset and of tremendous value to YOU! Time to get it in check.

*If you are a parent of an amatuer athlete, this will apply to him/her when they make it. Time to make the 10.00/yr investment to protect their name before someone scoops it up. I can save you a few bucks on your domains through my reseller account here.

Hugs,

CG

P.S. if you have a name like john smith or ryan smith, wear it. The more generic the name, the tougher the odds of acquiring the domain without spending an astronomical amount for the domain.

The link below is the official website of model Kate Upton. Real quick, while this video might border NSFW (no nudity), it directly catches the attention of the visitor directly showcasing her brand and what she is all about. Kudos to MediaTropics.com on the web design, you guys get it.

Dominating brands is what we do and when I see other individuals and brands being developed properly, I’ll give the credit where its due. Oh, and she utilizes her definitive domain name too. As mentioned in my previous articles, 85-90% of profressional athletes don’t own their own domain name.

Enjoy! (Click on picture below)

http://gruler.tv/2010/05/facebook-ads-best-kept-secret/

-CG