New Opportunities with .uk

[philiporchard]

When I bought my domains - take hairdressers-uk for example, I already knew what I was going to do with it. The same with all my city sites.

However, we will all soon find ourselves with twice as many domains without any obvious plans for what we are going to use them for.

Personally, I need to get my thinking cap on and think about how I could best use the domain Hairdressers-uk in a different way to the current site. The beauty is, it can be a stand alone brand new site. I certainly wont be messing with links or transferring the site over. It's fine as it is.

It's never been the best idea to buy a domain and then think about how to develop it, but now this is exactly what we do need to be doing.

So, if anyone has any brainwaves about what I could do with Hairdressers-uk, Nottingham-uk and the other geos, please post your thoughts in the thread. That would be really appreciated. Thanks

 

[DaveP]

Build an extremely modern directory where one can get all hairdressers within their area by entering postcode and use http://www.leafletjs.com/ for plotting the markers, I think an extremely fancy interface will entice hairdressers to pay for advertisement and your visitors will find it appealing and will want to contribute with reviews and such. You can ask the user's browser for their current location to instantly show them results when they hit your site for the first time. Use fallback URL's to still make it SEO friendly and for anyone who likes to open links in new tabs. If you want I can mockup an example of this kind of directory for you just PM me. Much better approach then the traditional boring paginated pages of listings.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[DaveP]

Found something similar to what I described here:

http://live.btoa.com.au/spotfinder/realestate/

 

[philiporchard]

Yes, something like this could be nice for the geos too. Thanks.

 

[invincible]

When I bought my domains - take hairdressers-uk for example, I already knew what I was going to do with it. The same with all my city sites.

I assume you mean hairdressers dot CO dot uk. What was the big plan? Don't tell me... a tailored directory for hairdressers or the location?

However, we will all soon find ourselves with twice as many domains without any obvious plans for what we are going to use them for.

Luckily you've got at least half a decade from next summer to think about it.

Personally, I need to get my thinking cap on and think about how I could best use the domain Hairdressers-uk in a different way to the current site. The beauty is, it can be a stand alone brand new site. I certainly wont be messing with links or transferring the site over. It's fine as it is.

It's never been the best idea to buy a domain and then think about how to develop it, but now this is exactly what we do need to be doing.

So, if anyone has any brainwaves about what I could do with Hairdressers-uk, Nottingham-uk and the other geos, please post your thoughts in the thread. That would be really appreciated. Thanks

I wonder about your use of the "hairdressers" domain name. Most people I know have chosen their hairdresser because (a) someone they know personally recommended it, (b) it's a brand or they use a product that the customer already trusts (e.g. Aveda, Paul Mitchell, Toni & Guy), (c) They walked/drove/rode the bus past it once and liked the frontage so decided to give it a try or (d) it was the first one they came across in the area/it's the only one (within their budget). People don't generally chop and change hairdressers all the time. Changing hairdressers can be very stressful!

If you're intending to list every hairdresser in each area, for example, a mere listing tells a customer very little. A review doesn't even tell a used very much unless the reader really trusts or knows the review writer. We all have different requirements and expectations. Going to the hairdresser can be a premium expense for many. I'm obviously not talking about a £10 cut but even those that only spend that kind of money like to stick with someone they trust to do a good job. I'm not sure that many salons will necessarily care to pay to advertise on a web site where they are listed next to all their competitors. How can they differentiate themselves from those listed next to them on the page? Premium services often don't have to advertise much or if they do advertise themselves they advertise in premium publications only. Why should they also advertise on your web site?

Perhaps it would be better to only list certain hairdressers rather than all of them. Have you considered focusing on mobile hairdressers for example? Since almost anyone with a bit of money can set up a hairdressers and employ hairdressers, what criteria (if any) do you have for accepting a listing? What can you really offer to make this sort of site viable?

 

[aZooZa]

Hairdressing supplies? That's what I'd look at.

 

[invincible]

Hairdressing supplies? That's what I'd look at.

Yes. I also thought that. Something b2b and not b2c.


(from iPhone)

 

[aZooZa]

Yes. I also thought that. Something b2b and not b2c.


(from iPhone)

Yep -wholesale.

 

[Edwin]

If you want to get some ideas, have a look at http://beautynavi.woman.excite.co.jp/

Yes, it's in Japanese. I know that's a MASSIVE hurdle. But exploration will still give you a sense of just how deep that kind of content can go.

Whenever you get too lost, just go back to the original URL at http://beautynavi.woman.excite.co.jp/ and start again, clicking some different stuff. Keep an eye on the URL as you hover over links - so long as they begin http://beautynavi.woman.excite.co.jp/ you'll be going to another section/page within the same site rather than leaving for some other one.

I'll give you a couple of pointers to get started.

1) Examples of an individual hair salon "page" (note that there are actually 7 pages to each one, use the pink/white "ribbon" tabbed interface towards the top to see them)
http://beautynavi.woman.excite.co.jp/salon/19814
http://beautynavi.woman.excite.co.jp/salon/24343

2) Listings of salons with current discount coupons (you can see the price reductions under each salon)
http://beautynavi.woman.excite.co.jp/search/result?f[t]=1&only_ad=true

The point is not to understand most or even much of the site, but just to get a sense of how crazily deep the topic can go if it's done hyper-obsessively. AFAIK there's nothing remotely like this in the UK.

 

[philiporchard]

Thanks for all ideas. Lots to think about.
Has anyone got ideas about what they are going to do with their new domains?

 

[bonusmedia]

I will point them at the .co.uks.

I will put a site or two on .uk and see how they do - eventually I expect to transition most sites to .uk and point the .co.uks at the .uk.

 

[spiderspider]

Has anyone got ideas about what they are going to do with their new domains?

For some, I will build new sites that I have ideas for the original, existing site, but am reluctant to change due to it being established.

For others just direct the .uk to .co.uk

For others, totally rebuild the site, on the .uk, and gradually migrate from the .co.uk to .uk

Which will I do which with? Currently I know of 1 I will rebuild on .uk and keep the .co.uk . Others, I'll wait and see, afterall, we have 5 years to decide so no great rush.

 

[websaway]

Thanks for all ideas. Lots to think about.
Has anyone got ideas about what they are going to do with their new domains?

I think it depends on the doman name.

 

[max_rk]

Although I have several good hair domains, hair sector is not personal interest to me. On my recent trip to US I leaned that only 13% people in USA are African decent, and probably not the most affluent part of population but those people spend 80% on hair treatments and products in US. Its big business and the hair for those people is one of most important things in life if not the most important (oh yes).

Situation in UK has to have some similarities. Maybe it’s worth looking in to niches like that to make the project worthwhile.

Some of my hair domains:
goodhairday.co.uk
hairboutique.co.uk
hairjobs.co.uk
hairsalon.co.uk
hairshop.co.uk
hairstyler.co.uk
humanhair.co.uk

 

[Blake]

Sit and marvel at how much better they look with the shorter version !

 

[Simon]

If your going to do two sites on them perhaps
geo.co.uk (business directory)
geo.uk (tourism related site)

 

[Brassneck]

I think some might take the opportunity to try to get out of Google penalties by using the shorter version.

 

[Murray]

If you have a good idea for something in the exact same niche as your existing site, I don't know why you wouldn't want to add it to that site rather than starting from scratch on a new domain (in most circumstances).

 

[philiporchard]

Great idea!

Phil, this is your reward for starting the thread

Yes, nice idea!

 

[Simon]

geo.co.uk (business directory)
geo.uk (tourism related site)

Hope not to simplistic, and obvious already..

Been wondering whether to split an industry one of mine into B2B directory .co.uk and B2C directory/info site on the .uk

Keen to know if this will cause confusion between the different users if they arrived at the opposite url.