Source: Adult Industry News
By: Kasey Grant
My name is Kasey Grant, and I am a geek. Is there some kind of Geeks Anonymous that I should be attending to cure me of my technophilia?
I am starting this column with the goal of helping newbies in the industry and those who would like to strengthen their online presence by offering some simple tips that can be implemented by just about anybody with a computer and an internet connection.
For the introductory edition of this column, I thought it appropriate to start at the beginning. I also think that it will fit with Steve’s upcoming article on the importance of names in the adult industry. For all of you who are just starting out in the industry, there’s not a lot of guidance being offered to help you protect yourself and your identity online or otherwise. Well, read on.
Picking your name is a difficult process. Do you want a super-porny name or a girl/guy-next-door name? Some agents or managers can be helpful here, as they are generally aware of many of the people in the industry, so they can tell you if somebody has x,y or z name, but don’t rely on that solely. Do a Google search to double check before you make anything official, or you may find yourself in trouble with whoever already has that name.
Your name needs to be original, as in something that nobody else is using. Whoever can establish first-use has automatic rights to the name under US Trademark Laws, whether it has been officially registered or not. Anybody can use the TM logo as long as s/he is sure that nobody else is currently using that name, but the ® logo means it has been registered with the Trademark and Patents Office and using it is a federal offense. Taking that step is always a good legal safe-guard if you start becoming popular and want that extra bit of safety.
The first thing that you need to do, as soon as you have decided on your name, is BUY THE DOMAIN. Preferably every possible variation of that domain, as well, since domain names are cheap, typically ranging from $6.95 to $14.95 a year. Do this before you have an agent, before you do a shoot, before you go to the bathroom-buy the domain. For example, I own kaseygrant.com, kaseygrant.net, kaseygrantporn.com, and kaseygrantxxx.com. They all redirect to the same site, but I know that some unscrupulous company cannot buy any of those names and either impersonate me or just use it to their advantage. They will if given the opportunity; trust me. I know plenty of girls whose names have been bought by studios, agencies, random people; you need to remember that the only person who’s really looking out for your best interests is YOU.
You can buy a domain with or without a hosting package from places like godaddy.com, 1and1.com, justhost.com, or any of the thousands of other places that can easily be found in Google. If you purchase a hosting package, just remember that, in the beginning, your site isn’t going to be hopping, so start with a small package, and you can always upgrade as necessary. Of course, a site doesn’t magically appear there, but that is a subject for another column.
I recommend purchasing domains for a period of at least 3 years to start. This helps when you actually get a site built, because search engines prefer to see that your domain is registered for a longer period of time. This will get your site listed higher than a similar site with a one-year registration. The small up-front investment will pay-off in many different ways, and SEO (search-engine optimization) is one of the ways that many people aren’t that aware of when they first start making these decisions.
It’s obviously easiest to purchase domains from the company that you plan on using for hosting, but if you aren’t that sure about that yet, it really doesn’t matter. Domains can be transferred with minimal trouble, especially if there’s no data on them, and you’re the owner. You also have the option of just changing the nameserver settings, which your domain registrar could quite easily do for you.
In conclusion, the main point that I want to drive home here is that buying your domain name is critical to your online success. If people can’t find you easily online, it will be very difficult for you to engage with your fans, and you will be amazed at how many job offers and other opportunities will come your way online. So go get those domain names!
See you soon,
Kasey Grant
