Hope for your financial life and beyond

Should I Spend 250 Dollars and Change My Blog Name?

Should I change my blog name? That’s the question that has been on my mind for the last six months. It’s not that I’ve grown tired of the name Luke1428. I’m simply wondering if the name itself is holding the growth of my site back.

Luke1428 Logo

Is this a good, bad or neutral blog name?

A site grows as much as the owner stays consistent with posting quality content and is knowledgeable with how to get that content recognized. Building connections with others, understanding SEO and advertising/marketing are all vital to a blog getting recognized. But what about the blog name? Doesn’t it all start with a title that attracts people’s attention?

Luke1428.com was chosen from a list of about 50 titles I had developed. It’s derived from the Biblical book of Luke, chapter 14, verse 28. In that passage, we learn that planning ahead for a task promotes success and reduces the risk of failure. That’s certainly an applicable theme when it comes to any life circumstance, especially personal finance.

However, it wasn’t my first choice.

I had a title that was three words long (but short – only 12 letters) and fit perfectly with my site’s planning and spiritual related themes. It even had a financial ring to it, which would have struck a cord with the personal finance community. Unfortunately, that URL was taken and all other variations of the title didn’t sound quite right to me.

Now I’ve discovered that URL is up for auction at GoDaddy…starting bid $250. But I’m torn in that Luke1428 has become my identity. Granted Luke1428 is not a household name pulling in 100,000 page views a month. I feel though, given more time and effort – which I will soon be in a better position to do – it has the potential to reach a goal such as that.

So I’m faced with a dilemma. When I find myself in one, I usually start with a Pros vs. Cons list. Here’s how I see it…

Pros of Luke1428:

1. It’s unique within the personal finance community and on the web. Type “Luke1428” or “Luke 1428” into Google and I’m #1.

2. It’s a short title, easy to pronounce and spell.

3. Because of pros #1 and #2, it’s easy to remember (once you know it). The numbers even have a mathematical symmetry to them.

4. Because it’s unique, the corresponding usernames were/are available at the various social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

5. It connects with those who have a spiritual background and are knowledgeable of the Bible (which is part of the audience I’m trying to reach).

6. The name doesn’t pigeonhole me into writing about one particular topic. Although the main focus is personal finance, I have the flexibility to write about other topics without backlash from my readers.

Cons of Luke1428:

1. There are no money related keywords in the title, thus probably hurting discovery by way of Google searches.

2. It doesn’t describe (or even hint at) the content or purpose of the site.

3. Because of cons #1 and #2, it will require a branding approach to blog growth and discovery – something that is more difficult to accomplish.

So, those are the six pros and three cons that I can think of. Seems like a no-brainer, right? When I look at the three cons though, they are pretty big cons in the getting-your-blog-noticed world. You could make a case they overshadow all six pros.

The truth is, I’m not 100% sure the new blog title would help with the three cons…I just think it would. I’d love to share the title here to elicit some feedback. However, I’ll keep it a secret for now lest someone purchases it and jacks up the auction price on me. 🙂

I know there would be a great deal of work in changing the name, redirecting the URLs from Luke1428 and synching all my social networks. I’m willing to go through with the effort if it would prove valuable in the long run.

Of course this will be my personal decision, but I’d love to hear your take on changing my blog name in the comments below. I’m open to any and all critiques whether positive or negative.

What are your impressions of my blog name? What other pros and cons do you see? Have you ever changed your blog name? What was that experience like? Am I too overly concerned about my three cons? Should I simply keep building my brand? What’s been your secret to building traffic to your blog?

Next Post: Choosing the Right College Starts By Answering These Questions

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Comments

  1. Natalie @ Financegirl says

    This is such a tough one, Brian! My gut feeling (that I’m now questioning after reading everyone else’s comments) is that if you’re questioning your name now and the opportunity has presented itself, it may be time to go for it and change the name. I really have no opinion on the names in and of themselves, but purely from the standpoint that you took time to write a post about it and you’re seriously considering it – it just seems like it’s the next step (although admittedly scary). I’m positive you’ll get the support from your followers and grow your blog even more – your energy will bring them to your site. Good luck!

    • Thanks for the feedback Natalie. My big concern about changing it is losing my page rank which several people have pointed out to me. Plus, I do have what I think is a great idea for another blog (unrelated to personal finance) so I’m considering that route.

      I’ve never really been able to give this blog my full attention. My full-time job and duties at home have always taken precedence. I don’t know how quickly I could grow it if I devoted more time to it. Up until this point it’s basically been a hobby. I plan to really hit it hard in the next six months and see if I can simply build the Luke1428 brand. If not, I’ll surely revisit this issue later.

  2. Financial Samurai says

    Testing 1, 2, 3!

    I would say it all depends on what you are going to change the website too! So what is it? 🙂

  3. MakintheBacon says

    A small part of me says that you shouldn’t change it, because as others mentioned, you’ve already established yourself under the blog name Luke 1428. Choosing a blog name isn’t easy. I personally think they should be catchy and easy to remember. I had a whole bunch of them before I decided on makinthebacon. I like my own enough to stick with it. Although I have yet to write a post on bacon or about the saying, “makin the bacon.” Lol.
    I also thought your name was Luke and that this blog was more about religion. That could either draw readers in or push them away.

    • I was going for catchy and memorable. I learned early on it did cause confusion and unless you read, people don’t have an idea what the blogs about. I probably haven’t done as good a job at branding my site, as this is of secondary importance to my full-time job and family commitments.

  4. I wouldn’t bother changing it. Whatever “impression” I might have ever had when I first started reading is not longer that. Of course I’m a regular reader. You could always buy the domain name if you have the spare change, then have it redirected here if you are thinking about SEO more. I’ve never done that and not sure how complicated or any other kinds of pros or cons associated with it. I think about my name if I ever left this state! Would I keep it if I ever moved somewhere like Colorado? Budget and the Mountains just doesn’t have that same ring to it.

  5. JesusChristFollower says

    In my opinion, do not change it. You’ve created a sort of brand name already. I think your blog name says it all and is a good one. Just my humble opinion though. You know better than I what you need to do.

  6. Cat Alford/ Budget Blonde says

    I would make the switch or at least bid on the url that you want and hang onto it for a future project. Your blog is fabulous but it’s still early enough to transition. A transition would be much, much harder when you do reach that 100k visitor a month point. 🙂

    • Your right Cat…it is early. Even though I’ve had great growth year over year, I do still feel like my blog is in it’s infancy. I really haven’t progressed to the point where I’m pushing hard on branding and marketing the blog (partly due to time and partly due to lack of knowledge on the best practices for that).

      • Cat Alford/ Budget Blonde says

        You’ll be successful no matter what you do. The only other issue is you’re sitting at a nice PR2. You’d lose that switching domains so maybe two blogs is the best option. Ack hard decision! Keep us updated! 🙂

  7. This is tough! You’re already pretty well established, I think, in the PF world, but newcomers may be confused. I’m not religious, either, but your thoughtful comments left on other sites brought me here. I always read about how branding is so important, and having a blog name that hints at your niche can play into it. However, as you said, Luke 1428 is unique and easily remembered. I agonized over my blog’s name for a day or so before pulling the trigger, so I understand why you’d think about it.

    • I definitely went more for the uniqueness angle than the branding angle. Truth is, I really haven’t put a ton of effort into branding the blog simply for lack of time. This has basically been a part-time endeavor, with me focused 75% on simply writing and 25% on all the other blog stuff. Who knows what would happen if I could put more effort into connecting and marketing.

  8. Not being particularly religious, I never really understood your blog’s name – and in my head I always thought your name was Luke Brian, but it didn’t really bother me. There are a lot of blogs where the name doesn’t really have a lot to do with the content, except for being the name of the author.

    • “There are a lot of blogs where the name doesn’t really have a lot to do with the content…” I guess that is what gives me hope this blog and it’s title could grow as is. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. It’s nice to know even though the name was confusing, it didn’t turn you off.

  9. Cashville Skyline says

    While I see your points, I wouldn’t change the name of this blog. You’ve obviously established yourself here and via your social media outlets. A name change may confuse readers. I like the idea of starting another blog if you have the time to dedicate to it.

  10. I think everyone has said what I’m thinking. I like your current blog/name/identity but maybe think about runninh two sites?

  11. I would not change it. Having a more heavily searched name might bring people initially but it might not make them stay if it wasn’t what they though they were looking for. Although, if I knew the name it might be a different story. It might be amazing if it was already taken and is selling for $250. For the longest time, I always though of your name as Luke, although I knew it was a biblical reference.

  12. I’d vote for not changing it. If you are really into the other name, as others have hinted at, do a second blog and make it the blog you were looking at. You seem ambitious enough that you’d get it going and recoup your investment very quickly.

  13. Hmmmm….tough one. The religious undertone of your blog name never bothered me but we also share the same faith and similar views. I can see how people who don’t may not click on your link. But I assume if you change your name that your content won’t really change. So even though a more general name may mean a few more clicks on links, if they fell into the group who don’t read Luke 1428 because of the religious overtones, they probably wouldn’t stick around at the new site either. My blog name doesn’t have SEO value either but it has become my brand and identify and I continue to grow each month, so that makes me happy. I suppose it’s possible that a better name might help me grow faster but The Heavy Purse fits me. So I guess it depends which name is a better fit for what you want to accomplish with Luke 1428 or your new name. I also do think DC had a very valid point with running two blogs. Yes, that’s a lot of work but as he said you could use a lot of the same content.

  14. I would change it. I remember seeing your site in comments before and not clicking it because I thought it was all about religion.

  15. Alexa Mason says

    Personally, I vote for not changing it. I like the name and the site. It’s very authentic. But like others have said, it really depends on what your goals are.

  16. This is a tough one Brian. I might actually go with what DC is saying. You have an audience here and you have a unique name. The one issue I see is that for those that are not familiar with the bible or the chapter and verse, then you probably won’t ever grab them. You are holding out for only one particular crowd. I would create a new site, then take some of your good posts on here that aren’t bible focused and put them on the new site. You can then redirect visitors from here to there without dealing with the whole site. This would give you two sites that capture two different audiences. Yes, it does require work, but it could be good in the long run. By the way, I wouldn’t spend $250 for a domain. It would have to be a great domain that could bring traffic quickly.

    • I really appreciate your feedback Grayson and I like the approach you are suggesting. I guess that would help me specifically target an audience on separate sites. I’ve known from the beginning the whole Bible name angle wouldn’t connect with some and I’d have to work harder to let those people know the site had more than a just religious content.

  17. I know virtually nothing about the technicals of blogging, but just to let you know, I subscribed to your email list because of the name:)

    • Thanks for the feedback Yvette. Was there anything in particular about the name that peaked your interest?

      • I am also a Christian, and knew you must be too. I have always been interested in personal finance, work at home opportunities, etc., so I felt I could trust what you might say.

  18. Can I suggest another option? Start a second blog. I know it’s not the ideal choice, but I think there is something to be said about keeping a name. I think your name really draws in the Christian crowd, too, so you could take a harder turn that way as well? I’m not sure. I mean, Peter’s site ‘Bible Money Matters’ has Money in it but you could argue the ‘Bible’ at the beginning turns people off. But in reality I think he’s tapped a really big crowd that goes exclusively to his site and not others. I don’t think my answer helped you much haha but those are my thoughts.

  19. John S @ Frugal Rules says

    I’m on the fence about it – I can understand your cons, but the uniqueness aspect is a good thing to have. Like Holly said though, I would do it sooner rather than later if you’re going to do it so you have more time on your side.

  20. Laurie @thefrugalfarmer says

    I think a lot depends on what the goal of your blog is, Brian. I think if its purpose is primarily to help teach people about personal finance, I might look at changing it. Have you prayed about it? That seems to work often for me. 🙂

    • “…what the goal of your blog is.” That’s a great point to consider Laurie. My goal/purpose for this blog has already evolved once since I began. While I”m sure I’ll always discuss personal finance, I could see it moving toward other objectives in the future.

  21. Holly Johnson says

    I don’t know whether you should change it or not…but I do think you should do it sooner rather than later if that’s what you decide. I know a lot of people who have changed their name for various reasons, and it always seems to set them back a little. At least if you do it now, time is on your side.

    • I know there would probably be some initial set backs. And I agree with your assessment about doing it sooner rather than later. At some point, once the audience has grown, it wouldn’t make much sense.

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