question Is the shorter domain always better?

[DeluxeNames.com]

Generally we espouse using the shorter domain when possible.

I'd like to ask your opinion when it comes to an online Newsportal we're in the process of building named, "Connecticut Western."

I opted for the shorter domain because I felt it sounded cleaner and more memorable: www.CTWest.com

But one reporter says we should use the domain that uses part of our business name to build brand Recognition: CTWestern.com

We do own both. What say you?

By the way, if you're a designer, we're running a contest for this Newsportal's logo:
https://www.namepros.com/threads/125-logo-contest-we-may-choose-2-winners.1220747/#post-8082214

 

[DeluxeNames.com]

The vast majority of you have advocated for CTWestern.com so that is what we will move to.
I hand reged this thread's preferred CTWestern a few days ago for $9.99.

I carefully negotiated with the owner of CTWest and talked him down from $1,200 to only $700 for CTWest.com which I was proud of myself for.

Now most are telling me that my work & money was for nothing & they're probably right.

This causes psychology abrasion inside, something referred to as cognitive dissonance. That is when you want to believe a domain is better (when it's not) to justify the wasted work and money you spent.

Has anyone else experience this Cognitive Dissonance?

Generally spoken, shorter isn't always better - it simply depends on the domain name itself (it must make sense).

While it is recommended to own / use the most relevant abstract variation(s (acronym - domain name(s), typo - version(s) etc.)) as forwarders of / to the EMD (of the official (brand / company / project - name)), the EMD should always be owned / used as the displayed domain name.

People are not that lazy to type in a domain name that has a few (or even much) more letters if the content of the domain name's website has quality; also, most are familiar with the function of bookmarking a website (domain name).

 

[Berserker]

It wasn't for nothing. You gained what's called "experience"
One thing you may also derive from it is that you should probably have asked the question BEFORE doing the work, and not after (something I'm very familiar with, too). See, even more experience and benefit you get from it.

I feel there are mixed signals in the thread. Most say "Western" is better because it's the name of what will sit on it. I tend to agree with that. On the other hand, "CTWest" is great, and probably better. Just NOT the same as what you actually want to do with it. Here is your problem.

You seem to like "West" more. Have you considered of renaming / rebranding your news portal "Connecticut West"? Or even maybe directly "CTWest"? Maybe your work is good but it just isn't finished.

Maybe, just maybe, there isn't any real cognitive dissonance here: The domain, in itself, IS probably "better". It just doesn't match with its content. But you could arrange everything if you can change the name of the portal.

(As for wanting to believe something just so what you did was "good" when it isn't, that's bad! Please don't do this. Or refrain to do it. When you were wrong, and you now know you were, you were wrong. That happens and is absolutely OK. But a lot is wrong with wanting to believe you were right when it isn't the case.)

 

[DOMAIN ILLUMINATI]

The vast majority of you have advocated for CTWestern.com so that is what we will move to.
I hand reged this thread's preferred CTWestern a few days ago for $9.99.

I carefully negotiated with the owner of CTWest and talked him down from $1,200 to only $700 for CTWest.com which I was proud of myself for.

Now most are telling me that my work & money was for nothing & they're probably right.

This causes psychology abrasion inside, something referred to as cognitive dissonance. That is when you want to believe a domain is better (when it's not) to justify the wasted work and money you spent.

Has anyone else experience this Cognitive Dissonance?

Since money is only the medium for what someone wants to achieve while the goal (and already the attempt to achieve it) itself is all what actually matters, a so called loss is, from a holistic point of view, just a happening which needs to be interpreted accordingly and as long as you know the goal you want to achieve you won't have difficulties to do so.

 

[DeluxeNames.com]

That is great advice and thank you for posting that Berserker

It wasn't for nothing. You gained what's called "experience"
One thing you may also derive from it is that you should probably have asked the question BEFORE doing the work, and not after (something I'm very familiar with, too). See, even more experience and benefit you get from it.

I feel there are mixed signals in the thread. Most say "Western" is better because it's the name of what will sit on it. I tend to agree with that. On the other hand, "CTWest" is great, and probably better. Just NOT the same as what you actually want to do with it. Here is your problem.

You seem to like "West" more. Have you considered of renaming / rebranding your news portal "Connecticut West"? Or even maybe directly "CTWest"? Maybe your work is good but it just isn't finished.

Maybe, just maybe, there isn't any real cognitive dissonance here: The domain, in itself, IS probably "better". It just doesn't match with its content. But you could arrange everything if you can change the name of the portal.

(As for wanting to believe something just so what you did was "good" when it isn't, that's bad! Please don't do this. Or refrain to do it. When you were wrong, and you now know you were, you were wrong. That happens and is absolutely OK. But a lot is wrong with wanting to believe you were right when it isn't the case.)