This is a question for all my readers that I’ll leave up for a week, and then take down once I’ve heard from you. I really need input here.
I’ve obtained the rights to the domain name, hogsheadpub.com. If you put that into the URL block, you’ll get this blog. After debating the name for the podcast, I went with “Hog’s Head PubCast,” because I liked it best and because I couldn’t think of a good podcast name that fit the “sword” thing.
Now the questions: Is it too late, in your opinion, for me to change the name of this site? Or maybe at a more basic level, do you like the name “Sword of Gryffindor” or “Hog’s Head Pub” better for this blog?
What complicates the matter is this: I get at least 300 unique visitors a day, often well over 500. Since opening the blog a year ago, I’ve had over 65,000 first time visitors, and we’re closing in on 100,000 unique visitors. The traffic to the site is increasing. SwordofGryffindor.com was referenced recently in a Terry Mattingly news article. One of John Granger’s new books references my site directly, and he mentioned it at Lumos2006 as well. A few books will have this site referenced in the near future.
Should I just leave it be? Should I change to “Hog’s Head Pub” and just keep the swordofgryffindor.com domain name, pointing it to this site?
Your opinion is much appreciated.
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Hello Travis,
Sword of Gryffindor seems to be getting better and better known. Normally, I would think that it’s too late to be changing it. That being said, “Hog’s Head Pub” would seem to reflect the tone and purpose of your site better than SoG. Having a drink in the pub while shootin’ the breeze about all things Potter would get me coming back for more.
You have put a lot of work into SoG and it’d be misguided to abandon that domain name. But a referal or link from SoG to HHP would be a good compromise.
Whatever the name, I’ll keep attending. So would all the regular posters who, I’m sure, have SoG in their favourites.
It’ll be a tough decision.
Matt
Definitely keep it. Much better to have two names attached to the site than lose one and potentially lose readership. You’re moving up in the PotterWorld, don’t mess with success.
Keep Sword of Gryffindor.
Change to “Hog’s Head Pub†and keep the swordofgryffindor.com domain name, pointing it to this site. Just make sure you include some small-type explanation that Hog’s Head Pub is the new name of Sword of Gryffindor. As long as you keep both names, I don’t see that you’ll have a problem.
I think you should leave it as Sword Of Gryffindor. I like it more than the Hog’s Head name.
I prefer the current Sword of Gryffindor name. For some reason it always seemed to have a spiritual connotation for me. Maybe the whole Sword of the Spirit comparision is in the back of my head. But I wouldn’t be against having both domain names link to this page.
I like Sword of Gryffindor. It infers a noble cause, much as Excalibur does. Hogs Head Pub implies something different to me, but remember that I am old and do not adapt easily to change, hahaha. Hey, we love your stuff and will read it whatever you decide to do.
BTW, LOVED your comment about Michael Gambon butchering, er, ruining the Dumbledore role. Thanks for that, and thanks for the Harry Potter News!
I like HogsHead Pub. You could indefinitely Redirect SoG to the new domain.
Scott
Keep ‘Sword of Gryffindor’. Much more memorable, and it’s already in the lexicon of Potter fan sites. Why mess with success?
Plus, I’m sure many readers are already familiar with The Boar’s Head Tavern.
I believe you should just leave it. i like it the way it is. But its not a big deal if you change it. It’s all good.
I too prefer Sword of Gryffindor over Hogs Head Pub. But if you like the latter, maybe consider posting the podcasts to Hogs Head Pub, and leaving the traditional blog-style posts on SoG?
Keep it.
I’d keep the sword name and use the pub name for the podcasts and later if you want to expand your site you could have a whole other section under the pub name.
If you change the name, I doubt your readership will drop. There are enough ways to make even the casual reader aware of the change, and if some do not bother to come along, then that’s their problem.
That said, I’d still keep SoG. That’s your established name.
I like both names, but Sword of Gryffindor does have a rather noble sound to it that I’ve always liked. The Hogs Head Pub sounds like a good name for a podcast–time for relaxing and having a chat over a mug of butterbeer.
So, I’d keep both, and as someone else said, link them so the HHP is a part of the SoG site.
Whatever you decide, just be sure to let us all know what you are doing.
Pat
Thanks for the input so far. I’m leaning towards keeping it the way it is (for the reasons many of you have given), but definitely keep the feedback coming.
Keep SoG and link Hog’s Head to it.
Besides, as Jared noted, some folks may have difficulty separating a pig from a boar.