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  1. #1

    Is it true that there is no such thing as bad publicity?

    Our team is planning to open a new hosting company in our country. Recently we acquired the domain of a bankrupt hosting company. This company was pretty popular in our country and had hundreds of clients. The problem is that their servers went down all the time. Everybody pretty much hated them. And at the end after a week of downtime they just told their clients to take the backups and go away. This was only 1 year ago.
    Now their domain still has pagerank and alexa rank. And a lot of backlinks from complaining clients from forums and blogs.

    Should we open our new company under that name and domain?
    I am afraid the clients will avoid us because of the bad name of the old company.
    What do you think?

  2. #2
    It sounds like a bad idea to me. When it comes to hosting customers want reliability and the previous company's reputation seems like it could taint your business.

  3. #3
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    Use a NEW name, but point/re-direct the old domain name to your new website for the traffic.
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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    Do it. Come up with a cool ad campaign challenging former clients to stick it to the company that screwed them by hosting a wonderfully successful website with a real provider under the very name they failed to uphold.
    Ain't here to spam my signature, I'm not desperate for sales.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by HostLeet View Post
    Use a NEW name, but point/re-direct the old domain name to your new website for the traffic.
    I agree. Bring a fresh name so you can get, NEW review and NEW sites but point the domain to get the traffic!

  6. #6
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    go for it ... focus on marketing to the old clients ... be truthful that you are new owners looking to recharge the brand.

  7. #7
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    Yeah, this has a lot of marketing potential. Play up the "new and improved" angle, but find a creative way to do so. But to answer your subject line, there is absolutely such a thing as bad publicity.
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  8. #8
    Is it true that there is no such thing as bad publicity?
    its true that all press is good press.. but, its an art manipulating bad press to your benefit..

    Quote Originally Posted by HostLeet View Post
    Use a NEW name, but point/re-direct the old domain name to your new website for the traffic.
    I agree - but, I would consider taking it a step further.

    use a new name

    BUT

    put up a page at the old name, explaining who you are and what you are doing - and then link to your new site/name

    I would also challenge customers of the old company to give you a chance to prove that new ownership and management wants to make it right for them. Give any customer who can show an invoice or ticket proving they were impacted by the previous owners/management a special package, or free hosting for a year with a single months payment.. something like that

    hope this helps..
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  9. #9
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    If you're up for the challenge, keep the name and make it big.
    If they were known that will help a lot, no matter their reputation.

    Now your job is to MAKE IT GOOD!
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  10. #10
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    It depends on what you are good at.

    If you think that you are good at creating something, then start a new website with new domain name and use the old one for just traffic.

    If, on the other hand, you think you can do a great job of reviving (ie you know all the disadvantages and have confidence to turn it around), go ahead. This is more adventerous and a little bit risky!

    All the best!

  11. #11
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    Don't do it, in this industry, reputation is EVERYTHING, bad publicity is better than no publicity and is only relevant to Hollywood, not business. Start fresh, or at least find a name that does not have a bad reputation attached to it (because make no mistake, people will google your name).
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  12. #12
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    You can try however you may eventually not get as much as customers as expected with the old name. Using a new name you can atleast get a good amount of customers.
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  13. #13
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    Apr 2006
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    I think you should use a new name instead. If the other name has such a bad reputation it might not be worth it.

  14. #14
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    I say keep the name. In the beginning its going to be hard because people will still think you are the provider with all of those problems, but over time it will pass.

    New & Improved should be posted all over the site so they know.

    - Daniel

  15. #15
    Now im even more confused. The problem is that in our team there are no marketing/seo people. We are all sys admins. Thats why we thought that reviving the old domain would be easier for us to appear in google and in people's mind since everybody already knows the company.
    Still thinking while searching for a good new domain.

    I guess the safe way is to go with a new name, but the old, while very risky, could be more profitable...

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by erapro View Post
    Now im even more confused. The problem is that in our team there are no marketing/seo people. We are all sys admins.
    In that case, if you have a good amount of capital at hand, think about hiring a experienced marketing guy.

    If you have a cash shortage, I sincerely advice you to start a new company. This not only avoids unnecessary risk, but you can also establish a name for yourself ground-up.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by erapro View Post
    Now im even more confused. The problem is that in our team there are no marketing/seo people.
    I think that is even the more reason to go with a new name, because you are going to need one hell of a marketing campaign/team to re-brand a name that is severely tarnished. Further, starting with a new name will also require an excellent marketing plan, however the job will be easier as you will not have to do any damage control (you'll be able to focus on business, without any negativity attached to your name). Just my two cents though, ultimately its up to you. Once you do decide though, I'd be curious to know what the name is.. (either way).
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  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by erapro View Post
    Our team is planning to open a new hosting company in our country. Recently we acquired the domain of a bankrupt hosting company. This company was pretty popular in our country and had hundreds of clients. The problem is that their servers went down all the time. Everybody pretty much hated them. And at the end after a week of downtime they just told their clients to take the backups and go away. This was only 1 year ago.
    Now their domain still has pagerank and alexa rank. And a lot of backlinks from complaining clients from forums and blogs.

    Should we open our new company under that name and domain?
    I am afraid the clients will avoid us because of the bad name of the old company.
    What do you think?
    Keep the domain, but don't run your main business from it. Then put up a single page that details the history of the old business, and describe how you're the new owners and run things 'differently'. Then link to your new domain from it.
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  19. #19
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    I say go for it.
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  20. #20
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    For a starting out company the traffic would be invaluable! Try it and say that you will prove old customers wrong!

    I do think there is bad publicity though. Remember when GoDaddy CEO went recreation elephant hunting? All them customers left. Not good.
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  21. #21
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    If you use the old domain then you may want to try and reply to as many of the nagative posts as possible and explain your an established company that is taking over the old domain and you will do much better than the pervious doamin owners, you could then give them an incentive to return to the old domain and try out your new services that have a money back guarentee.

  22. #22
    That's free marketing. Don't pass it up.

  23. #23
    I believe that it will be very hard to pull this up but it is not impossible you will gust have to do some reputation management. If the previeous company left a lot of unsatisfied customers you will have to prepare to explain to everybody that you are new guys with new way of running the buisnes.

  24. #24
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    Go for it, and as othe people say, create a page explaining that you adquired it and you chanlenge to the old customer to try the "new" company under the new management.
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  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by FernGullyGraphics View Post
    Don't do it, in this industry, reputation is EVERYTHING,
    That's not true, check to all the EIG companies and to godaddy.
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