Avoid One Potential Problem with MySpace

My pal Joe Taylor Jr posted a good piece of advice on his spinme.com blog regarding the ever-popular MySpace.com -- which more and more musicians are using to create a home on the Web and network with fans.

Here is part of his post:

Yes, MySpace is a pretty efficient way to quickly build a web presence. Many talent buyers still have a problem with the way that bands over-rely on it for draw, but if you don't have a web guru on your team yet, it's a simple way to get online fast.

However, if you're only giving out your MySpace.com address, you're risking a lot. For example:

* What happens if the bandmate who starts the MySpace account leaves/gets kicked out? One of my clients is going nuts trying to get this account back, especially since the ex-bandmate is now using the "friends" to slag off the old band and get folks to come out to see the new one.

* What happens if something ever happens to MySpace? Folks may laugh, but there was a time when lots of us thought MP3.com and IUMA would be eternal.

Joe's solution is registering and promoting your own domain name (something you should do anyway, especially considering it costs as little as 8 bucks a year) and directing it to your MySpace URL. You can even "mask" it so your domain name continues to appear in the user's browser even when they're on the MySpace site.

As master of your own domain name, you can point it wherever you want. And while the final destination might change, your web address remains the same.

Great advice!