`docs/phase-0-domain-research.md`

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# Phase 0 — Domain research results (2026-05-01)

## Existing inventory pass

Scanned Steve's 270-domain portfolio for healthcare-shaped names. **Zero strong fits** — the only matches were `hospitality*` (Designer Wallcoverings reseller portfolios — wrong domain for healthcare) and `healthcarewallpaper.com` / `fireratedwallcovering.com` / `hospitalitywallcoverings.com` (all DW-related, wrong fit). **None of the 270 owned domains works for the new platform.**

## Fresh availability scan

Ran `dig +short NS` and `whois` against 40+ candidates across `.com`, `.la`, and `.healthcare`. Most strong `.com` names are parked-for-sale at Afternic/HugeDomains/BrandBucket (premium pricing $1K-10K typical). `.la` TLD ($25-40/yr retail) yielded several fresh, brand-clean names.

## Confirmed AVAILABLE

| Domain | Length | Annual cost (Porkbun ballpark) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **whichdoctor.la** | 14 | ~$30/yr | Punchy. Query-shaped — "which doctor" prompts intent. .la doubles as Los Angeles brand. |
| **healthcity.la** | 13 | ~$30/yr | Broadest scope — covers nurses, RCFEs, home care, not just MDs. Positions LA as "the city." Room to grow. |
| **carescore.la** | 12 | ~$30/yr | Rating-first brand. Cleanest match to "Rate My Healthcare" + scoring concept. Good for SEO ("X carescore"). |
| doctorforum.la | 13 | ~$30/yr | Exact-match to community + reviews concept. Slightly narrow (excludes nurses by name). |
| yourdoctorla.com | 14 | ~$12/yr | Direct, corporate. Easier verbal recall than .la TLD. |
| finddrla.com | 11 | ~$12/yr | Search-shaped. "Find Dr LA." |
| pickdrla.com | 11 | ~$12/yr | Action-shaped. Cheaper. |
| lacareforum.com | 14 | ~$12/yr | Forum-focused. "LA care forum." |
| mydoclabs.com | 12 | ~$12/yr | Strongest .com but "labs" implies clinical research, slight mismatch for community/Yelp. |

## Top 3 recommendations (ranked)

### 1. **whichdoctor.la** ★ — recommended
- Most memorable + most "ask a question" energy. "Which doctor?" is exactly the user mental model.
- .la doubles as the Los Angeles geographic anchor — every patient in our data is LA-county.
- Short, ownable, no premium fee.
- Risk: mild "Doctor Who" pun could feel kitsch but is also actually a draw — search-friendly.

### 2. **healthcity.la** — broadest fit
- Covers all 14 senior-care org types we just imported (RCFE, ARF, HCO, hospice, nursing facility, etc.) — not just doctors.
- Future-proof for adding therapists, dentists, optometrists explicitly.
- Slightly less brand-bite than whichdoctor.la.

### 3. **carescore.la** — rating-first
- If the platform's core wedge is the 5-star aggregate-rating ("service / price / quality"), this is the cleanest brand match.
- Pairs naturally with marketing copy: "Look up a doctor's CareScore."
- Less ideal for community/forum framing.

## Domains to consider as defensive holds

If we pick one, register `.com` of the chosen brand simultaneously (~$12/yr) to prevent a copycat. For `whichdoctor.la`, also grab `whichdoctor.com` (probably premium) — verify before registering.

## Next step

User picks one of the top 3 (or another from the available list). I then:
1. Register via the existing `domain-suite` MCP at Porkbun (cheapest .la registrar).
2. Set NS to Cloudflare per the standard `/setup-domains` skill flow.
3. Update CNCP `domains[]` with the new entry.
4. Phase 1 begins.