I am working on my new website and have a domain name question.

It is obvious to me that the best possible name for branding is not going to be the best name for SEO.

(I am not looking to start a discussion or argument on that issue; while I'm new to this SEO stuff, my background is marketing and that is my conclusion and I'm sticking to it.)

So I am considering using two domain names - one as a "public brand" displayed as graphics with the second name for linking and all SEO stuff. For example: ABC.com & All-The-Best-Crap.com. ABC.com would be "live" but used only for display and print and all branding functions - it would be the public name of the website and the business.

I'm sure no matter how hard I try to hide it, the SEs will eventually discover my brand domain name.

What are the implications of this approach? Am I going to get in trouble or create problems for myself down the road? Will it make any difference which name is the "name of record" with the hosting service?

Thanks...

Create the site using the SE friendly domain name, and then set up a permanent 301 redirect sending all visitors to the public name to the actual site. Do not try to get cute and mask the name, SEs don't like that.
CiCi

I have several domains pointing to the one site

coldwellbankerpropertyaustralia.com.au is the domain of our main site and is the full company trading name.

cbpa.com.au points to the previous main site (hopefully via a 301 - i have not checked this yet) and is used to tell people what site to go to as it is short etc

propertyaustralia.com is an old domain and some of our clients still use it, it also points to the full main site

There is no reason why you can not have mytownrealestate.com for SEO and ABCrealty.com for branding, email addresses etc pointing on a 301 to mytownrealestate.com and as long as that site has your brand on it as well you should be fine

"301 redirect"

You don't even have to do that anymore. Build your website with the "Internet domain name", and when you buy your "advertising domain name", just use Godaddy and "forward" (and mask if you choose) the domain name. Let the domain name company do it for you...

Good advice from everyone.

Personally, I park my domains with my host

http://www.site5.com/

until ready for use.