Cool And Tricky Domain Names - Not As Valuable Internet Real Estate These Days

Five or ten years ago there was a domain name that I really wanted, I probably would've paid in excess of 10 to $20,000 for it, today I was e-mailed about that domain, it was for sale for the low price of $299. I had noticed that it had come due previously, but chose not to buy it because I didn't need it, it wasn't getting any traffic before, and I already had a similar name which was generating more than enough traffic, ranks well the search engines, and therefore I simply didn't need it anymore. Indeed, more and more people are discovering this. Let's go ahead and talk about it.

It used to be that people would register cool and tricky domain, realizing they were valuable Internet real estate, and knowing that they could sell them at a later date and make a huge profit. Although I had never bought domain names for that purpose, I had secured several great names back in 1995, and I had used them for various purposes. Eventually as my business endeavors changed, there were some which I no longer needed. I can remember selling one for a huge amount of money, and I thought about it later, and it almost seemed like a gift out of the blue, when someone offered to buy it.

They wanted it more than I did, and they had the money, and therefore I sold it. Indeed, I still have some very good URLs that are getting a tremendous amount of traffic, names which would be considered incredible Internet real estate. I haven't bothered to offer them for sale because the market does not seem to be interested in paying a lot of money for such things. There also seems to be an economic cycle that goes along with this.

After the dotcom crash of 2000, many of these domain names became next to worthless, and folks were not even paying to renew them because they knew there was little if any chance they could sell them. I can remember people offering me domain names for only $100, quite decent names. Long about 2004, the prices started to rebound slightly, and by 2006 and 2007 names were actually worth something again. Then the financial crash of 2008 came, and these domain names have been reduced in value ever sense.

Further, many new startup companies are picking obscure names or nonexistent names when it comes time to pick a brand and a name for their new company. Cyber squatters for domain names can't possibly come up with endless "created words" to register and hope someone will buy them. And all the cool, tricky, and common names don't seem to be worth much anymore. Please consider all this and think on it.

In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

Reasons To Purchase Domain Names And How To Do It

Being easily identifiable is important, whether it's for business or personal reasons. Over the internet, business entities are recognized and known by their domain names. Domain names are identification strings that represent administrative authority or control online and are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System or DNS.

The purpose of a domain name is mainly to be used for naming and addressing specific applications or used in various networking contexts. Generally, however, a domain name represents an internet protocol resource like a personal computer used to access the internet or a server hosting a website for example. They are organized in subordinate levels, with the first level being the top-level domains or TLDs like .com, .info, .net and.org.

Next in line would be the second and third-level domains that are reserved for those who want to connect to local area networks, create publicly accessible internet resources or run websites on their own. So now that we know what domain names are, why does one need to purchase them and how can we benefit from it? For one, domain names make it easier for browsers to find, access and view websites by simply typing the URL into the search bar. Without a domain name, you may have to type in the websites IP address instead, which is a series of numbers that can be difficult to remember.

Another good reason to purchase a domain name is to improve visibility, as well as help with your marketing efforts. In line with this, you will need to choose a domain name is short, sweet and easy to remember so that customers and search engines can easily find you online. The perfect domain name also gives you credibility and authority online and makes you come off as legitimate and professional and therefore one company customers will want to do business with.

The third reason to purchase domain names is to protect your identity and to establish brand protection. It also prevents your competitors from registering your identity and using it for less than ideal purposes. Before actually purchasing your domain name, run it by a reputable domain name checker online to make sure the domain name you want is available and register it with an accredited domain name registrar to make your purchase official.

It is also recommended that you shop around for your best options since this isn't exactly something that comes cheap. Domain name registration can cost anywhere from $8.00 to $35.00. Once you've decided on the domain names you want to purchase, make sure that you are able to locate and communicate with the owners to save time. You also need to check if the contact details are listed on the site and if they aren't, you can use the "who is" directory to look them up.

Once you have contacted the owner, ask if the domain name is for sale but don't make an offer. If you are a first time entrepreneur, you can contact the owner directly but if you've gained some semblance of success, it is advisable not to contact them directly since the price will be based on your status. If you can afford it, you can hire a small law or PR firm to negotiate in your behalf.

Remember, a good domain name can bring in more traffic and make it easier for the search engines to find and rank you. Domain names are a solid investment so make it work and invest in the best location you can afford.

In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

Are We Close to Running Out of Domain Names?

Verisign recently came out with it's quarterly report and inside of it had some interesting numbers. Verisign mentions in the report that in the end of the second quarter for 2011 there were more than 196.3 million domain registrations across all top level domains, which is an increase of 3 million domains from the first quarter. It was also interesting to see that for.com and.net domains, they surpassed the 100 million mark.

So what does all of this data show you and what does it mean? For one thing, it means there is a growing demand for domain names but also if this pace continues, we will soon run out of quality domain names. When you begin your search for a domain name you look for catchy names that relate to your business ending with either.com or.net, but likely as not the domain you really want is already taken. Some have even noticed that their actual business name is taken as well.

With only so many variations for the major domains like .com and .net and with it's growth rate, it's clear to see that we will soon run out. Yeah there will always some type of variation of a.com or.net but most likely or not it won't relate to your business or be really long that it makes it nearly impossible for your customers to remember it.

That is why buying up domains have become a big business. Quality domains are a dime a dozen right now and people know that. They buy up quality names in the hopes of reselling it. Just recently we have seen domain names sell for millions. Some of the biggest were Insure.com which sold for $16 million, Toys.com which sold for $5.1 million and Candy.com which sold for $3 million.

Domain names are the hottest piece of virtual real estate out there. With few quality domains left on the market, people holding these domain names know that the longer they hold them the more it will increase in value. Unless you're willing to pay a lot of money, finding a good domain name for your business has become nearly impossible and will only get harder as more and more domains get bought up. The question now becomes is there a way to make more available to people that want to start online businesses.

In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

Are All of the Cool Domain Names Taken?

Every year thousands of businesses start and a majority of them want a website. This also means that they will a require a domain name. Domain names, good ones that not only represent their business but are search engine friendly,that utilize the correct keywords, listing and type.There is only one problem, everyone wants the same thing. Everyone wants the perfect domain name but they can not all be successful in getting the name that they want. More than likely, their name is already taken. There are 30 million .com, .org, .nets registered but there are thousands of domain expiring every day. They expire because their owner no longer needs or wants them, forget to renew them, or just are not able to pay for their renewal. Some of these domain might be just right for your business. And the best part is that you can buy them.

As the buyer, it is up to you to determine how much these domains are worth and what you are willing and able to pay for them? You want the right domain name but is your purchase cost-effective. Don't go broke buying a name. Be sure that the benefits are worth the cost. Does the name come with a good Google Page Ranking? Does it have sound Back Links? What type of sites link to this name? Does it come with favorable Search Engine Optimization? How valuable is this expired domain to you? Do your research!

Next question as a buyer, is where can I purchase these expired domains? The best way to get these names is through auction sites. These sites bring both buyer and seller together. Sellers wanting to profit from the domains they've acquired and buyers wanting to purchase domain name that most closely fits and will benefit their business.

The auction site that you choose should have the expertise and experience to provide the customer support needed to guide you through the bidding process.They should have the tools to enable you to search by keywords, listing, type and domain extensions (.com, .org, .net, etc). Auction sites should offer you protection. You should be able to receive the domain name before the seller receives payment. (check with the auction site regarding their policy on this matter). Some also offer escrow services.

Last but not least, these sites charge a fee. Usually starting at 10%, with a minimum of $5.00. Try to keep the cost down.

There are many expired domain auction sites online and millions of expired domains, so start your search and Buy the Domain That You Want!

In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

Domain Names for Beginners

Anyone who is familiar with the internet must definitely have heard of the term Domain name. Although it might just look like an identification string for your IP address, it actually means a lot more for your business. Domain name is the unique identity of a business. The importance of this cyberspace address is as important as your mailing address in a brick and mortar retail setup.

Domain name registration will give your business the first good impression that you need. Domain names give your business credibility by giving it a professional touch. Domain names also bring uniqueness to your setup. Having your own domain name means that you have the ownership, which authenticates your status. Whereas, if you are sharing someone else's website, you would definitely generate doubts in the minds of the consumers. It helps in brand building by reinforcing your brand value.

Another great benefit of having your own domain name is that you are able to create your own personal email address for the company and its employees. This goes a long way in establishing the trust of customers. Search engines also value websites with their own domain names. You must have witnessed that top ranked pages on search engines have their own domain names.

Choosing the right domain name is also an essential part of doing business. Firms must choose a domain name, which is easy to remember by the visitors. A domain name must be short and easy to spell so that people can easily recall it.

Making use of popular search terms and keywords will indeed make a difference to the traffic on your website. Research has shown that generic terms as domain names are a wonderful asset. Being different is another tactic that often makes you stand apart from your competitors.

Domain names are basically assets. The better the domain name, the more expensive it will be. However, just like brand names, domain names are worth their value when used as a promotional tool.

Industry specific domain names that have a higher content of keywords leads to improved rankings on the search engines. At the end of the day, this is what matters the most because users generally look into the first few search engine results.

Domain names starting from the first few alphabets are listed higher on various directories such as Yahoo. Therefore, if your aim is to target audience through directories, this can prove a useful tactic. Using numbers or letters instead of words is a grave domain name error that might have serious long-term consequences, so it must be avoided.

The domain name is a highly competitive business. This is because firms are constantly in search of domain names for new business or expansion of existing business. In addition, the demand is higher these days because of the increased business in the online world. Don't wait any longer, instead, just get hold of the best domain name for your business which is going to set you apart from your competitors.

In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters