Domain Names - Six Elements of a Great Generic Domain Name

Why does one name sell for six figures, while another languishes on an auction site with a $100 reserve for months, unable to get even a smidgen of interest? Sometimes the two domains are similar, with only a one or two character difference. Beds.com and Bedsx.com come to mind, the former being worth hundreds, even thousands of times more than the latter.

There are six primary elements that make a keyword domain name great and valuable and worthy, and you'll want to evaluate these factors before you buy. They apply to names you register fresh, names you purchase privately, and names you bid on at auction. A little research upfront can save a lot of grief down the road when it comes time to sell or develop.

1. Keyword volume: This is an estimate of how many searches the word or phrase has, which is an indication of it?s popularity. For example, according to Google, the phrase "Hawaii Singles" has 2400 searches a month. If you were bidding on HawaiiSingles.com, you would also want to check Keyword Discovery and/or WordTracker for additional data. You'll never get more than an indication since each tool measures differently. However, it's a safe bet if people are searching for a phrase there will be some natural traffic and SEO potential, and if there's no volume, there will be little or none.

2. Commonality: A lot of people say domains are valued on their scarcity, but if you think about it, all domains, both good and bad, are one of a kind. What I like to look for is the commonality of the phrase the name represents within our society and existing lexicon. Usage, word order, and pluralization are huge factors in valuation. For example, "Discount" is not the same as "Discounted" which is not the same as "Discounts." SportCars.com is valued less than SportsCars.com, and ShoesRunning.com is practically worthless when pitted against RunningShoes.com. Search for the phrase in quotes on Google to see if people are even using it, much less searching for it.

3. True type-in traffic: This information can be difficult to get, but it never hurts to ask, especially when the sale is private and you aren't under stressful time constraints. You specifically want to know how much type-in traffic the name gets, not including visitors who are referred from search engines and links, both of which are unreliable in the long term.

4. Length: Domain length is important. Shorter names are easier to spell and remember, and are far more likely to get visitors. All of these qualities increase the potential for branding, and can drive up valuations far beyond the reasonable, which is great if you are the one selling;)

5. Prior use: If the domain has a past life, and was acquired through a drop service or from an expired list, you want to know about it. Forget perceived positives like search engine ranking and PR since those will likely disappear after the name is in your hands. Instead, delve into the name's dark side. Was it ever used for spamming? Is it banned from Google's index? Did it previously contain questionable content? Overcoming these negatives can be more work than you bargained for, even with an otherwise great name.

6. End user development potential: The one thing pretty much everyone in this business agrees on is a domain needs to be developable. In other words, you must always ask yourself this: Would I or anyone else be willing to spend money to put up a Web site on this name? If the answer is no, it will never truly be considered great.

Discover Domain Name Investments on http://www.DomainSmash.com dedicated to spreading the truth about domain investing, site flipping, reselling, monetizing Web sites and domain valuation as well as weekly Free Domain Lists

by SMASH MATERSON

Domain: creating a new, modern, boundary less world of computer networking

Domain names are basically the identity of a website in the virtual world of the internet. It is similar to the names given to each one of us, for identification. The only difference is that two human beings may have the same name, but two websites can never have the same domain names. The domain names are used in various ways, for identification, reference, uniform resource locators and they also appear after the ‘@’ sign in an e-mail address.

The naming of a domain is done through the DNS methodology. The DNS confers a unique name to a domain after the customary domain registration. The process of domain registration is done through the registrars. These registrars have the authorisation and accreditation of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The ICANN is responsible for overseeing the process of the distribution of domain names and numbers for the internet.

Domain registration is done generally for a specific period of time. Generally the period of domain registration varies between one to ten years. The period of domain registration can be extended at any point of time before the end of the grace period.

The domain Name Registration system is an international process involving all the countries of the world. Once the domain is registered under the domain name registration system, the name cannot be altered. Although, a party can sell their domain to another, but again the second party has to get the domain registered under its name in the domain name registration system.

In the past few years, the whole process of domain name registration has been made simpler. Due to this simplification, we see many new domain spaces being bought and sold in the world market and this domain name registration has become a big business. Many individuals as well as big and small companies are coming forward to get their own domain space and to reach out to the world by developing their own websites.

by SMIT MATHUR

Third Important steps and guide to on-page optimization sites on Google Things

First things first…the domain name dilemma your domain name should be brand able. Keyword rich with hyphens type of domains are not longer relevant. Focus since it is the one searcher will enter when not sure about extensions, and is the easiest to brand. As far as registering it, do it for more than one year since this helps with the “trust box” in Google. If you have many related domain names for the same content it is always good to only take one as the main domain and to redirect (301) any others to it. This way, you can make sure not to have duplicated content issues.

Less is more, when it comes to web design. Your text content should outweigh your html code. Make sure your code is “search engine friendly”. That is a big different with being W3C compliant. The W3C is too limited, and a lot of code warnings will appear with perfectly acceptable code. Their validation system is simply outdated. You want to be search engine compliant, not W3C compliant. Keep this in mind.

The second part of this article will guide you through the important steps on how to on-page optimize sites in Google. If you have an existing site, use this as a reference to ensure that you are doing everything right. We review 5 more areas.

Keyword research, the beginning Start with 5-10 keyword phrases, create content, optimize, post, maybe publish… Why? Are you building an authority? Then, wait until you have at least 100 pages. Otherwise continue. But 5-10 pages at a time can go a long way towards an authoritative site. Remember, what works… takes work.

Keyword refinement, the outgoing following the previous though After your initial research, primarily of some data you have form various keyword tools, you need to rely on your web analytics to see how focused your optimization is based on your visitors. That is what “outgoing” means here. You need to look at this information, especially search engine and searcher behavior, and refine your optimization even further, for the cycle of your site.

The importance of content tagging this is basically bolding or italicizing of keywords phrases in content. Don’t overdue it. It is recommended to use it for user experience mainly. Doing it right will bring good benefits.

Article marketing and its impact writing articles is a great way to add fresh content to your site that is worth linking to. Now, for a good optimization of the content, add your keyword phrase within the first 20 words, at of the page. Optimize one main keyword phrase per page.

The return of the niche… and off course authority sites Sites within 3-12 pages known as “niche” are OK in Google. You don’t need to target or optimize every page, but you should have one page for every target key phrase you want to rank for. If you are after an authority type of site, then you need daily fresh content with 450-500 words a page. This content can be in the form of daily articles you can host and syndicate for your site. Also, a blog or forum is another great way to generate fresh content.

by VINODD KUMARR

Various Aspects to Domain Management

Domain registration is generally very easy. In fact you can simply contact your local domain registrar and give your details like name, address, contact info and of course the name of the domain you want registered and your domain gets registered. Alternatively you can simply go online to your domain registrar’s website and if the facility is provided just fill out a simply online registration form with your name and other details and submit to register your domain. It’s as simple as that.

The problem arrives generally for most of us after the domain has been registered. We keep hearing all these words like name servers, domain pointing and forwarding, domain locking and other things which make it all a nightmare. But it is not as bad as you think. Domain management, once you understand the various aspects to it, is actually a very simply task. We look at some of the aspects in domain registration and management which you might have to go through while setting up your website.

Name Servers

Name servers are probably the most common words used after you have registered a domain. Your hosting company will tell you to change your domain name servers to their address in order for your web hosting service to function properly. So what are name servers?

To put it in simple language, name servers are the name of your server. It basically tells a domain where your website files are located so every time someone types your domain name in their browsers, the domain exactly knows where to go to show your website files – your homepage etc.

Name Servers generally look like this:

Assuming you are hosting with xyz hosting company then your name servers should generally be:

NS1.XYZ.COM

NS2.XYZ.COM

Note the NS could be followed by 3 or 4 depending on your hosting company. Your hosting company will generally provide their name servers to you when you register with them.

Domain Forwarding / Domain Redirect

Domain forwarding or also know as Domain redirect means if you have multiple domains registered and you want one of your domains to quite simply point to another domain that you have as an active website.

This technique allows you to have a single website be available under multiple domains. For example you can register your domain in both .com and .net format and then make the .net domain address forward to your .com website. That way you don’t have to spend on having two different websites hosted for each of your domain extensions.

Domain Locking

This is quite new to the world of domains but is a very important one and you should always be aware of your domain’s status – i.e. whether it is locked or unlocked.

Now, how does domain locking make a difference to you? Firstly if your domain is not locked, then malicious software or hackers have the ability to shift the domain in to their name or shift the domain’s name servers on to their web site which could cause lot of embarrassment to you. Not just that in some cases, hackers can pull the domain from your domain registrar to theirs, giving them full control of your domain.

In general you should always make sure your domain is in locked status. Of course when you need to change the domain’s name servers etc for your own use then you can unlock a domain. But always make sure moment your work is done and the name servers or any other information you are trying to change has been completed, immediately lock your domain. If you can’t lock or unlock your domain, please contact your domain registrar regarding this.
by: Lorenzo Modesto
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/web-hosting-articles/various-aspects-to-domain-management-156546.html

About the Author:
Lorenzo Modesto started in the Internet industry in 1996 and has held executive positions in sales, marketing and business development at industry leading service providers. He is the Managing Director of Domains a domain registration company.

15 Ways to Become a Better Domainer

The competition in the domain industry is steadily increasing as more and more people are becoming aware of it's global impact in today's financial marketplace. Professional investors and huge corporations are staking their claim of this internet real estate and have turned this once primitive name exchange into a booming multi-billion dollar industry.

Today's domainers are needing take their domain investing to another level in order to have continued success and profitability. Below are 15 Ways To Become A Better Domainer.

• Utilize the forums

As I've said in previous posts, the importance of domaining forums in the domain industry are vital and serve as a great resource for beginners and professional domainers alike. Whether you are looking for some honest appraisal opinions or asking questions that only another domainer would know the answer to, the domain forums are there to assist. 24 hours a day, 365 days a week, this constant stream of domain information has shaped many beginner domainers into today's greatest professional domainers. If you're not a member of a domain forum you should greatly consider joining one today.

• Are you a domainer or a domain developer?

Are you buying domains for quick profit sales? Are you buying domains for the long-term traffic revenue? Are you buying domains to develop and birth new traffic? Whether you choose to do one or all three, you must come to terms and clarify a solid game plan when it comes to your domain investments. It's reasonably okay to have a few domains being developed but your overall strategy needs to take shape and be narrowed down to a specific objective. Developing a domain name takes time, effort and more time, but the possible payoffs are always huge. Buying domain names in bulk for quick sales is also profitable but relies more on a constant sales initiative to be successful. Either way, you need a tactical approach on how you want to market your domains.

• Dissect your portfolio

I once spoke to a guy who boasted a domain portfolio of over 3000 names. After hearing how he was considering selling a few of his "best" domains, I offered to peruse the list and maybe assist with finding some end users that might be potential buyers. He agreed and the next day he sent me a list of about 1000 of his best domains that he was willing to sell. To my surprise over 90% of them were, in my humble opinion, not worth much more than the reg fee. I contacted him back and explained that I was only to find about 75-100 names that could possibly be decent sales. He was stunned. He declined and stated that my appraisal was not correct and thanked me for my time. 3 days laters, I received an email from the exact same guy asking for assistance in selling the 75-100 domain names I previously found in his list. Seems that during those 3 days, he spoke to a few other domainers and received the same appraisal and evaluation of his so called "best" domains. This guy thought since his domains contained popular words like gamble, casino, sex and technology that it automatically made his domains super valuable. What he didn't consider was the multiple hyphens and terrible combinations of typos and keywords. Don't be the domainer with a huge list of terrible domains just to brag about how large your portfolio is. Trim your "extra" domains and streamline by selling or trading and use the profit for investing in quality names that are earmarked for immediate revenue or immediate development. Be proud of the overall quality of your portfolio and not just the number of domains it contains.

• Know your rep

I amazed on how many people I encounter that in the domain industry that have no idea who their representatives are for such companies as Sedo, Moniker, Go Daddy and other big domain powerhouses. The representatives of such companies exist to assist their members who utilize their services and are hands-down the quickest and easiest way to get something resolved if you feel a mistake has been made. If you have domains either parked or offered for sale with a domain company, I highly suggest sending a quick email to find out who your representative is and do you best to maintain a professional and courteous relationship with them. It's easier to ask assistance from someone whom you know and knows you than it is to ask a complete stranger. And don't forget to vote for your favorite domain rep at next years Domainers Choice Awards.

• Stay clear of Trademark Infringements

This should be a no-brainer. Time and time again I see domainers struggle with the headaches caused by trademark infringements and bad faith domain registrations. Not only do most of the trademark claims filed at the WIPO result in the domain being transferred to the appropriate party, but it also indicates that your choice in domains is questionable and therefore proving that you are still purchasing non-quality domain names. Domains that infringe on trademarks are not quality. Ask any lawyer. Save your registration fee and steer clear of legal woes.

• Auto-renew

Now that your portfolio is streamlined and contains only select domain names, you definitely don't want to lose or let any of them drop and take a chance of someone else buying you lovely internet real estate. Do yourself a favor and set your domains for auto-renew at your domain register where purchased. It's a terrible feeling to have someone else scoop up one of your prize domains just because you didn't or couldn't find the time to renew the registration. Visit this great article by the Daily Domainer that explains the life-cycle of a domain name and don't let accidental "drops" happen to you.

• Limit the hand regs

Hand regs or hand registrations are domains that are purchased from a publicly available source at a regular registration fee and are either brand new (never been purchased) or have expired and no longer owned by the previous owner. Go Daddy is a domain registrar that is popular with domainers and consistently used for hand regs. The possibility of stumbling along a unregistered domain is always there and the opportunity for someone to register a new domain name that never existed and create value to it is also conceivable, but in essence, most domain names that are hand regged are simply non-researched, impulse purchases that pad a domain portfolio with non-value names. Distinguish yourself as a profitable domainer and limit the amount of hand regs you add to your portfolio. One good way is to wait 24 hours before registering a hand reg domain and then re-evaluating before buying. You may lose a registration every so often but in the long run you will save on unnecessary registration fees and useless domain name ownership.

• Stay current with news and sales

To be successful is to be informed. The pulse of the domain industry is constantly evolving and therefore it is beneficial to a domainer to know exactly what is the next potential opportunity or trend being created within our industry. If you buy domain names, you are an investor. If you are an investor, you need to stay current with the news of your investments and other people's investments. You can do this by monitoring the recent domain sales and news offered by many websites that are specifically geared towards todays domainers. One of my favorite websites is Ron Jackson's DNJournal. You can find great articles, news and the popular Year To Date domain sales. You need to know what domains are selling, which domains are being bought and how much they are being bought for. Invest time in your investments and reap the rewards. Predicting the next big trend is priceless.

• Blog around

Domaining blogs are sprouting up everywhere with domainers eager to share their experiences, setbacks, lessons learned and tips with anyone who wants to listen. We all need to take advantage of this free and useful information by visiting various domain blogs and getting another person's perspective on our industry. And don't forget to subscribe to their RSS feeds, if it is offered, and have all this new information sent directly to you to read at your convenience... for free. Subscribe to this blog here.

• Diversify with other TLD extensions

While some domainers swear that .com is the only extension worth being bought, there are others, like me, who think it's absolutely insane to dismiss all other TLD's and only buy one flavor of domain name. The popularity of .TV and .Mobi and the ongoing success of ccTLD's has risen and is playing a prominent part in today's domain marketplace. Generic domains in any of these extensions are being recognized as a highly sought after commodity with no signs of slowing. Familiarize yourself with other TLD's beside .com, .net and .org and evaluate your domain purchases on a global niche scale the next time you go to buy a domain.



Consider fractional domain ownership

Fractional domain ownership is simply a group of people that own a domain name and share in it's profits, development and use. There is not one sole owner because it is owned by the entire group. Owning a portion of a high value domain is a great way for a newcomer to the domain industry to begin and understand the ins and outs of professional domaining and share in the profit growth associated with that certain domain. It also allows "regular" domainers to group funds together and own a very premier domain name without one person having to pay the entire purchase price. Look for this trend to boom in 2008.



Optimize your parked pages

Once you buy a domain name, it is up to you whether your domain will contain a fully-functional website that you can customize/adsense or whether you will "park" your domain and allow targeted content to automatically be placed and monetized per visitor. If you choose to park your domains, it's imperative that you understand how domain parking works and how it can be optimized to bring better results. Sedo is a popular place for domain parking and allows users to see detailed stats and account information for each domain parked on the Sedo network. Revenue is shared with Sedo each time someone clicks on content on one of your parked pages and relies on consistent traffic to be a steady stream of income. Brush up on your domain parking information here.



Update your WHOIS information

The WHOIS database is sort of like a directory of purchased domain names that contains the owner's contact information, purchase date and expiration of a certain domain. One use of this information is being able to contact a domain owner and inquire about purchasing the domain. Without the correct information in the WHOis database, a potential buyer may not be able to contact the current owner and allow an offer to be placed. Contact your domain registrars and make sure your WHOis information is current and correct. If you opt not to be contacted by potential buyers, you may consider using a service that purchases domains for it's clients and keeps their information private. There is also an option to pay an additional fee at some domain registrars for private domain registration.



Contact more end users

So you have a great domain name that is considered gold in a certain industry. Great job. Now, if you have decided not to develop it and simply want to profit from a sale, I highly suggest contacting an end user. What's and end user? An end user is someone who would use the domain name specifically for creating brand recognition in a certain industry. Here's an example: Adam owns organicdogfood.com and Bob owns an organic dog food company in Texas but uses the domain BobsSuperGoodOrganicDogFood.com. Adam contacts Bob and offers a shorter, brandable and easier to remember domain name that can increase Bob's exposure on the internet for people searching for organic dogfood. Adam has just contacted a possible end user. A domain name can usually be sold to an end user for more since it is valued more by the actual user of the domain instead of a regular domain buyer.



Change your views on the domain industry

Are there still opportunities to be successful in today's domain industry? Yes.

Is there still time to take advantage of the booming domain sales? Yes.

Is it still possible for a domain newbie to come in and thrive even with a small initial investment. Yes.
Author: Rudy Hernandez
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/domain-names-articles/15-ways-to-become-a-better-domainer-318411.html

About the Author:
Rudy Hernandez is the chief domain blogger at LogistikLabs.com. Rudy has been an integral part of the domain industry since 1999.