In last week’s column, I noted that diversity was the keyword for the week as a half dozen ccTLDs and a pair of non .com gTLDs earned placed on the all extension Top 20 Sales Chart, alongside a dozen .coms. This week the keywords are “role reversal” as the ccTLDs and non .com gTLDs make a complete switch with the non .com gTLDs taking six places while the country codes had to settle for two. The always dominant .coms again claimed the most positions – 15 this time around (the extra spots resulted from a four-way tie for the final opening).
The .coms also claimed six of the seven biggest reported sales including the top three. Sedo set the pace with #1 Neomobile.com at $58,500 and #2 Yolo.com at $29,000. The AfternicDLS rounded out the power trio with #3 ClubClass.com at $16,000.
The two powerhouse aftermarket platforms went on to sweep all but one of the chart positions. With Sedo piling up 13 entries and the AfternicDLS logging nine, the only charted sale to elude their grasp was the biggest non .com gTLD sale, #8 Smartphones.net at $11,440. Alexander Hammer of domaining.de sold that domain in a private transaction.
First time website owners all have to start at the exact same point: purchasing a domain name. The domain name will ultimately become the website’s brand which is why it’s such an important decision when launching a website. However, new website owners frequently make mistakes with their domain names which this article will cover by sharing the top three of these problematic decisions.
Mistake #1: Failing to Compromise and Using Ugly Domains
A domain name is very valuable to individuals that are trying to build a well known website around a popular keyword or phrase. Niche website creators and inexperienced web developers will often make a compromise in their domain names in order to purchase one with the keywords they are seeking. The unfortunate side effect of making a compromise results in a very ugly domain that actually hurts the website because it looks unprofessional and sleazy, such as high-ranking-keyphrase-wesite.com.
Any website can rank well in search engines with enough efforts. Niche website creators have found that by using a keyword in domain names the website has a higher chance to rank well in search engines. Likewise, first time website owners are so set on purchasing a domain name they were set on that they end up creating a jumbled mess of hyphens and word modifiers.
Consider making a compromise in you domain name rather than creating an ugly domain that gives a little extra “SEO juice” or is the exact name you’re looking for. Brainstorm a branded domain that is far more likely to be memorable than one that comes across as sleazy and unprofessional. Consider using common word modifiers that make sense and relate to the key phrase you’re trying to snag. Don’t fail to compromise and end up with an ugly domain because people really do notice it and will bounce once they hit the site because it looks as if an amateur created the site.
Mistake #2: Not Purchasing the Additional Top-Level Extensions
A domain name can fall under multiple top-level extensions such as .com, .net, .org and many more. The most common top-level extension (and most prized) is the .com extension because it’s so frequently used and has become such commonplace that people assume to use .com when directly entering a domain name.
One of the biggest mistakes a new website owner can make, when purchasing domain names, is failing to pick up the other top-level extensions for their domain. Although the other extensions are additional costs when starting, it’s still very important in the event that the website grows and becomes popular over time. The reason for purchasing top-level domains is that people frequently “snipe” .net and .org extensions to falsely represent popular domains in the hopes to siphon traffic or even hold the domain name “hostage” in some ways.
Since your website builds a brand of its own, it’s important to have all channels that people reach your website by under your control. The additional purchase of the .net and .org domains are very inexpensive and can save new website owners many troubles in the long run especially when the website begins to grow in popularity.
Mistake #3: Failing to Act on a Great Domain
The final mistake is less about purchasing a bad domain or failing to pick up extensions rather than the new website owner failing to act on the domain. There are millions of new website owners that have purchased incredible domain names but have never done anything with them because they don’t understand what they’re sitting on or have become scatter brained and never get to work on the website.
The usual event that takes place in the web development community is that a great domain is found, the website is never created and months (or years) later another individual comes along and creates something incredible with a related or matching domain (such as with the other top-level extensions). The person that took action ends up building and incredible website while the original owner of the domain is left in shock and some-what jealous of the individuals success with “their domain”.
Don’t buy a domain name you’re not going to take action on. You will soon amass dozens of domains for each of your projects which results in hundreds of dollars being spent each year to renew the domains even though they’re not being used. If you purchase a great domain name than follow through with your project else someone else may come along and take all the glory.
Conclusion
If there is anything to be learned from the mistakes in this article is that a great domain takes time to come to light; brainstorming a great domain name may be an instant spark of inspiration or take many weeks on end. The domain name, in the end, becomes the brand which is why it’s important not to fall back to ugly domains, letting others siphon your traffic with knock-off websites under your name and taking action with your purchase to get your project underway. In all, these mistakes can easily be avoided now that you have the knowledge but it’s still up to you to take action and setup that first website.
A domain name is the unique identifier for your domain name host and is part of your URL which is placed into search engines and browser address bars to locate your website. In basic terms, it’s how people find your website when they use the Internet.
So then why is a domain name important? This article will explain the basics of domain names and why they matter when you’re launching a website or online project.
Domain Names: The Basics
A domain name, as noted, is the unique identifier for your domain name host which is where your website files are stored. Your domain name links your web host with a URL that people can use to locate your server files which, in turn, displays your website or delivers files.
Think of your domain name as your online identity.
Common examples of domain names are:
Amazon
Ebay
Facebook
In most cases, the domain name is also the business name of the website although it does not always fall under this case.
Domain names can be purchased through domain name registrars such as GoDaddy, NameCheap, 1&1 and many more. Once you’ve purchased your domain name, you can begin to setup your website by linking it to a web server where your files are stored.
Domain names are divided into different levels. For example, .com is a top-level domain just as .net, .org and .co also fall under this category. The mid-level domain is the name you’ve purchased (example.com) while sub-domains can also be a part of the domain such as sub.example.com.
After you’ve linked your domain name, you’ll have access to the website using a URL which may look like http://www.example.com. Once setup, you’ll be ready to operate your website and point people to your site.
The Importance of a Domain Name
In this section, you’ll learn of the importance of domain names now that you understand the basics.
A domain name is extremely important for the success of your website because it conveys what visitors can expect from the site and be used to build an online brand. Your domain name is your unique identity online and should be created with idea that if your website does become successful it will have the lasting power that you would expect from such brands as Amazon, Ebay and Facebook.
In direct terms, here’s why a good domain name matters:
It can become memorable so people will come back and tell friends and family
It would be taken serious if you’re building a business or brand
It helps build a strong, online brand
Since all of your work on-site and off-site will fall under your domain name, you will need to make sure you choose a great name from the very beginning. A great domain name will fall under all of the described opportunities. Over time, a domain name will be synonymous with what you have to offer (your message) and what your brand represents. You are likely to fail if you choose a forgettable domain name from the beginning (although this isn’t always the case for some websites).
In all, a domain name conveys everything about your website and will give you the opportunity to grow beyond the basics. Choose a great name in the beginning and there will be no end in sight as to what your website can accomplish.
Conclusion
In this article, you’ve learned the very basics of domain names and why they matter. When starting a website, launch with a name that will be memorable. Use the information contained in this article to understand the importance of domains and how they work on the basic level so you have the knowledge of moving forward.
Domain names, for those that are considering taking the plunge of launching a website, bring up interesting topics of discussions and questions left to be answered. This article is a list of frequently asked questions about domain names and the registration process.
What is a Domain Name?
A domain name is a unique identity for the location of your web server. The domain name acts as a simple name people can use to easily access the file located on your web host which, in turn, displays the files in the form of your website.
How much do Domain Names cost?
Domain name registration is relatively cheap. The average price you can expect to pay for a domain name can have a range between $4 – $13, that is, if it has not already been claimed. In the event you need a domain name that falls under the “premium” category, you can expect to pay more. Some domains names have sold for many thousands (even millions) of dollars to the right investor. For the most part, however, domain names are very affordable for any person and can be bought on different scales depending on the domain name registrar.
What is a Reliable Domain Name Registrar?
There is hundreds of domain name registrars available ranging from a sole individual operating a web server to humungous companies that make millions ever year. The most reliable domain name registrars are discretionary to your own needs but ones that always fall within favor of tech-savvy individuals are GoDaddy, NameCheap and 1&1. The main element to look for, with domains, is the customer support provided by the companies. Domains are fairly straight forward but what you will want to ensure is that you always have access to an individual to clear up any problems that may arise.
What are .Net, .Org and other Top-Level Extensions?
A common question about domain names is whether or not to register the .net and .org extensions (to name just a few of the many options). The additional top-level domain extensions are a discretionary decision that’s up to you, in reality. However, in the event that a website grows and becomes popular it’s common place to see competitors snagging up the .net and .org extensions in the attempt to siphon off web traffic from the main website. To protect your digital asset, purchasing the .net and .org extensions are a good practice otherwise it may just be an unnecessary expense for your budget; the choice is yours.
What if someone already has the Domain I want?
Unfortunately, there isn’t much that can be done when another individual claims a domain name. The exception to the matter is if a person knowingly purchases a domain name in the attempt to falsely represent a trademark or an individual (such as yourname.com). In the event someone claims a domain that infringes upon trademark or individual rights they can be handed a cease and desist from the domain name registrar upon request which will alert them to hand over the domain. Otherwise, domain names are open range and it works as a first come, first serve basis.
Conclusion
In this article, you’ve learned the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about domain names. The information in this article should help improve your logical decision making skills when it comes to purchasing and understanding domain names. The next step of the process is to take the leap and purchase your domain; it’s much easier than you can ever imagine.
The domain name for your website represents everything about your online brand and what people can expect on your website. The proper choice in a domain name will need to be one which not only explains the subject matter of a site but also have the potential to build a brand which leads to new ventures in the future. This article explores the steps in choosing a great domain name for your website.
What is your website about?
First off, find out what your website will be about such as the topics you plan to cover and the information you wish to teach. The domain name for your website may want to convey your topic so people know exactly what to expect prior to visiting your website.
The benefit of naming your website about your topic is that you will improve your community awareness and association to the niche. The downside is that if you plan to expand outside of your niche, you may cause confusion because of closing yourself into a corner because of the domain. Weigh out your choices and stay aware of what happens to your domain and website if it becomes extremely successful.
SEO vs. brand domain names
The biggest question that is likely to cross your mind when choosing a domain name is whether to focus on SEO friendly names or one that has the potential for branding.
An SEO-Friendly domain has greater chances to rank well in search engines. Search engine spiders will discover your website and associate the topic based around your website URL in combination to other search engine optimization factors. The combination of domain name and SEO strategies will greatly increase your web presence but the downside is that your website will be limited to the topic because it would confuse visitors about the topic if the site conveys on idea in the domain and another in the actual content.
A brandable domain name has unlimited potential for growth and long-term activity because it doesn’t corner itself to a single topic. A brand name allows you to expand into new ventures and topics on your website without creating confusion caused by SEO-Friendly domain names. Even though you may not receive the SEO bonus, you’ll be able to expand and grow into new opportunities once you’ve built a name for yourself.
What are your plans for the future?
Finally, figure out what you want to do with your blog in the future; where it will grow with its success. The domain name of your blog, as noted, has the potential to become a brand. One day, you may want to sell your website but this isn’t likely to happen if your domain name is your actual name. Likewise, if your domain name was one related to a trend and such trend dies off than it doesn’t have the staying power that it originally had.
Find out what your plans for the future will be when weighing in the name for your website. Imagine if your website became extremely successful; what do you want people to think when they land on your website and read your domain name? Make sure your domain has staying power.
Conclusion
In this article, you’ve learned of three different elements to consider when choosing a great domain name. Weigh in each of elements discussed in this article so you may choose a web domain that has the potential to provide you with your desired effects (higher rankings, brand ability and more). The choice for your domain is yours; make it a good one.
Need a domain name for your new website or online project? The process of buying a domain name is quite simple and can be achieved in just three easy steps; this article shares how.
Step 1: Choose a Domain Name
The first step in registering a domain name is to create a name that you’ll be using. The domain name of your website is extremely important. Your domain can take on SEO benefits if it uses a keyword in the URL, be completely wild or used specifically for branding purposes.
For example, here are three types of domain names you could go with:
SEO domain – www.redbicyclesforsale.com
Wild – www.real.ly
Brand – www.TampaSEOCompany.com
The choice for your domain name will be completely dependant on your website needs. However, always keep in mind where you wish your website to grow in the future. Limiting your website to an SEO-friendly domain name may not be the best choice if you plan to expand out of the topic and subject at a later time. Likewise, a brandable website may not be all that important if you’re creating simple niche websites.
Generate a variety of domain name ideas for your website by taking an hour or more to kick around ideas. Ask friend and family what names they prefer. Find a domain name that fits your website perfectly even if it takes a few days to come up. Remember, you can change your domain at a later time but it can be disastrous if you built up the website too much because you’ll be hit with search engine placement penalties and may alienate your long-time visitors.
Step 2: Choose a Great Domain Name Registrar
Next, you will want to take a visit to a reliable domain name registrar where you will be purchasing your domain name. There are dozens of great domain name registrars online but, in this case, it’s good to go with one with a proven track record for being reliable, affordable and will give you support in the event you need it.
Here are some of the more popular domain name registrars online:
GoDaddy
NameCheap
1&1
Name
Each of these domain name registrars have been active for many years now and have been the choice for many website owners time and time again. Browse through each of the businesses to find ones that offer domain name registration within your budget and needs for support.
Step 3: Purchase your Domain Name
Finally, purchase your domain name through your domain name registrar. Type your domain name into the domain fields to do a quick search to check if your domain name is available. If your domain isn’t available than go back to step one and begin the process all over again else make a compromise by adding modifiers to the domain such as “hub”, “headquarters”, “reviews” and more.
The process for each domain name registrar is different but the general process is claiming your domain, adding your contact details and completing the purchase. At the time of your purchase, you may want to pick up the .net and .org extensions of your domain in the event that someone may “snipe” them in the future; some people try to falsely represent your website and steal your traffic which is why it may be important to pick up these related top-level domains.
After you’ve purchase your domain name, you’ll be given a confirmation email. Save your email information on file for safe keeping. Congratulations, you’ve purchase a domain name.
Conclusion
In this article, you’ve learn the three step process of registering a domain name. The entirety of the domain registration process can take less than 10 minutes if you have your domain name in mind else it may take you longer to find one that perfectly fits your website. In all, the domain name of your website is extremely important so you must pay special forward attention to how it will effect your website in due time from success.
When economic times get tough, everybody feels the need to cut back. Budgets are trimmed, people are let go, and every penny is spent as effectively as possible. People tend to want to stop spending money when they’re not making as much. While this is not the time for frivolous spending, it’s certainly not the time to stop spending on your marketing efforts. Your Internet marketing techniques can be an inexpensive way to drive sales during these tough economic times.
When retooling your marketing techniques, think about making them more streamlined but still keep them comprehensive. You’ll want to think in terms of marketing campaigns, giving you an overall package of materials to present, emphasizing key components of your product or service. Try to define your goals for the marketing campaign and tailor your actions toward achieving those goals.
Once you’ve come up with a marketing campaign with specific marketing goals, you’ll need to take a good, hard look at your website. Most likely, this is a great time to beef up your website and optimize its performance. Take a look at a few specific aspects of your website. First, take a look at how much punch your website has. The average person browsing the web will only spend about ten seconds on your site before making a decision to stay or go. Have you given them the information they’re looking for right away, in a unique way? Have you distinguished yourself from the rest of the market? Once you’ve given them information in a unique, unusual and straightforward way, direct them through your site to the information that will cement the sale of your service product.
Use lists, lists, and more lists! Use your email list. This can be done in a variety of ways. Fresh, creative email marketing strategies can generate traffic to your website. Offer customer loyalty discounts or secret sales. Try to think about what sort of customer base you have and how to best reach them.
If you’ve not used blogging as a marketing technique before, this would be a good time to test it out in your market. If you think about blogging as a way of talking about your products and services, you can see how this method could get a lot of useful information out to the consumers. Blogging is a very effective technique for many markets and can bring about great results. Another technique to try is to market using social networks, such as Facebook.
The best marketing strategies for every business depend on the product, the service, and the situation. It’s important to assess the needs of your business and take a look at the marketing strategies you’ve used in the past. You’ll be able to improve on those strategies and hopefully choose a few new, inexpensive strategies to help drive your business. Putting together an effective marketing campaign and targeting your efforts toward meeting the goals of that campaign will give you a boost in these tough economic times.
It always sounds so good when you hear or read about it. Be your own boss! Work from home and set your own hours! Pull in handfuls of money every day!!! It’s easy to get swayed by the hype and the headlines and get sucked in by the momentum of jumping into a home based business. But before you make the leap, take a look at some factors that just might make or break your home business.
Who Are You?
What sort of a worker are you? Are you someone who likes to go to work at nine and be home at 5 and never think about work again until the next morning? Are you self-motivated? Can you assign yourself tasks and complete them? Running a business really takes someone with an entrepreneurial spirit. You have to be willing to take on the responsibility of the business – and its ultimate success or failure. What are your strengths? What are your skills? What do you know about the company you’re starting? How knowledgeable are you about this business already and how much do you have to learn? How comfortable are you with the variety of tasks that might be necessary to run this business, such as marketing and payroll? If you feel that you are a self-starter with the knowledge and desire to start your own business and see it through, running a business from your home might be a great option.
Where Are You?
Where is your home? How comfortable is it for you to work there? What are the needs of your business? If you have a business that sells a service, are people going to be coming to your home to meet with you? Will you need a home office? Can your home accommodate a home office? Are there zoning laws in your area that might prohibit you from opening the type of home business you’re looking at? If all you need for your business is a computer and a desk, then this might be an easy choice. If your business is more elaborate and involves meetings and products and a formal home office, you will need to assess whether you’re able to meet those needs in your present home.
Who Else is There With You?
Home based businesses are very popular these days for the flexibility they afford as well as the autonomy. Many parents are interested in a starting a business from their home when they are involved with juggling the needs of their children with the needs of making a living. Take some time to carefully assess your living situation and try to determine whether this type of business is right for you. You may be trying to parent an infant and a toddler as well as trying to run a business, which can be tricky, especially when it comes to phone calls and meetings.
A business you operate from your home can afford you flexibility, autonomy and a great deal of satisfaction. If you have the right personality, the right location, and the right business, a home based business can be just the right thing for you.
Everybody’s worried during these tough economic times. Questions are racing through people’s heads. What would happen if I lost my job? How would I pay my mortgage? Feed my family? How would I meet my monthly bills?
In order to alleviate some of the anxiety surrounding these issues, lots of people are looking for a Plan B, a plan to make money if their current source of income disappears. A logical place to turn has been the Internet. But is it still possible to make money online during this recession?
The short answer is yes. During times of economic crises, people have historically turned to alternative means of making money. This recession will be no different in that regard, but many people will be looking to the Internet to meet their economic needs. Let’s take a look at some of the possibilities.
During this recession, there will be many people who still have a bit of disposable cash and who will be willing to pay for the things that bring them happiness. Finding a niche in these markets can be a profitable business. Research what niches are hot and develop a service or a product that will be valuable in that market. Use Internet marketing strategies to make your service or product profitable.
Another sector of the Internet that could potentially make money during this recession is the online training market. People who have been downsized from their jobs or who are afraid of being let go will be looking to learn new skills. Online training is an economical and efficient way for people to learn new skills. An online business that runs and manages job training could be quite profitable during this period of economic downturn.
Blogging is another way to earn money online during this recession. In this day and age, almost everyone has a personal blog. But blogs are not just for personal use anymore. Companies are using blogs as ways to get people to connect and as a way to get information to their customers. Blog design and blog writing are all solid ways to get into a profitable online business.
It is wise to careful about investing in an online business. There are lots of scammers out there that will try to convince you that you can make lots of money online if you do things their way. Try to keep your head and not get sucked into their marketing delusions. Yes, there is money to be made, but it’s not a magical process. In order to make money online, you’ll have to provide a real product or a real service. It will have to be something that people are willing to part with their money for, so it will need to be well researched and marketed carefully.
Making a Plan B with an online business is a solid idea if you execute it with care. And if you do it carefully and do it well, your online business just might become your Plan A!
Say you’re just an average person with a website, a blog and maybe an idea for a product you want to develop. You really haven’t gotten it all together to get a business up and running but you are really interested in making some money using your website while you get your business plan together. Affiliate marketing might be the solution you’re looking for.
Affiliate marketing is a simple concept. A business with a product or a service to sell will “hire” affiliates. These affiliates may or may not have their own service to sell, but what they will do is offer to provide a service to the original business. This can be anything from providing a link on a webpage to direct customers to the business’s website to guaranteeing 500 unique hits for the business website each month. In truth, the agreement between the business and the affiliate can be for any service they agree on. The payment is usually some percentage of the business’s profits from sales generated by the affiliate.
Businesses love affiliate marketing because for a small price, the affiliates help drive customers to their website. These are potential customers who might not have stumbled on the website without the direction of the affiliate. With proper planning, businesses can usually agree to work with affiliates for less than traditional marketing methods would cost. So for less money and only the work of hiring and paying the affiliate, the business has expanded its customer base and its marketing capabilities.
The affiliates make money directly from the payments from the business. The structure of these payments can be as simple as a penny per click through to as complex as a percentage of a specific sale. A lot of this depends on the product being sold and the nature of the business. Affiliates need to choose a business to affiliate with, which involves making some choices. In order to make money as an affiliate marketer, you’ll either have to choose a lucrative business to affiliate with or form an affiliation with many different businesses. There is middle ground in here as well, where you can be an affiliate for several businesses, not several hundred.
One of the largest affiliate programs available is Google’s AdSense. You give information to Google and Google then places ads on your website from businesses looking for affiliates who have some relevance to your website. From then on, it depends on the traffic your website generates as to how much money you make from these affiliations.
Take some time to assess your goals for affiliate marketing. If you are looking to be an affiliate for a business, how much money do you want to be generating each month? Will your website guarantee that for you or do you need to make some improvements to increase your web presence? Just as in any business, you will need to create your goals and your business plan designed to help you achieve those goals as quickly as possible.
