Premium Domain Brokers

written by

Joe Uddeme

Joe Uddeme

Premium Domain Brokers

Ever wondered what a premium domain broker does? NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme outlines the role of a domain broker – and explains why having one onside when searching for a great name can be invaluable.

 

As super-premium domain brokers specializing in .com names, it’s fascinating to see the large number of people who have no idea what domain brokers do for a living.

The domain name business is a lot like real estate, although there is no tangible piece of property. The inventory is digital in nature and typically consists of intellectual property (IP).

Domain names can be a fantastic alternative investment for someone looking to diversify their portfolio. As a long-term strategy, they tend to increase in value. They also have very small renewal fees.

There are many domain brokers in the domain name space. Many focus on all of the top level domains (such as .com, .ai, .org and so on). Others tend to skew towards one specific tld or just only a few.

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Reactive Vs.  Proactive Brokerage

If we drill down a little deeper, we see that two dominant types of brokers exist.

  1. Reactive Brokerage: These are the sales platforms that exist in this space. Potential clients use inbound sales platforms such as SEDO or Afternic, type in a keyword and buy their domain name.
  2. Proactive Brokerage: Brokers that take the time to build the leads and determine the best fit for a specific domain name.

I’m amazed how some domain brokers focus on reactive approach and don’t take the time to fully understand the opportunity they could present to clients.

Solid domain brokers understand web trends and algorithm updates. They understand the true value of the keyword and take the time to investigate every opportunity thoroughly.

Domain brokers should be proficient in the anatomy of the domain name. They should also be in tune with current market conditions when effectively pricing a premium domain name for sale.

Domain brokers should never overvalue a domain name. In addition, they should not create false promises for clients. Pricing should be realistic based on current market conditions. Everyone in the domain name industry loses when brokers over-promise and under-deliver.

 

The Name Experts Approach to Brokering

As 15+ year veterans of the industry, we take our work seriously. We have helped everyone from billionaire investor Mark Cuban to Tripadvisor secure great domain names, and like to think our clients quickly understand the difference between working with us and a less experienced broker – or one who is more reactive than proactive.

To hear what we can do for you, get in touch.

 

About the author

Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains.

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How to Buy a Domain Name Owned by Someone Else

Got a business idea? All set to buy a domain name so you can start dominating online? Some domains are readily available – others, less so. Here is our step-by-step guide to buying your dream domain name.   Option 1: buy a domain name from a domain registrar Choose a Domain Name: Perform a domain name search. Pick a name that represents your business or personal brand. Keep it short, memorable, and easy to spell. Choose the appropriate domain extension (e.g., .com, .net, .org). Check Availability: Use a domain registrar (like GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains) to check if your desired website name is available. Select a Domain Registrar Compare prices and services from domain registrars. Understand how domain locks and transfer processes work, and familiarize yourself with renewal costs and web hosting services. Most domain registrars offer promotions of a free domain name with a year renewal to register a domain name. A few providers include: GoDaddy- web hosting company, domain name registrar and marketplace offering many domain extensions to find your desired domain. Namecheap- domain name registrar and marketplace, offering whois database search and domain name registration to register a domain name. Bluehost- web hosting service and domain registrar. Google Domains- no longer operational after signing a deal with Squarespace. Register the Domain Once you’ve chosen a domain name registrar, follow these steps: Create an Account: 1. Sign up with the domain name registrar. Do your research and pick one whose services you like. 2. Add to Cart Select your desired web address and add it to your cart. 3. Domain Name Registration Process: Decide how long you want to hold the domain registration. (typically 1-10 years). Auto-renewal is another option to own the asset indefinitely. Choose your domain name registrars wisely! 4. Enable Domain Privacy Protection (optional): This hides your contact details from public records for added privacy protection. 5. Make Sure Domain is Locked: To avoid unauthorized use or theft, make sure the domain is locked in the current registrar. 6. Pay for the Domain extensions Enter your payment details and complete the purchase for your desired domain name registration. 7. Set Up Your Website’s domain Connect the unique domain to a website or email service, or hold onto it for future use or domain name trading to the highest bidder. That’s it! You now own the domain name as long as you continue to pay the yearly renewal costs within the registration period. Keep domain privacy enabled when registering a new domain. Option 2: Buy a domain name with a broker Find a Broker: Choose a domain broker service. Submit a Request: Provide the domain name you want to acquire and your budget. Broker Negotiation: The broker contacts the current domain owner and negotiates on your behalf. Agreement: Once a price is agreed upon, the broker secures the domain. Transaction: Complete payment through the broker’s secure system. Transfer: The domain is transferred to your account. This simplifies the process by letting the broker handle negotiations and logistics on your behalf. The broker can typically save you money with their expert negotiation tactics and industry-wide relationships. They can also provide the necessary domain name contract. From a marketing perspective, having the right domain is especially importan; you don’t want to settle for an unworthy alternative. Maybe you’ve already tried to find decent alternatives, but they’re not really the ones you want. Or, you have thought about using a different TLD (Top-Level Domain). While that is a feasible option, it can also confuse potential website visitors who might try to visit the .com when you own the .net version of a domain. Don’t give up just yet! You might be able to buy your ideal domain name directly from its current owner. Here’s how the process works for buying a domain name that is already taken. How To Buy A Domain Name That is Taken At Name Experts, we deal with buying and selling domain names on a regular basis and have helped many clients buy their ideal domain. We help you understand how to buy a domain name and the process to secure your perfect brand. Here is the 6-step process we follow when someone is interested in buying a domain name that is owned by someone else: Evaluate your internet domain name Find out who owns the domain Target the right contact person Determine your spending limit Negotiate without emotional attachment Transfer ownership of the domain 1. Evaluating Your Preferred Domain Name We know that a lot of work goes into finding the right domain name. The first step is to think about your long-term goals for your company, and make sure that your desired domain is a good fit for your business and what you intend to do with it. Once you’re sure that the domain you want is a good fit, you’ll need to evaluate the website currently on the domain. Is there a real working website there? Has it been updated recently? If it is, then most likely the owner won’t be interested in selling. However, if it’s really outdated or is just a placeholder website, then you can approach the owner with the confidence that you might be able to make a deal. Sometimes, owners of certain domains are just waiting for the right buyer to come their way and make an offer. Investigating the domain is crucial in making sure it is available and allows you to determine if buying a domain that is already owned by someone else is a realistic option. 2. Find Out Who Owns The Domain Once you decide that the domain name you’re after is the one you want, the next step is to find out who owns it. There are a number of different websites that can look up that information for you and the most common method is a Whois lookup. Entering your desired domain into one of the whois search sites will return information about that domain, including when the domain was registered, who registered it, and the contact information for the person or company that currently owns the domain. Unfortunately, accessibility to domain owners has really taken a hit with GDPR and some registrars offer advanced privacy protection services for free when you register a domain name. By adding more privacy to comply with GDPR regulations and additional measures to hide contact information, it can make it difficult for some folks to reach the rightful domain owners. If you are able to determine the domain owner’s contact information through the Whois lookup you can continue working through the next steps. But what if you can’t? It’s time to hire a broker. In a few seconds, they can help find an available domain name. 3. Target the Right Contact Person In some cases, the Whois lookup is just the start of the process. Some domain owners are very large, corporate power-houses that own hundreds or perhaps thousands of domain names and the contact information shown may not lead you to the correct person. Amazon.com is a perfect example. They own more than 41,152 domain names in their portfolio. Many of their domains go unused. How do you find the person involved with domain portfolio management, much less the domain you’re interested in, within Amazon’s 600,000+ employees? Did you Reach the Proper Decision Maker? Is it the project manager around that brand? Would it be marketing, CMO, Legal, Business Development, Webmaster, Technology etc? It’s a vital step to connect with the correct person or division within the company so you don’t spend time spinning your wheels. This is where working with a domain broker can be beneficial. They can do the research to identify the owner of the domain and establish contact for no additional fee. Depending on the extension you want, you may find the perfect domain name that works for your business. After contact is established, you need to determine whether the asset is indeed available for purchase – and if it is, will it be within your budget (and if not, can domain name price negotiations bring it down to an acceptable level)? 4. Determine Your Spending Limit Before you even start the negotiation process after you’ve found the owner, you want to think about the budget you have in mind. Make sure you think about what the owner went through, too. If they are actively using the domain to promote their business and have spent their time and money building a website, then you’ll want to make them a fair offer that reflects the domain’s value. If you partner with a domain broker, they can tell you what the domain is actually worth. They’ll conduct a valuation of the domain and can provide you with their estimate of a fair price. You can then use that to make a great offer that will simplify the negotiation process and hopefully get you closer to the outcome you desire for your business identity. 5. Negotiate Without Emotional Attachment Whatever you do next, don’t become emotionally attached to the asset when you start negotiating a price for the domain name. Ultimately, this could add headache, stress and more money to the equation if you start making decisions based on emotion. Remember that a negotiation is a give-and-take and should always try to create a win/win for both buyer and seller. If the price isn’t right and goes beyond your budget, you should be willing to walk away. Once you agree on terms, in most instances you would then either enter into a contract or purchase and sales agreement with the prospective seller or simply move right to one of the formidable escrow providers such as Escrow.com. Contracts and documents can become tricky and need to be completed diligently and professionally if necessary. You will also need to have proper legal representation to make sure you are protected accordingly. Documents can get stuck in legal or need board approval, and can certainly slow down the overall acquisition process. 6. Transfer Ownership of the Domain So now you have made proper contact, negotiated a price, handled the paperwork and set up the Escrow transaction. The buyer has agreed to terms and now you are ready to transfer the domain name. Domain transfers can sometimes be tricky but typically follow two forms for completion. The easiest way to transfer a domain name is by “pushing” the domain name within the current registrar. Alternatively, you may also choose to transfer your domain name to another registrar. To complete this, you will need an authorization code from the seller. Make sure the domain name is unlocked and privacy removed before you try and transfer the domain name. Once the transfer has been completed, you can release the funds to the seller and mark the transaction complete. The entire process for a domain name transaction can be completed in as short as 3-5 days, however most transactions take longer. Some transactions take months to come to fruition, but when complete you will have successfully purchased a domain name that was owned by someone else. What To Do if You Can’t Find the Domain Owner? If the Whois lookup doesn’t provide the contact information you need, it does not mean your path to purchasing the domain ends. Instead, reach out to a domain broker to continue the research process. They can conduct additional investigations into who owns a domain – or at least begin to track down contacts who can get them closer to finding that information. Partnering with a broker at this phase of the process is a great step to take as everything that follows can be challenging to do on your own. Not only is it time-consuming, but they’re experts at this and spend every day figuring out how to help people find their perfect domain.   Getting Support in Buying A Domain Name That is Already Taken Working with successful brokers can save you a lot of time, money, and hassle when it comes to getting the domain name you want. Reach out to us, and let us help you grow your business. We’d love to answer any questions about our services and help boost your confidence when it comes to buying and selling domains. 7 key reasons why you should buy a domain name: 1. Professionalism and Credibility Owning a custom domain (e.g., yourbusiness.com) makes your business look more professional and credible compared to using free services like yourbusiness.wordpress.com or Gmail addresses. 2. Brand Control A domain name helps establish and protect your brand identity. It ensures your business name is uniquely represented online and prevents others from using it. 3. Easy Online Access A custom domain makes it easier for customers to find your website, improving your online visibility and brand recognition so consumers can find your site properly. 4. Custom Email Addresses A domain allows you to create personalized, professional email addresses (e.g., [email protected]) that look more professional than generic ones. 5. SEO Benefits Having a relevant domain name can improve your search engine rankings, making it easier for potential customers to discover your website through organic search. What makes a ‘relevant’ domain? Check out our post about why a .com domain name is still king. 6. Long-Term Investment A domain name is a valuable digital asset that can appreciate over time, especially if it’s a premium or in-demand name. 7. Security Owning your domain means you have full control over your online presence and don’t rely on third-party platforms that could change policies or shut down. Buying a domain helps you establish a unique and trusted online presence, improve credibility, and create opportunities for future growth.   About the author Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains. Using his years of experience, negotiation skills and little black book of contacts, Joe is an expert at helping clients secure .com domain names that are already owned. Contact him at: [email protected]  

A man and a woman in office worker attire sit side-by-side looking at a computer screen (unseen) to denote a conversation about what happens about buying a domain name
What To Do After Buying a Domain Name

Congratulations! You bought a domain name. But now what? In this post, domain name expert Joe Uddeme explains what to do next to keep your domain name protected – and extract its full value.   “I have a domain name. Now what?” – this is a very common question people ask. The fact is, a domain name is pointless if you don’t do anything with it! After buying a domain, many things will run through your mind, and choosing how to use it productively can be confusing. However, don’t fret. This article will guide you on what to do after purchasing a domain name. Do it right, and you can leverage your domain name and build it into an attractive asset. Do it wrong, and you’ll waste 20 bucks on the temporary ownership of something you can’t even touch.   Key takeaways: What is web hosting and why do you need it? Building a website and a brand you can leverage Attracting online customers to your new business Planning your exit strategy Before we proceed, let’s run through how to buy a domain in the first place.   Acquiring Your Domain Buying a domain has become more simple than ever. In 2025, it’s just a few clicks and a swift online transaction. The first step is to choose a domain name you like that is relevant to your business. Afterwards, you can check if it’s available to buy immediately. Find a domain registrar accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization overseeing all domain names on the Internet. If the domain name is available, you can purchase it immediately from an accredited registrar. The price depends on how high the demand for the domain name is. If the domain name has already been claimed, you need a different approach. You can check domain marketplaces to see if the owner has possibly listed the domain for sale (see our list of the best domain marketplaces). Otherwise, you can possibly contact the owner to negotiate a deal. If this is out of your comfort zone and you have a high-value premium domain name in your sights, check out an experienced domain name broker with a great track record. For more details on securing a domain name, check our in-depth article about how to buy a domain name. What To Do After Buying A Domain Name You have acquired a domain name and have taken the first step in building your web presence. There are many other things to do after buying the domain, and we’ll outline them below. 1. Get Web Hosting Setup After buying a domain name, the first thing to consider is hosting a website with it. You’ll need a web hosting package from a reliable company. The company will host your website on its servers for a fee, and your website will be accessible once someone types your domain name into their web browser. Web hosting has become a walk in the park, at least in terms of getting started. You can get reliable web hosting for a few dollars monthly, and the price keeps going down as computing capacity increases around the globe. Sometimes, a domain registrar also offers web hosting services, meaning you can buy a domain name and a hosting package from the same platform. Otherwise, you can buy them separately and point your domain name to your hosting company’s servers. 2. Connect Your Domain to Your Hosting Connecting your domain to your hosting provider is relatively easy. You can do it via two methods: Changing the nameservers to those of your web hosting provider. Adding a DNS A record. Either method involves changing the domain name system (DNS) configurations from your domain registrar. Your registrar allows you to directly change the nameservers from its default to the one provided by your hosting company. You can also point your domain to the hosting company’s nameservers by adding a DNS A record. It’s the same action but with two different approaches. 3. Create an Email Address with Your New Domain Instead of using a common email address ending with “Gmail.com,” “Yahoo.com,” or “AOL.com,” you can use one ending with your custom domain name. It makes you look more professional and shows people you’re serious about your business. Many domain registrars also offer email hosting, so you can pay for it and create custom emails directly. Otherwise, you can choose an external email provider and change your domain’s DNS MX records to point to its mail servers. 4. Build Your Website and Brand The best way to put a domain to work is to create a website with it. It can be any type of website, such as a blog or online store. Creating a website is usually complex, but there are ready-made tools that make the process as easy as it can get. You can use a designated website builder like WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, etc. WordPress is the most common tool for building websites because of its versatility. You can use it to create virtually any type of website you want. Follow these steps: Install WordPress on your web hosting account (many hosting providers offer one-click WordPress installation). Afterwards, log into your WordPress dashboard to begin customizing your website.

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How to Rebrand Your Business and Domain Name

Even well-established businesses sometimes need to rebrand, and one of the biggest issues can be finding a new domain name to match. In this post, NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme looks at the smart way to do it.   Looking to rebrand your business? It’s rarely a walk in the park, with a to-do list that features everything from registering your new name, changing all of your company materials, and, crucially, securing a new domain name that can help your rebranded business to grow. There’s often a significant culture change, too, and it’s important your staff understand why you’re rebranding and what your hopes are for the new-look company. In this post, we’ll look at some key things to consider, including buying the domain name you’ll need. Key Takeaways The compelling reasons behind rebranding Considerations for your audience/marketplace Publicizing your new brand Practical considerations (logos, etc.)   How to rebrand a business Branding is a critical consideration for every business. Branding refers to promoting your products with a distinctive feel and design. It’s an ideal way to differentiate yourself from competitors. No matter how good your products are, you won’t sell them without proper branding and customer awareness. Branding isn’t an easy task. We wouldn’t have many companies struggling to sell themselves if it was. The world is littered with failed branding strategies, even from big brands. Netflix’s struggled early on to use Qwikster to break out its DVD rental service and its streaming service. However, a failed branding strategy isn’t the end of the world. Any business can rebrand and make it right with consumers. Netflix didn’t give up when its Qwikster brand failed. It continued DVD rentals with its usual name (successfully) before pivoting to video streaming later. When your initial branding strategy doesn’t work, the intelligent thing to do is a rebrand, and there are specific factors to consider when doing that. Be clear on what’s driving the rebrand Before initiating rebranding efforts, you must be clear on what’s driving the need for the rebranding. There are varying reasons for a business to rebrand, and each demands different strategies. The most common reasons for rebranding include: Having an outdated brand To reposition your brand Reputation management Brands can become outdated when they fail to keep up with rapid changes in modern style and influence. For example, a social media site from the early internet days won’t survive well in this current internet age when we have vastly different demographics. The early social media platforms became outdated over time, and those that failed to rebrand lost market share. You can also rebrand to reposition your company’s business strategy. If your original name focused on a niche, but has evolved to target a broader offering. FilterEasy to Second Nature is a good example of a brand that changed brand names to better align with their new offering. They originally focused on selling only filters but evolved to sell home care products. Check out our story about the rebranding of Monday.com for another great case study. Businesses also rebrand for reputational purposes. You may have started with a well-meaning name that unfortunately became associated with negative things in the future. A typical example is a Chinese fashion retailer named ISIS that had to rebrand when the name became associated with terrorist activities.   Focus on the Core Messaging Your rebrand should have clear and concise messaging. You should be able to tell a story with your new brand that customers can relate to. Just don’t rebrand without context – because that can irk existing customers. Let them know why you’re rebranding and why it’s better for the business. A simple explanation goes a long way in making your customers empathize with you despite the short-term inconvenience. Let your teams know this, too.   Consider your audience, market, and competition Take time to evaluate how your rebranding would affect your existing audience (customers) and standing against competitors in the market. Ensure you research to validate if your rebranding reasons are appropriate. How would your customers react to an unfamiliar brand name? Is there intense brand competition in your industry? These are good questions to ask before initiating any rebrand. You must be sure that the direction of your rebrand matches what customers want. There are two main types of branding research: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research entails collecting and analyzing numerical data to find patterns, while qualitative implies using non-numerical data. Focus groups are a good example.   Publicize your new brand Your rebranding efforts will be futile if you don’t make customers aware of it. Consumers have short attention spans, meaning they can easily forget your old brand. Once you rebrand, assume you’re a newly formed brand and market like one. Buy ads on social media platforms, search engines, TV, etc., to spread the word about your new identity.   How do I rebrand an existing business? 1. Buy a new domain name In this digital age, not having a website puts you on a lower level than your competitors. Hence, the first step to rebranding an existing business is securing the proper domain name. Before choosing your new brand name, check if a corresponding domain name is available. Your domain name is how customers would find you, so you can’t afford to make errors here. You can buy any available domain name through any domain registrar. However, there are cases where a domain you want is already taken, and you see yourself having no other choice. Don’t fret. You can enlist a domain name broker to find and contact the owner with an offer on your behalf. Domain brokerage services are great at negotiation and can take care of the technical side of domain name acquisition, too. 2. Change your logo A logo is an essential aspect of any brand because it’s one of the first things a customer recognizes and identifies with. Hence, you should change your logo during rebranding to signal your new brand identity. You can make your logo simpler for customers. Likewise, you can use unique colors to make your new brand stand out from your former. 3. Change your slogan Many brands have a slogan that customers resonate with, e.g., Nike’s “Just do it” and Disneyland’s “The happiest place on earth.” It would be best if you changed your slogan when rebranding to flaunt your new brand identity. 4. Create new ads You should create advertisements fitting your new brand identity. Your ads will now use a different slogan, color palette, keywords, etc.   What does it mean to rebrand a business? Rebranding is the process of changing an organization’s corporate image. It entails creating a new look and feel for an existing company to influence customer choices. A rebranding company would typically change its name (and domain), logo, slogan, vision, mission statement, etc.   Why would a company rebrand? There are various reasons why a company would rebrand. It could be repositioning themselves for a new business strategy, reputational management, or simply fixing an outdated brand. If a company is switching from a niche market to a larger one, it’s wise to rebrand appropriately to match its new focus. Likewise, if a company’s brand suffers from a poor reputation due to internal or external causes, a rebrand can help avert it.   Should you rebrand your business? Rebranding is a complex and expensive undertaking that you must do only with a clear goal. If you’re not looking to change your strategy, avert a reputational crisis, or face other standard issues that call for rebranding, we advise you to avoid it. However, in the right circumstances, it can give a struggling company or one with immediate challenges a new lease of life.   About the author Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains. Joe has helped with the rebranding of numerous large companies. Contact him at: [email protected]    

Why Work with Name Experts

Name Experts offers personalized domain brokerage services, assisting clients in buying or selling premium domain names with expert appraisal, negotiation, and complete transaction management while ensuring confidentiality.

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