written by
Joe Uddeme
How to Buy a Domain Name
How to Buy a Domain Name Owned by Someone Else
Negotiating a Domain Price
What is a Premium Domain Name & Why You Should Buy One
How to Choose a Domain Name
How to Value a Domain Name
Domain Names for Startups
How to Buy a .com Domain Name
Things to Watch Out for When Buying a Domain
Domain Name Investing
Buy & Selling Domains
Best Domains to Buy
Domain brokers like NameExperts.com help clients buy ‘premium’ domains – but what is a premium name, and how do you get one? In this post, domain name specialist Joe Uddeme lifts the lid on high-value web addresses.
Imagine a business today that didn’t have a website. Seems almost inconceivable, right? The internet is one of a business’ primary channels to entice potential customers, meaning any organization that doesn’t have an online presence is massively missing out.
The best way to showcase yourself online is by having a website stating clearly what you or your organization offers. And the way to do that? With a premium domain name.
The domain name is how people will find you on the web, so unless you strike it luck and some cheap random jumble of letters you’ve bought as a domain name suddenly becomes in vogue, you’ll need to dig deep and buy a premium domain name.
But what are the elements of a premium domain – and how much are you going to have to pay? Read on for the full details.
Key Takeaways
Premium domain names are high-quality domain names, giving you greater recognition on the internet. They’re often short, catchy, and memorable. They’re the domain names that people are likely to search for and trust over other names.
A premium domain name would go a long way in drawing organic traffic to your website. They’re usually costly, but one of the best investments you can make.
It’s not a coincidence that most of the successful online businesses we know have premium domain names – see Stripe.com, Amazon.com, Google.com and other big-hitters.
The easiest way to determine if a domain name is premium is the price you see when you search for it for a domain registrar. Likewise, you can use a premium domain checker for this task.
Premium domain names often range from a few hundred dollars to thousands or tens of thousands. They can go for even larger sums – as our post about the most expensive domains ever sold illustrates.
There are also specific characteristics differentiating premium domain names from the pool of all domains, and they include:
“The shorter the name, the better” is the rule of thumb when it comes to domain names. Most two or three-letter domains are considered premium because they’re easy to imprint on customers’ minds.
These short names are also usually abbreviations adopted by various companies, so there’s intense competition for them.
Domain names consisting of generic words fetch a higher value than those with non-generic words. Generic names are easy to remember and brand, so there’s significant demand for them.
You’d have an advantage over competitors if your domain name consists of a word that broadly relates to your industry.
For example, Checkout.com, Bill.com, and Authorize.net are leading payment providers. Crypto.com and Blockchain.com are two famous cryptocurrency exchanges.
Customers need little effort to memorize such generic domain names, so it gives these companies a significant marketing advantage compared to their peers.
Search engines are the primary way people discover websites. Hence, any domain name matching what people mostly search for carries more weight.
CreditCards.com, HouseRepairs.com, and RentalCars.com are examples of domain names with high value stemming from search engine optimization.
Some domain names don’t look attractive at first glance but see great demand from prospective buyers for various reasons. These domains command high values because of the bidding war over them.
Numerous domain registrars let you check for available domain names, and it’s easy to identify the premium ones based on their prices and the other factors stated above.
If the domain name you want is already taken, don’t give up. You could still acquire it by making a direct offer (more on that below).
The first step to buying a premium domain name is knowing if it’s available using a premium domain checker. You can buy it straight away if it is. If not, you’ll need to find the owner.
Many domain names are registered but not utilized to a considerable extent. Sometimes, you’ll see a homepage filled with advertisements and affiliate links but hardly any content.
This is an attempt by the owner to monetize what’s basically an abandoned site. If you encounter such a website, then it’s positive news for you. The owner is more likely to sell than someone actively hosting a site and doing good business.
If the website has a contact form, you can use it to reach out to the owner with an offer. If not, you must get creative in finding them. The easiest way to do this is through the WHOIS database.
It is a public database containing the information collected when someone registers a domain name or adjusts their DNS settings. ICANN, or the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, regulates the WHOIS database.
ICANN allows anyone to search its public database for domain name ownership information. You can do that through the agency’s online lookup tool or your PC’s command prompt.
The official URL of ICANN’s WHOIS lookup tool is lookup.icann.org. Once you open that page, you’ll see a search bar where you can type in any domain name and press the lookup button. We searched for Microsoft.com to demonstrate, and we got the results shown below:
You can see the email assigned to Microsoft’s domain name is [email protected]. Hypothetically, we can contact that email with an offer for the Microsoft.com domain name, but we’re pretty sure the well-known technology company isn’t willing to sell.
Searching WHOIS through your Windows command prompt is a complex process, so we recommend that only computer geeks take this route.
Step 1:
Download the whois.exe file from this link.
Step 2:
Open the command prompt terminal.
Step 3:
Set the command prompt directory to the folder where you save the whois.exe file.
Step 4:
Type in your query in the following format: Whois domain.com or Whois64 domain.com if you’re running a 64-bit computer. If you want to search for Microsoft’s domain name info, then type Whois Microsoft.com, and you’ll see the contact information.
Sometimes, a domain name owner may have enabled privacy protection through their registrar, meaning you can’t see their information. It implies that they’re likely not interested in selling their domain.
With the contact information, it’s time to negotiate a domain name sale. The process can be hectic and take long periods, so we advise you to hire an experienced domain name broker to help you.
A premium domain name carries more authority on the web, meaning you’re more likely to get found through search engines or social media. It also brings about better brand recognition, making it easy to attract customers through advertisements.
Many domain registrars have a premium domain checker for their users to find and bid for premium domains without stress. Examples include Name.com and Domain.com.
Anybody or any organization can own a premium domain name. Some are owned by business-savvy people or companies looking to flip them for a profit. Some are owned by domain name registrars themselves hoping to find buyers.
There are various factors to consider when valuing a domain name. They include length, how generic they are, search engine recognition, and historical domain name sales data.
There are numerous appraisal tools available online that combine these attributes to value individual domain names. A good example is GoDaddy’s Domain Name Value & Appraisal tool.
The price of premium domains can be high because there’s considerable demand for them. The number of premium domain names is significantly less than the number of potential customers vying for them. Hence, premium domain owners can charge high prices and still make easy sales.
As professional domain name brokers, this is the world we live in – and we help people buy and sell premium domains globally every week. Clients choose us for our years of experience – it means we can help them get hold of names that seem impossible to purchase.
Our expert negotiation skills often save clients large sums of money, too.
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. Contact us at: [email protected]
Updated for 2026 | Securing the perfect domain is crucial for setting your business apart –and that’s where domain name brokers come in. In this comprehensive review, domain industry expert Joe Uddeme highlights 10 of the best domain name brokerage services and explains their pros and cons.
Some things are hard to put a value on. Did Apple need a multi-billion dollar ‘infinite loop’ HQ – or did they get something much more than a fancy address? NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme explains how the true value of a premium domain name sometimes runs much deeper than you think. You are likely searching around the web right now for “domain premium names” or some mash-up of those three words, wondering which ones you’re likely to buy for yourself or your company. You’ve already weighed up the pros and cons of choosing a premium domain name over a regular $20 one. First up, well done. You’ve recognised that if you want to buy a great domain name, you’re going to have to pay for it. A premium domain might only cost a few hundred dollars (though it could cost a lot more), but you have at least figured out that it may have a certain value. A domain which has what we call ‘jurisdiction’ is one that already performs well on search engines. A number of the critical indicators that prove that your domain name has jurisdiction are its domain authority, traffic, and links. Usually, premium domains come with an existing domain authority that will enhance your website’s rank with search engines. Here’s why buying a good one can be well worth it. Key Takeaways Save money on advertising with a strong premium domain Expect an instant flow of traffic Get help if you’re not sure where to begin You Don’t Need to Spend Too Much on Advertising Most of us recognize that sites with a fantastic ranking on Google are advantageous for their owners. When the keywords being searched are a specific match to keywords in your domain name, odds are your site will rank quite high on search engines – especially if the content is good and has been optimized for SEO. Many people are harnessing the net by producing multiple domain names in the hope their company will enjoy more exposure. However, the majority of these additional domains provide very little value as most are unsecured. They can also be harmful. Domains which have a recognizable extension like .com or even .net are more reliable and will enhance your website’s click-through rate. Clients Will Find You Quicker Domain names that are brief and contain keywords are in high demand since they help your clients to locate you quickly. They’re also more memorable. It is far better to invest in a premium domain name that’s brief, descriptive and matches what clients are looking for. Every website owner will tell you they spend half their life trying to attract new clients to their website. The battle can be won before it’s even started if you choose the right premium domain name. Expert Guidance for New Domain Name Buyers Experienced domain name brokerages like NameExperts.com are popular among business owners who don’t have the necessary experience or knowledge to confidently make decisions about their domain name strategy. As well as offering expert impartial advice, we can track down owners of off-market names and conduct all negotiations on your behalf. Our clients – which include Tripadvisor, Monday.com and Mark Cuban – regularly tell us our services save them time and money. 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. Contact us at: [email protected]
If you don’t tread carefully, anyone in the world can find out who bought the web address you just snapped up. Domain name expert Joe Uddeme shares his top tips for staying out of the limelight. In the rush of excitement that comes with securing a name – especially a desirable, premium domain name you’ve been after – it’s easy to overlook one of the most basic elements of name registration: shielding your identity. Millions of people before you have forgotten to do it – precisely because it is so easy to overlook. Or perhaps you spotted the option to stay anonymous but didn’t quite understand what it meant – or felt it wasn’t worth the cost. Here’s how to stay out of the WHOIS database when buying a domain name – and why you might want to. Key takeaways: Understanding your Domain Privacy options Discover which countries keep your name secret by default The benefits of keeping your information private How to ensure your name stays out of the picture Discover Domain Privacy FAQs What Is Domain Privacy? Domain privacy is a service domain registrars offer customers to hide their information from the public WHOIS database. Customers pay for privacy from their registrar, which replaces their contact information in the WHOIS database with a forwarding address. What Does Domain Privacy and Protection Do? It removes a domain owner’s information from the public WHOIS database and preserves their privacy. The WHOIS database is a vast database operated by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN is the agency that oversees domain names, and every individual or company that buys a domain name must provide their contact information to this agency. ICANN, in turn, lists all contact information in a public database called WHOIS. Anyone can search the WHOIS database to get the contact information of a domain’s owner. Many owners are uncomfortable with their contact information being listed publicly, so they pay their domain registrars for domain privacy and protection. The registrar replaces the customer’s contact information with a forwarding or proxy address on the WHOIS database, so people can’t look up the real contact details. Do I Need Domain Privacy? You need to pay for privacy protection if you’re uncomfortable with your email address or phone number being posted online. Many spammers and telemarketers scour the WHOIS database for the contact information of domain owners to sell them products. Domain name privacy protection prevents this from happening. People residing within the European Union (EU) don’t need to pay for domain privacy because they get it by default. On 25 May 2018, the EU passed the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ruling. This ruling mandated companies serving EU residents to give customers control over their data. EU customers were granted strict data privacy under this law, so domain registrars began hiding their information from the WHOIS database by default. Many other countries have passed laws similar to GDPR, such as Turkey, South Korea, Argentina, and Brazil. The United Kingdom (UK), a former EU member, also passed a similar law. You may not need to purchase a domain name private registration if you reside in these countries. However, customers in other countries need domain privacy and protection to hide their contact information. How Important Is Domain Protection? It is important because it lets you hide your contact information from the public view. Without this protection, your personal information will be available to anyone who wishes to find it, and malicious actors may take advantage of this freedom to target you with cyberattacks and domain name scams. Benefits Of Privacy Protection 1. Protects Personal Information Buying privacy protection when registering a domain removes your personal information from the public eye. People won’t be able to find your contact information by looking up your domain name on the WHOIS database. Instead, they’ll see the contact information of your domain registrar, which they can’t trace back to you. 2. Minimizes and Prevents Spam Spam is the biggest problem on the internet. It refers to any irrelevant and solicited message sent over the internet, usually to advertise products or steal information via phishing. Spammers search every possible medium to harvest emails and phone numbers, including the WHOIS database. Domain protection hides your details from this database so spammers can not target you with unsolicited messages. 3. Anonymity Many people are uncomfortable with their personal information being on the internet for whatever reason. Domain privacy and protection grants you anonymity even when you control many domain names. 4. Prevents Competitive Data Mining Businesses often mine public databases for information about their competitors. For example, if you run a popular blog anonymously, rival blogs may want to discover your identity and research potentially damaging information about you. Domain privacy and protection ensures that competitors can’t trace your identity through your domain name. 5. Prevents Domain Theft Hackers often target owners of valuable domain names with phishing messages to steal their registrar login details. They do this by sending a link to a website that looks exactly like your domain registrar’s page but is actually a different web address. The end game is to log into the owner’s registrar with the stolen details and transfer their domain name to another account. Purchasing domain privacy means that hackers won’t find your contact information in the first place. You can hold onto your valuable domain names without fear of being targeted by sophisticated cybercriminals. (Check out our post about what to do if you lose your domain name). How To Get Domain Privacy And Protection When Buying a Domain Most registrars display the option to add privacy protection to your cart when you choose to buy a domain name. It’s an effective method of upselling because they know many customers want privacy. Look for “hide WHOIS information,” “domain privacy,” “domain protection,” or a similar phrase on the domain registration box and select it. Head to the checkout page and pay for the registration, privacy protection, and any other item you selected. After paying, you’ll automatically have WHOIS protection for your new domain. Add To An Existing Domain You can always buy privacy protection for a domain name you already own. Follow these steps; Log into your domain registrar account. Head to the domain management section. Click on the specific domain name you need privacy for. Open the Security tab, and you’ll likely find a button that prompts you to buy WHOIS protection. Click on the button and proceed to your checkout page to pay. Wait for some time after the payment confirmation for your registrar to update the WHOIS database information. There are dozens of domain registrars, and the steps to add privacy protection to an existing domain are similar to what we explained above for each of them. FAQs on Domain Privacy Should I add privacy protection when buying and selling domains? Yes, you should add the option to hide domain registration info because it has many benefits. It prevents spam, competitive data mining, and potential domain theft. It also guarantees anonymity on the WHOIS database, which is desirable for privacy-conscious customers. If you are working with multiple domain names, especially high-value ones, an experienced domain consultant can ensure all of this is taken care of on your behalf. How Do You Buy A Domain With Privacy Protection You’ll usually see an option to buy privacy protection on the page where you search for an available domain. Add the privacy protection item to your cart alongside the domain name and pay, and you have successfully acquired privacy protection for your new domain. Is privacy protection available on all domains? It’s available for most domains, but there are some exceptions due to government rules. These include .US., .CA, and .FR, among others. Is there a cost to domain privacy and protection? Most registrars charge between $10 and $20 annually for privacy protection while registering a domain. However, a few offer it for free, e.g., NameCheap. 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. Need help? Contact us at: [email protected]
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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