How Much Do Domain Names Cost? Everything You Need To Know

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JoeUddeme

JoeUddeme

How Much Do Domain Names Cost? Everything You Need To Know

When it’s time to start your business online, then securing a domain name is the first step. Regardless of whether or not your business is established, you can’t create a website without a domain name. If you’re like most business owners, you’re probably wondering how much do domain names cost? You might also have questions about how much time you should spend looking for the right domain. Fortunately, we’ve got the inside scoop on what you need to know.

Your domain name essentially functions as your website’s address, so you want to make sure you have one that is simple and relevant. You’ll also want to make sure it’s easy to remember so that people can easily find you and your business online. With all of that in mind, it’s easy to see why some people are willing to break the bank to get the domain name they want. If your domain name is just right, it can greatly increase website traffic. Here we go over everything you need to know about domain names and what goes into how much they cost.

What You Need To Know About How Much Do Domain Name Cost

Read on as we discuss what a domain name is, why you need it, and how much do domain names cost.

What Is A Domain Name

You don’t want to shell out a ton of money on a domain name without first understanding what you’re paying for. We mentioned it above, but a domain name is the web address you type into a browser to bring up your specific website. It typically will start with https or www and will end with something common like .com. You’ll recognize some of the higher profile (read: high traffic volume) domain names like www.google.com or www.irs.com.

Why Do You Need To Purchase One

If you want to have a website, then registering your domain is absolutely necessary. There are three main reasons why you might need to buy a domain.

First, you’re building a website. You’ll most likely use a domain name that ties in with your business name or utilizes keywords that are related to your company. This is a non-negotiable part of the business world – you need a domain name.

Another reason you might register a domain name is when you’re considering starting a business or website. If you have a great idea for a business or a website, then you might want to jump on registering the domain you want. Stake your claim before anyone else comes along and takes it before you’re ready to execute.

The third reason that people start to wonder how much domain names cost and start registering domain names is when they are investing. Domain name investing was really popular at the start of the internet age, when popular keywords were still available. Nowadays, a lot of domain names are already taken, but domain investing can still be a great way to earn money. Especially if you’re working with a domain broker, you can find domains that have the potential for significant value and buy them now so that you can sell them for a profit later.

How Much Do Domain Names Cost

In general, you can purchase a domain name for $2-$20 a year, depending on discounts available and who you’re purchasing it from. Newer domain extensions, the part at the end of your address, like .app or .info might cost more, as they are newer on the market.

We can break down how much do domain names cost based on a couple of factors. Like we just said, the domain extension can increase the price, using .com might be more expensive than .shop. Where you purchase your domain name is another factor. A reputable registrar might be less expensive than an aftermarket service or private seller.

Additionally, if you choose to register for multiple years and electing to include domain privacy can also increase or decrease the price of your domain name. You’ll find that the most expensive domain names will be the ones you’ll find on auction houses, through private sellers, or aftermarket services.

Unfortunately, there are no hard or definitive prices for domain names, regardless of the avenue you choose to purchase from. The domain name industry varies just like real estate. Sometimes it’s a sellers market, sometimes it’s a buyers market.

Make sure you consult a domain broker if you’re looking to buy from a private seller, or are looking to purchase a domain that is already owned. Brokers are experienced and can handle all of the ins and outs of the acquisition and negotiation process so that you get the domain you deserve at a fair price.

Why You Should Hire A Broker

Like we mentioned above, hiring an experienced domain broker might be the best idea to make sure you get the domain you want. In today’s digital market, there isn’t really a reason your domain should cost an arm and a leg – unless you have zero flexibility in your name choice. It is rare that your domain cost will be high.

With that being said however, you should look out for hidden fees, discount scams, and even hidden costs in your written agreements. This is where having a domain broker on your side comes in handy. They know the lingo, they’ve negotiated before, and they aren’t emotionally invested, which means they just want to get you the best deal.

Let a broker help you navigate this industry, and help you determine what might be too good to be true. Sometimes when a great domain seems really cheap, it might be because there are hidden fees when registering. A domain broker can help you choose a reputable registrar and find the right price.

At Name Experts, we encourage you to do your due diligence and research domain registrars and the cost of domain names. You don’t want to end up getting scammed or pay way too much for a domain. Instead, let us show you how Name Experts got its name, and answer all of your questions, including how much do domain names cost. Reach out to us today and let us help you with all of your domain name needs.

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The Best Places to Buy and Sell Domain Names

1. Sedo Sedo is a dedicated domain marketplace (similar to GoDaddy) with millions of users. It has been around for over two decades, making it a trusted marketplace for buying and selling domains. Any domain name owner can sign up for free and list their domain for sale on the website, and prospective buyers can easily contact them through the platform to buy domains. On Sedo, sellers can set a fixed price for their domain, put it up for auction, or indicate that they’re entertaining offers with an unspecified price range. When buyers come to the site, they can search for any keyword and check if anyone has listed a related domain name on the market. Sedo Search Sample: The first three results are bikes.org, bikes.co, and bikes.biz, which are premium domain names and Sedo also includes other domain names that are closely related to your search phrase to sell domains. The first two domains in this example have a Make Offer buttons next to them, while the last has a Buy It Now button for your popular domain. This indicates that the domain sellers of the first two domains put them up for auction, while the third domain’s owner set a fixed price for their marketing strategy. As a buyer, you’re free to search for any specific URL and find related domains listed on Sedo to find the perfect domain. Purchasing from the domain marketplace requires added registration and jumping through a few other hoops, but it’s worth it as Sedo has such a large selection of premium domains available for acquisition. 2. NamePros NamePros is an online community for domain name owners to interact and discuss events related to their industry. In the forum’s early days, users commonly posted they had domain names available for sale and wanted to connect with potential buyers. Observing this, the owner of the forum launched an official domain marketplace section for buying and selling domain names. On NamePros, any registered user can list the domain names they have available in a forum post. To make the domains easy for prospective buyers to find, NamePros has formal categories that users can attach to their posts to find the perfect domain. How much is it worth? Namepros can also share pertinent details of recently sold domains that are similar in nature to your domain search. Because it is a forum, NamePros only helps buyers and owners find each other and it’s up to them to negotiate and decide how they’ll handle payments for the domain. This is unlike Sedo, which facilitates payments and domain transfers for its users among other services. When using NamePros to buy a domain you should be more careful about your purchase. Set specific terms with the seller before proceeding on any deal and use a trusted online escrow service (e.g. Escrow.com) to ensure that the payment goes through only after the seller has transferred the domain name to your preferred registrar. You can find a large variety of domain names for sale on NamePros, making it one of the best domain marketplaces in the World. 3. Flippa Flippa is a marketplace competing with Godaddy for buying and selling online properties, including websites and domain names. The platform has facilitated millions of dollars in domain name sales since its inception in 2009 and has built a reputation as one of the most trusted domain name marketplaces to find the perfect domain name. The most expensive domain name deal arranged on Flippa was StockPhoto.com, which sold for $250,000. Any domain name owner can sign up on Flippa and list their domains, but it requires a payment; $29 for a base listing and $99 for an enhanced listing. Sellers often pick the second option because it makes their domains more visible to potential buyers looking for the perfect domain name. As a buyer, you can create a free account on Flippa and find domain names matching your taste. You can then search for a specific keyword and find related domain names listed by domain owners to buy domain names based on cost, features and budget. Easy to use: To demonstrate, we searched for “cars” and got the results displayed in the image below: The first three results were OldCarsForSale.com, acars.com, and fastsportscars.com, listed for $5,000, $100, and $1 respectively. OldCarsForSale.com is a premium domain worth its higher price. It’ll be a very good domain for anyone who wants to sell used cars online with a specific destination. Fastsportscars.com seems like a good generic domain name, but it can easily be mistaken for fastsportcars.com, giving it a disadvantage. It’s likely why it’s listed for an very low price and shows that you can find a good deal on a domain name, for personal use. When you’re ready to make an offer or buy a domain on Flippa, the platform handles the entire process for you. They have been around for over a decade and built a reputation on the Internet as one of the most trusted domain name marketplaces to find the perfect domain name on the net. 4. Namecheap Namecheap is one of the most widely-used domain registrars, serving over 2 million customers and giving Godaddy a run for its money! It also has a premium domain marketplace as well as business resource and forums support for its customers. Popular Domain names Internet marketplace where domain name owners can connect and manage potential buyers. Only domain names registered on Namecheap can be listed for sale on this marketplace and owners can list their domain names at a fixed amount or put them in auctions. If a seller lists their domain at a fixed price, you can purchase it immediately just like you would purchase a new domain on Namecheap. Auctions: If the seller puts their domain up for auction, you’ll have to participate in a timed bidding process for all auctions. If you are selling your domain, Namecheap collects a 10% commission on each sale. You must have a Namecheap account to buy domains from its marketplace and after buying any domain it is automatically transferred to your control. The convenient sale process makes Namecheap one of the easiest domain marketplaces to use over other domain marketplaces. 5. Atom.com (formerly Brand Bucket) Quality Assurance: Each premium domain is carefully reviewed by branding experts to ensure it meets high standards of originality, pronunciation, and memorability when selling domain names. Business Identity Professional Logo Designs: Top designs for your org and branding strategy. Visual Identity Package: Every premium domain listing includes a professionally designed logo for your org, providing a cohesive domain brand package for your business resources and companies identity. User-Friendly Search and Navigation Advanced Filtering: Search domains by industry, point, style, length, and other attributes to find the perfect match.   Where can I sell my domain name fast? If interested, you can quickly sell your domain name on any of these marketplaces. A large platform such as SEDO, GoDaddy, Afternic or Namecheap offer great options for buying domains quickly and a fast transfer process. Where can I sell my domain name fast? If interested, you can quickly sell your domain name on any of these marketplaces. A large platform such as SEDO, GoDaddy, Afternic or Namecheap offer great options for buying domains quickly and a fast transfer process. How fast do domain names sell? Domain names take anywhere from hours to days, months, or years depending on the demand for them. The amount the domain is listed for also plays a role in how quickly it will sell. If the price is too high relative to its value, there may be no interest from buyers, especially for a premium domain. If a domain is listed on the wrong marketplace, it may not sell. Use a large marketplace like Godaddy for your companies success. Where do I buy expired domain names for sale? Many domain registrars host auctions for expiring domain names, including GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Network Solutions to buy domains. There are also websites specializing in auctioning expired domains, such as ExpiredDomains and DropCatch market services for other domain name sales on non-active domains. How can I build or develop my domain? Select a registrar, select and pay a hosting company to host the domain and a web builder interface to develop the site. WordPress or Wix are great platforms for easy sales development tools on the Internet. Godaddy has a turnkey solution for your companies development to make it worry free.

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Uncovering the History of a Domain

Researching domain history is important for businesses and website owners, especially when buying a domain. It’s like wanting to purchase a property and checking the record of its past owners, renovations, and sales history before signing the contract. You’ve arrived at the right place if you’re interested in digging deep into the history of any domain. This article will give you the relevant knowledge and tools to navigate a domain’s history. Why Would Someone Want To Know A Domain’s History Domain name history is important in several cases, mainly when someone wants to acquire a domain. For example, you come across a domain you want to buy but don’t know the owner. Investigating the domain registration history can help you find the owner so you can begin inquiring about purchasing the domain. These are typical cases that warrant a domain history lookup: Finding A Domain Name’s Owner You might find a domain that looks valuable for your business, but the existing website has no official information to contact the owner. In that case, researching the domain name history can help you find the owner’s email address, phone number, physical address, or other contact information. Conducting Research Before Buying A Domain Due diligence is critical if you’re buying any domain. Checking the domain name ownership history lets you know its reputation with search engines, which can affect your website’s discoverability and brand appeal. This due diligence lets you know if the domain was previously used for any malicious activity, and you can immediately back out if so. Competitive Research Checking a competitor’s domain name history can reveal valuable information. Who registered the domain? How long has the website existed? How much was the domain acquired for? Has the domain ever been sold? These questions give great insight into your competitors, letting you know how to stand out and win customers. Checking A Domain’s History The WHOIS database is the first place to check a domain name’s history. This public database contains the information collected when someone registers a domain name. You can use it to find relevant information about a domain name’s owner and operational history. WHOIS Lookup You can query information from the WHOIS database using any WHOIS lookup tool. This database is publicly available, so many websites allow users to type in a domain name and see every information related to that domain in the WHOIS database. Examples of such tools include WHOIS.com, Who.IS, and WHOIS.DomainTools.com. Type a domain into any of these tools, and you’ll see relevant information about it, including: When the domain was first purchased A WHOIS lookup always shows a domain’s initial registration date. This information gives you a clue of how long the website has existed. To illustrate, let’s perform a WHOIS lookup for NameExperts.com. We typed this domain into the Who.IS lookup tool and got the following information:

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How to Buy a Domain Name – 10 Tips to Follow Before Buying

Among the most crucial decisions in establishing an internet presence is picking a domain name. Ignore the trends and fads of the day and pick a name that makes sense for your company or subject matter today and will still make sense a decade from now. Here are 10 suggestions that will assist you to make a fantastic domain name purchase. 1. Do your homework Just a small amount of research can go a long way when purchasing a domain name. Find similar websites and check out your competitors’ domains with a website like Compete.com. Use dnpric to determine when a domain name was last sold, for how much, and the web hosting agent. A favorite domain may have more people resales. You can search by keyword, which will help provide the popularity of particular words in domain name. 2. Buy Domain Name People Can Remember Even if you’re planning on optimizing the website for search engines, you still need a domain name that individuals can remember and type. Anyone hearing your name needs to know how to sort it without you having to say things like”the number 4″ and”dash-dash.” It’s also wise to avoid words that have more than 1 spelling if your customers are most likely to be confused and mistype the name. Alternately, you can purchase both versions of the name and guide visitors in the one you prefer less into the name. As you do want a brief name (see below), do not go for something so mysterious that people have difficulty remembering it. 3. Avoid slang terms Stay away from slang terms and instead select a name that will continue to be meaningful in ten years. This may also help your title be known and remembered by non-native speakers. Whether you intend to conduct business globally, this can help to your neighborhood audience also. 4. Purchase a domain that is shorter rather than longer The more your domain name is, the harder it is for people to remember it and the greater chance you have of someone misspelling among the words. Most good single word domains are long gone, but it’s still possible to prevent long domains by getting a little creative. For those who have one word you really enjoy that’s not available, consider adding an adjective or verb in front of it and seeing if those variations are available. Think of your domain name as part of your brand, and be sure it matches how you want visitors to consider you. 5. Stick with. Com if you’re able to Most individuals assume that a domain name ends in. Com so in case you purchase a domain name with one of the additional extensions (.Net, .info, .org, etc.), you will have some additional work to get people to keep in mind your site has another extension. Do not automatically assume you should just buy domains with. Many websites have done very well with different extensions. 6. Do not buy trademarked domains Even if you’re not trying to create confusion, then you are most likely to face some legal challenges by purchasing trademarked terms in your domain name. To be safe, you can look for U.S. trademarks at www.uspto.gov and be sure no one owns a trademark on the name you’re contemplating. 7. Do not buy a domain name that is too similar to an existing website Even if the expression is not trademarked, do not buy domains that are only a variation of some other domain name. This implies preventing plurals if the singular is taken (mediatemple.net vs. mediatemples.net), hyphenating a term (media-temple. Alternately, you may consider purchasing these variants yourself and set them up so that if a person types in among those variants, they are redirected to your main website. 8. Avoid Buying Hyphen Domain Names However, we often forget about the hyphens when they type domains. Should you use hyphens in your title, do not buy a domain with over three hyphens. It is just too messy. 9. Avoid numbers People may get confused about whether the amounts is a digit (3) or a phrase (three). If you would like a number on your domain name because there’s a number in your organization name, purchase both versions (word and digit ) and redirect you to the other. 10. Check availability on Social Networking sites When you’ve got a name picked out, see if this word or phrase can be found on social networking sites like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and Tumblr. Even if you don’t intend on using social media straight away, you will want the option when you are ready, and it is easiest if you can use the identical phrase on each website.

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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