April 28, 2023

What is a Parked Domain?

written by

Joe Uddeme

Joe Uddeme

What is a Parked Domain?

Domain Buying Guides

Name Experts provides premium
domain service to:

MAX
MAX
MAX
Hope Channel
MAX
MAX

Most web users aren’t familiar with domain parking, yet it’s something pretty much all of us have encountered. Here’s domain name expert Joe Uddeme with the full details of why parked names exist – and why you might want to buy one.

 

A parked domain is a domain name that has been registered but not connected to an active website. It is not currently being used but instead is set aside for future use.

Most domains, like nameexperts.com, point to an active web page. But in the case of a parked domain, that address points to a “this domain is reserved” web page, a “buy this domain” page, an advertisement page, or a plain web page with no content.

In some cases, it’ll point to no web page at all, and you’ll see an error in your web browser saying, “This site can’t be reached.” It doesn’t mean it isn’t there – as you’ll find out if you try to buy it.

If you’re intrigued by parked domains and wonder if there’s any chance of getting your hands on one (with or without assistance from a domain name consultant), this article is for you.

Key takeaways:

  • Understand why someone would want to park a domain
  • Turning a parked domain you own into something more useful
  • Top tips for buying a parked domain

No parking sign to illustrate article about parked domain names

 

Why Would You Have a Parked Domain?

There are many reasons for domain parking, including:

Reserving a Domain Name

You might have a domain name that you plan to use for a website in the future. So, you buy it from a registrar and park it to prevent another person from snapping it up and disrupting your plans.

A good domain name is worth its weight in gold, so absorbing the cost of holding the domain when it’s not in active use is advisable.

Redirecting visitors to another domain

You can use your parked domain to redirect visitors to another active domain that you own. For instance, you might have owned a website and changed the domain name for marketing purposes. You wouldn’t want people typing in the former domain name to get confused, so you redirect it to the new one.

Save it for reselling

Some domain names can appreciate in value, and many people hold them as investments. You can buy a domain name and park it with the intention of selling it for a higher price in the future.

Site is in Development

The website you want to connect to the domain name may be under development and launching soon. In the meantime, you can park the domain and only connect it to the website when it’s ready.

 

How to Configure a Parked Domain

Error Page

Some parked domains return an error message when you type them into your web browser. The error message varies depending on your web browser, but it usually takes the form of “this site can’t be reached”.

'This site can't be reached' error notice - a screengrab about parked domains

Sales Page

The parked domain could lead to a web page indicating your intent to sell it. This web page will also include information on how to contact the owner or place an offer with a third-party company managing the domain.

Ads Page

Advertisements are a creative way to monetize parked domains. You can insert advertisements on the web page of the domain and earn money each time someone views or clicks on it. In some cases, the advertising income could cover the cost of owning the domain and even bring profits.

Example of an advert page on a parked domain

Registrar Page

Here, the parked domain will lead to a web page notifying the visitor that the domain has been registered by someone else. This page is usually automatically generated by the domain registrar whose name and logo will be displayed on it.

Screengrab of NameCheap website for article about parked domains

FAQs About Parked Domains

How Can You Park a Domain?

The simplest way to perform domain parking is to just register the domain with a registrar like Namecheap or Google Domains. Most registrars automatically park a domain once you buy it. Then, you’re free to insert advertisements on the parked web page or place a sales notice if that’s what you want.

Suppose you want to redirect the domain to another active domain. In that case, you can set up an automatic redirect by adjusting the domain name system (DNS) records via your registrar or hosting provider.

How Can You Buy a Parked Domain

There are two major ways of buying a parked domain. You can either find the owner’s details directly and contact them or hire a professional domain broker to handle that for you.

If you find a parked domain that you’re interested in, the easiest way to find the owner’s details is to perform a lookup on the WHOIS database. This is a public database containing the ownership information of an assigned domain, such as their name, phone number, email address, etc.

  1. Visit https://www.whois.com/whois/ or any other database lookup site.
  2. Type in the domain name you’re interested in and hit the search button.
  3. If it’s a valid domain, you’ll see relevant information such as the registrar, registration date and expiration date, owner’s name, and contact information (email, fax, or phone number).
  4. You can then contact the owner and indicate your interest to buy their domain. If they’re open to a sale, you’re free to negotiate the price and acquire the domain. It’s advisable to use a domain escrow service to avoid falling victim to fraud and losing your money.

Using a Broker to Buy a Parked Domain

Finding the details of a domain name’s owner is the easiest part. The hardest part is negotiating a ‘fair’ price to pay for the domain. If you’re not experienced in domain name acquisitions, you could end up overpaying for a domain or making such a small offer that the owner ignores you.

The good thing is that you can hire a professional domain broker to handle the negotiation for you. Professional brokers already have experience in negotiating domain name sales, so they can hammer out financial terms with the owner and get you the domain for a reasonable price. They can also handle the domain transfer to your registrar while you sit back and relax. The broker will collect a fee for their service, either a fixed fee, a commission, or a mix of both.

Add On Domains vs. Parked Domains – What’s the Difference?

You can always create a parked domain or add-on domain for your primary website. A parked domain is a simple domain that you point to your primary domain name; whenever a user types in this second domain, they’ll be redirected to your primary domain. They are usually variations of your primary domain name that can confuse users. For example, amzn.com and amzon.com would both redirect to Amazon.com.

An add-on domain is a second or additional domain hosted in the same control panel as the first. You can choose which directory the add-on domain points to. For example, if you put the second domain in a directory called “domain2”, it can be accessed by typing domain2.com or domain2.domain1.com on your web browser.

Add-on domains enable you to control multiple domains from a single account.

 

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]

Subscribe for More Domain Buying & Selling Advice

Related posts

US dollar blended into Chinese yuan
Domain investors in China should buy Western Premium domains

Memo to Chinese domain name investors: NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme thinks you’re missing a trick if you limit your portfolio to local names.   Most Chinese investors tend to shy away from Western-type domain names as they don’t have meaning in mainland China – names that contain vowels and the letter “v” in particular. Are they limiting their long-term growth potential? Some would say sticking with Chinese domains is a safer investment. As seasoned domain name brokers, however, we disagree. Here’s why… Key Takeaways New TLDs are not a good long-term play Aftermarket prices for .com names remain high Work with a broker if you need help with domain portfolio management   Background – understanding the Chinese domain name marketplace For those of you that follow the domain investor market, specifically in China, you can see all types of newly minted investors looking for the next great domain name investment. Most Chinese investors are focused on the domain names that have relevance inside of mainland China. The most popular investments in China are the short acronym domain, or simple numeric domain names as they translate to meaning to the Chinese culture. Some examples include the following (N = number; L = letter): 15.com (NN.com) 123.com (NNN.com) TR.com (LL.com) TYPL.com (LLLL.com) 6N.com (LN.com) N6.com (NL.com   Chinese domain investment trends As domain investments continue to increase in China, we are seeing many investors branching out into some of the newer GTLD extensions as alternative investments including; .club, .top, .wang. They are acquiring these names for much lower costs than the typical .com investment. Is that a solid investment? We say: no. The Chinese investor is savvy, but they are limiting their investment opportunity. In most instances, domain investors in China are only focused on these types of names because they create liquidity and are very attractive to the Chinese on a quick-flip model (check out our guide to domain name investing). Additionally, the Chinese investor should look at the plethora of available .com domain name inventory on the aftermarket. Tons of fantastic domain inventory is readily available. Short, generic and easy to spell English words that are solid investments. The saturation of the internet continues to precipitously grow year-over-year, with 78% of the Chinese population now online. When you do the math, it’s easy to see the longer-term opportunity. Should you limit yourself as an investor? Not with the .com market  stronger than ever – with fantastic acquisition opportunities and names that ultimately have a global appeal and market reach. We believe domain investors in China will start to acquire short, generic .com domains as trillions of dollars are available for private Chinese investors. Way back in 2017, George Kirikos had a fantastic post on Twitter, referencing 12,000 startups being created every day in China. The domain investor continues to evolve and grow. Investors should look at the longer-term investment opportunity and acquire names that are globally acceptable and not limited to mainland China.   How a domain broker can help Friends in the right places are always good to have, and most international domain brokers would gladly help Chinese companies and individuals who want to buy domain names. Domain brokers help buyers of any nationality to understand current market trends and navigate the sometimes complex world of domain acquisitions. NameExperts.com is one of the world’s best-known brokerages, offering personalized boutique services that include domain name strategy, portfolio management, negotiation and stealth acquisitions.   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. He advises clients globally. Contact us at: [email protected]
Rear-view close-up shot of a woman using a laptop to illustrate article about buying a .org domain name
Why You Should Buy a .org Domain and How to Get One

The .com domain name might still be king, but .org can be a perfectly good alternative in some circumstances. Domain name expert Joe Uddeme explains when and why.   Why buy a .org domain? Why not? If you’ve been contemplating buying a domain and figured that all the alternatives to a .com were a dud, then a .org domain name is the exception. A .org domain imbues a site with immediate confidence and credibility. Your website visitors infer that you aren’t only interested in earning money but are dedicated to making this planet a better place, too. These domains are identical to other domains in most aspects but come with the extra bonus of perceived authenticity among your customers. Key Takeaways Why the .org suggests authority Understand the rules about owning a .org When a .org makes sense   What is a .org domain name? .org domain names were among the first top-level domain names. This means that they were among the first options available when people started picking a domain name. As a result, the .org domain extension is well known – and websites with that expansion are often viewed as authority websites. As they have a certain gravitas and longevity, they are often utilized as a choice alternative to the popular (but exceptionally competitive) .com domain name extension. Who can use a .org domain? If you want to create a community website for your college, gym or cultural establishment, then a .org domain name is going to be your very best choice. It is both fitting and correct – and will suggest to visitors that they have arrived at the official site. Anyone can now choose a .org domain name. You don’t need to submit any documentation or any other evidence that you’re a nonprofit or a charity. The procedure for registering for a .org domain name is straightforward and hassle-free. Commercial companies can just as readily secure .org domain names as official bodies, charities and other organizations can. From a business point of view, adding a .org may help ensure your trademark and brand are well shielded. The same may be true of other TLDs, such as .io or .ai.   Why choose a .org domain name? If you’ve been contemplating registering a domain and can’t get the .com name you want, its .org sister may be the way forward. It grants your site instant authenticity and is an extremely popular and identifiable domain extension. It’s ideal as a home for a charitable or community organization – and can be a terrific alternative to the .com domains. It works well for schools, charities, hospitals and so on, but can just as easily work for your own private use or a small business. If you need help purchasing a .org domain name or would like to inquire about a domain name that is already taken, the brokers at NameExperts can help guide you through the process. We’re particularly good to have around when it comes to negotiation work and have helped everyone from Mark Cuban to Tripadvisor to secure powerful domain names. 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]
Default alt text
Startup Domain Names: Buying the Right Domain Name

Choosing a brand name for your startup? Need a great domain name to match? NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme shares his top tips.   Having the right domain name for your startup sounds like common sense. However, it can be a challenging endeavor. Your organization’s name might not translate into a good domain name. Or maybe everything suitable appears to have been taken. Regardless of the challenges, it is absolutely essential that you have a fantastic domain name so customers can find you. It can also help increase brand awareness and the long-term success of your business. So how can you actually buy a good domain for your startup? Let’s investigate. Key Takeaways The power of brainstorming The golden rules of a great startup domain name Do your research Consider alternate endings (TLDs)   Brainstorm Your Startup Domain Name When acquiring a domain, you need to start by doing some brainstorming. Consider: What’s the name of your business? What services or products are you selling? What industry are you involved in? Develop five terms or phrases which can best answer those questions and can describe the domain name that you’d wish to acquire. For instance, if you wanted a domain name that involved “advertising,” you could use related terms like “online marketing,” “digital marketing,” “advertising,” or “sales marketing” as a starting point. While this may sound obvious, you also need to remember that your domain name ought to be related to your organization. For example, if your company name is Joe’s Electronics then you would want a domain name to reflect that name. If the website was called joesawesomewebsite.com, clients would not know that it was really an electronics site, which means you’re losing out on business because customers can’t find you.   Keep Your Domain Name Brief, Unique and Easy to Remember While brainstorming domains, you also wish to bear in mind that the shorter the better. Shorter domain names aren’t just easy to type, but also easier to remember. If you heard the domain from a friend or on the radio, would you be able to spell it correctly? Try and settle on a domain that’s unique. The last thing that you need is for your domain to get confused with another site. This will also ensure you won’t encounter any ownership issues.   Research your Startup Domain Name Now that you’ve found a domain that fits your brand, you need to be 100 percent sure it is available. One option would be to explore checkdomain.com, Domjax or copyright.gov. The best-known names are usually .com domain names – these are widely accepted. It also means that they are likely to have a premium cost to them if you are looking to purchase them. Check the whois information on the domain you are trying to buy, or reach out to a seasoned domain name broker who will have years of experience in sourcing owners and negotiating deals.   Add Modest Words Before or After Your Domain While you should keep away from pluralizing or hyphenating words, as that will create confusion (“best” or “top” are also a little overused, too), there could be some minor alterations to make your domain stand out. Let’s say you have a car rental business located in Phoenix. You could search for a domain name that was on the line of phoenixrentals.com.   Use Other Domain Extensions/Endings Ideally, you would like to secure a .com domain. It’s the best option for branding and type-in-traffic, which is essential for any site. However, there are other endings or extensions (TLDs) that could benefit your brand as well. Take the .info extension for example. It could be an alternative if you are running an informational site. Another choice is to localize your own domain. If your site is based out of the United Kingdom, you would want to utilize the .uk or co.uk extension. Not only does this open the door to additional possibilities, it differentiates you from an international website. A website like name.com is an excellent resource for searching for domains and extensions.   View Auctions for Domain Names You can also hit auctions to purchase a domain name which was/is previously owned. There are numerous sites that have been acquired by investors as a means to monetize a site. They will purchase a domain and fill the website with lists and links to other sites simply for lead generation.   Contact A Domain Broker There are instances when somebody had a domain and did not do anything with it – or the business didn’t work out and the domain name has expired. In cases like this, the domain name is now available for purchase. If your preferred domain is not up for auction, you could work with a domain name expert or broker to contact the current owner. If you decide to go it alone, make sure you gather any information that can assist you in ultimately determining if this is the right asset for your brand. If the owner is considering selling the domain, you’ll want to do a little investigating to learn how much it’s worth. Our domain broker services can complete a professional domain name appraisal to determine how much traffic is visiting the website. It may not be the only element in determining the site’s value, but it’s a powerful indicator. Another thing we’ll look at is sale prices of comparable doman names. Some great names, such as Cars.com, have gone for astronomical sums.   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]

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.

Free Consultation

Some of our most
successful stealth acquisition and sales

Aid.com

Fit.com

Mine.com

GLD.com

Jeff.com

Fora.com

Nori.com

Secure.com

Guitar.com

F*ck.com

Radian.com

MetaData.com

Prize.com

Link.com

Loop.com

Programs.com

Claim.com

Quince.com

Hook.com

QXO.com

NQ.com

Rest.com

Humani.com

Max.com

Need help buying or selling premium domains?