How To Safely Purchase Premium Domain Names

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JoeUddeme

JoeUddeme

How To Safely Purchase Premium Domain Names

We are living in a time when there are more active domain names today than there were people alive in the 1920s. There are over 1.8 billion websites, and this doesn’t even include the ones that aren’t active. This doesn’t leave a lot of room for you to find an original domain name that will instantly connect with your market.

 

If you want your business to succeed in the online world, you will likely need to go for premium domain names that are already owned by someone else. Keep reading to learn everything there is to know about premium domains and how you can successfully purchase them.

 

What Are Premium Domain Names and Why Do You Need One?

 

You want your business to be successful right off the bat, and premium domain names might be the best first step. Here we discuss what premium domain names even are and a few tips to help you purchase them.

 

What Are Premium Domain Names?

 

Premium domain names are short, easy, and highly marketable names that are usually already bought by someone and are available for sale for a “premium” value. They are priced higher than normal domains due to a few factors:

 

  • They have high marketability, thanks to their unique and trendy names that are instantly recognizable by the target audience.
  • Premium domain names tend to be shorter in length and are easier to remember. (example: Facebook bought “fb.com” as it was used almost as much as “facebook.com”)
  • They have optimized keywords that are hard to find in new domain names.
  • They usually end in the popular “.com” extension.

 

There are a few other things to consider and a few criteria that are used to qualify your domain name as premium. The first is if they are generic or single word domain and whether they have a .com or another globally driven brand.

 

They should also be pronounceable and meaningful and should have a desired commercial appeal. Similarly, does the name you want to have a clear path to developmental success or is it random and highly specific?

 

We’ll help you decide if your premium name has a significant search volume and brand equity. A premium domain might also already have a rich-SEO history and what we call a “white-hat” SEO past. Your domain should be catchy, brandable, and most importantly – scalable. Basically, you’re looking for a timeless domain that won’t go out of style or be easily forgotten.

 

When you’re looking to add a domain name to your business, it’s important to focus on some of these pointers above if you want to add value and long-term equity to your overall brand. Especially if you eventually sell your business, you want to choose a name that can be resold and give yourself a little digital curb appeal even if the business doesn’t pan out down the road.

 

Why Premium Domain Names Are Necessary For Your Business

 

While they’re more expensive, premium domain names offer a range of benefits that often match that price and provide a pay off in the long term.

 

The first benefit you can take advantage of is a higher reach and resonance with your audience. A memorable domain name will stick in consumers’ minds and create a more credible image around your brand. If they remember your domain name, they’re more likely to search directly for it.

 

Premium domains will typically contain relevant keywords that are used frequently by consumers of the business segment. This provides a potential pool of traffic already searching for your domain, available for you to access.

 

Premium domain names are not essential when you’re first starting out and do not have a lot of capital. They are often expensive and might be a risky investment at the beginning. Once your business starts growing, a premium domain name will help take your online presence to the next level and open you to a world of new opportunities. At Name Experts, we’ll be able to help you decide the best name to help you get started.

 

Our Tips For Purchasing Premium Domain Names

 

Buying domain names can be stressful if you do not have much experience with the process. Here are a few tips you can follow to successfully purchase a premium domain.

 

  • Hire a Domain Buyer Broker with a successful track record. They will help you perform a WHOIS search easily and aid you through the process of your purchase.
  • Make sure you get your broker to sign an NDA to protect your information.
  • Contact the owner professionally.
  • Keep a list of alternatives.
  • Be honest and flexible in your negotiations. No one wants to deal with dishonest and rigid buyers.
  • Ask your broker any question that comes to your mind.

 

Let Name Experts Help You Today

 

Though this is a quick and general list, we highly suggest reaching out to an experienced broker to help you with the process.

 

Name Experts offers a full-service domain name brokerage experience for clients. With over eleven years of industry experience and a proven track record of success, we can help you buy a premium domain name your business needs to boost its online presence.

 

To know more about our services, get in touch with us by contacting us.

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How to Choose a Domain Name

One of the most important decisions you’ll make about your business is the domain name you choose to acquire. The domain name you give your business is crucial as it becomes your identity on the web. You want it to reflect your brand and fit your business, but you also need it to be easy to find and promote. Acquiring a premium domain name is definitely the way to go but choosing one can be difficult. What criteria should you be following to make sure you end up with the very best when you buy a domain name? To help you answer the question ‘What should my domain name be?’, here are six things you should keep in mind. 1. Pick a Short Name When You Choose a Domain What You Want to Avoid: When you’re just starting out playing with domain names to choose, it can be tempting to combine all your ideas into one long domain name. However, while that may make it unique and descriptive, it may hurt your branding. What to Do Instead: A short name is easy to remember, easier to spell, and thus, has a better chance of becoming a household name. It also makes it easier when you want to branch out into branded items, or you want to create a logo, etc. Unfortunately, the very easy 3-letter names were all taken as early as 1997, but there are plenty of others available that are appropriate. The shorter your domain name is, the easier it is to share through word of mouth. It’s also easier to type into your search bar, especially if you’re using a phone. 2. Pick Something Easy to Spell, Pronounce, and Remember What You Want to Avoid: A name that is difficult to spell can negatively impact your traffic because it can mean that users don’t land on your page. They might even end up with a competitor, instead. You’ll also want to avoid using multiple spellings and the use of hyphens, numbers, or special characters. Your customers will often misunderstand numbers or misplace hyphens. People who hear your web address might not know whether you’re using a numeral or if it’s spelled out. What to Do Instead: This name needs to be easy to remember. Your customers need to be able to spell it correctly and pronounce it easily, so that they can easily share it with others. Imagine you’re naming a child – you want something unique for your site, but you also don’t want a name that will create difficulties because of spelling or pronunciation. If you absolutely need to include special characters or terms that are more difficult to spell in your domain name, make sure you register different variations of it to be safe. Some of the most famous and brandable names out there are extremely simple: Google. Facebook. Amazon. These are giants who created an excellent product or service, but who also knew how to brand themselves by acquiring premium domain names. 3. Use Relevant Keywords What You Want to Avoid: A word of caution, here – if your domain is entirely made up of keywords, you run the risk of creating a brand that sounds too generic, or unrecognizable. Especially if you’re starting a blog or a personal page, you need something with a bit of personality. What to Do Instead: You’ll notice that a lot of the heavy players have names that are composed of two words, and one of them is usually a keyword. That is a very clever choice, because a) it’s descriptive of your business, b) it majorly contributes to SEO, and c) it makes your name easy to remember. So, if you’ve got an interior design business, for example, you’ll want a premium domain that ideally includes a relevant keyword, like “design”, “interior”, “decorator”, “home”, “style”, etc. That will tell your potential customers all they need to know about your business. Your name is also likely to pop up in whatever Google search they try for “interior design” or similar keywords. If your business is local, you might consider including your city or state in your domain. That way, customers in your area can find your name and remember it easier. Often, when doing keyword research for your business, you’ll find that city and state will most likely be included. 4. Avoid Anything Confusing or Inappropriate What You Want to Avoid: You want to pay attention to not pick a name that is confusing (either because of spelling or sheer peculiarity), awkward, or inappropriate. If the initials of your business make up an inappropriate word, scrap the name immediately. What to Do Instead: Also pay attention to what a domain looks like when you spell it out, if it’s made of multiple words. You’ll be surprised at how many other words you may inadvertently spelling. The other thing to look out for is that picking a name that has no relation to your line of business can be very confusing. 5. Avoid Names that Already Exist or Are Trademarked What You Want to Avoid: Don’t go ahead with a name that is extremely similar to an existing one or that is trademarked, because a) that is confusing for your customers and you risk losing traffic, and b) you may, someday, be served with a legal notice that may create problems. What to Do Instead: However, there is a caveat, here. If the name is already trademark-protected, that’s a bit of a dead-end. There can’t be another Burger King, for example. If, however, the domain name you want is just taken by someone else, there are ways around that and you are still able to buy a domain name that is already owned. 6. Choose a .com TLD, but Purchase All Available Extensions What You Want to Avoid: If you only acquire the domain name you want and no other similar ones, you run the risk of having someone else purchase other variations of your domain. They will get the traffic that should have been directed towards your page. What to Do Instead: The most popular domains are .com ones, and they are the most widely used, so it’s the ideal premium domain to acquire. But your work doesn’t stop here. Once you’ve bought that, you also want to purchase every other available variation of your domain name. For example, let’s say your domain name is www.carsforsale.com. You should try to buy www.carsforsale.net, www.carsforsale.org, www.carsforsale.biz, etc. That way, no one else can take these domains and possibly steal traffic that was meant to go your way. Once you have these domains, you can make sure the traffic redirects to your main .com domain. Bottom Line When Deciding How to Choose a Domain Name Choosing a domain name can be a delicate process. Pick the wrong one, and your business may suffer. Pick the right one, and it can catapult you into quick notoriety, or at least it can help make branding easier. The most important things to remember when choosing what domain to acquire is that it should be something easy to spell and remember, non-trademarked, and that ideally includes a keyword. If you manage to find the perfect one, purchase every variation to make sure that you can take advantage of 100% of the traffic going to these domains.

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A Premium Domain Name Make All the Difference

The Internet evolves and is shaped by countless businesses, people, non-profits and an array of countless other entities looking for eyeballs in an ever-changing World. A Premium Domain Name Make All the Difference Your Premium domain name strategy is crucial in today’s clutter. Brand’s work hard to engrain their product or service, and establish market positioning, relevance—and ultimately dominance. Savvy brands understand the importance of creating something catchy and memorable. They need to separate themselves from their competition in ways that remain top-of-mind for their targeted audience. Let’s review the top ten below according to Wikipedia.org: Rnk Company Rev($B) FY Employees Mkt. Cap Location Founded 1 Amazon $232.9 2018 647,500 $802.3 Seattle 1994 [1][2] 2 Alphabet Inc. $136.8 2018 98,771 $791.01 Mountain View, CA 1998 [3][4] 3 JD.com $55.7 2017 137,975 $34.84 Beijing 1998 [5][6] 4 Facebook $55.01 2018 25,105 $486.39 Menlo Park, CA 2004 [7][8] 5 Alibaba $39.90 2018 66,421 $432.12 Hangzhou 1999 [9][10] 6 Tencent $36.39 2017 44,796 $434.66 Shenzhen 1998 [11][12] 7 Netflix $15.8 2018 5,400 $153.39 Los Gatos, CA 1997 [13][14] 8 Booking $12.7 2017 22,900 $92.94 Norwalk, CT 1996 [15] 9 Baidu $12.40 2016 45,887 $88.11 Beijing 2000 [16][17] 10 eBay $10.75 2018 14,000 $32.07 San Jose 1995 [18][19]   Each one of these companies went out and acquired their core-premium domain name. They understood the value of the .com as their global brand. Let’s dig a bit deeper in the strategy of one of the major power-houses listed above. Facebook.com, listed at number four also owns many other valuable pieces of digital, beach front real estate. Take for example, FB.com which complements the existing digital strategy that was already in place. Facebook has parlayed their web presence by building another piece of digital real estate on their own majestic piece of real estate. Another example is Booking.com, with more than $12B in revenues. They do a phenomenal job of attracting users with constant ad-driven messaging. They have partnerships with more than 660,000 hotels and provide a valuable service to their clientele. Why Premium Domains? Let’s continue with the beach-front real estate analogy. For the past thirty years, brands swallow up the short, brandable .com domains. These are the assets that provide the most upside, equity and long-term value to the brands. These assets can hold generic value, such as Booking.com, or be more brandable, such as EBay.com or Baidu to name a few. Premium domain names have commercial appeal and are typically, very memorable. Brands spend huge amounts of money attracting new users and creating brand credibility. Digital strategists are competing for a smaller piece of the available premium domain name inventory. Sure; anyone can build a brand, using any extension, to the right of the dot. It’s how you develop the brand, and create long-term equity for your company. Companies should always acquire the shortest variation for their brand. This doesn’t have to be the only strategy. Companies should outline a comprehensive domain name strategy that not only covers their brand, but any additional reputation management, or brand defense needed to protect your corporate brand positioning. Simply put, premium domain names add the following instant upside: Brand-dominance and positioning Equity toward the long-term exit strategy Inability to build—defensive strategy against your competition Own the real estate before your competitors do! Direct Navigation Search—people search the keyword every day! How many eyeballs are you missing? IP and Trademark positioning Credibility and Awareness Most successful brands have identified the importance of the premium domain name. Most of them now have dedicated digital strategists or digital departments to handle the larger need for digital integration and social media components. Brands should spend wisely, and methodically when securing a new brand, or piece of beach-front digital real estate. Get it right the first time Companies should always use this checklist to make sure they are not leaving their money on the table Hire an expert—when you get your maintenance on your car, do you do it yourself? Spend your time wisely, on what you do best and leave domain acquisitions to the experts! Conduct Research—who owns the asset, and for how long? Is it being used? Are there active trademarks? What’s the history of the link profile? Variations and Alternatives—brands need to nail it. To do this, sometimes, they need to think outside the box. Find viable alternative assets that define your image and brand. Negotiation is key—do you negotiate for a living? We do. We remove the emotional attachment and red tape to manage both buyers and sellers’ expectations.  Be Flexible—sometimes you have to give a little, to get a little. Don’t be afraid to be flexible and offer ways to mutually-benefit the other party in your transaction. Be Honest—honesty and integrity go along way. Be true to your word, and don’t go back on what you say. This is critical for deals to succeed. Ask Questions—hold your broker or expert accountable and ask appropriate questions. Some domain transactions move quickly. A clear line of communication is necessary to save valuable money and time. Due-Diligence—dig for more information, market comps, fire-power necessary to make the case. Goes back to the research tidbit above. Timing—don’t hunt for a CBD-themed/ Marijuana-type name when there is mass decriminalization and legalization occurring. The market is just too hot, and pricing will be way too inflated. Instead, names should be selected, “ahead-of-the-curve”. Save money When buying a premium domain name, it’s important to ask the right questions. This can save the buyer tons of money in the long-run. The most widely used example relates to trademarks tied to a name, or brand. Many companies have secured a domain name for commercial use, but never take the time to search the trademark database. This quick search can save clients thousands of dollars. Premium Domain Names make total sense for any emerging brand, looking to scale their brand accordingly. Shortening the global domain name is still the foundation for successful growth. The top companies around the World continue to focus on the sensible .com for their brand growth. This validates the need for superb, premium domain name for your company and brand. Get it right the first time and save money in the long-run while adding that much needed credibility and equity value. Drop us a line to discuss your domain name strategy and digital branding plan. Click here, to acquire your next premium domain name.

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What is a Premium Domain Name?

Every business needs to have an online presence in this current age. The internet is one of the primary channels to entice potential customers, so businesses that don’t have an online presence are doing themselves a disservice. The best way to showcase yourself online is by having a website stating clearly what you or your organization offers with a premium domain name to match. The domain name is how people will find you on the web, so it’s necessary to have a good one. What are Premium Domains? 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 (e.g., Stripe.com, Amazon.com, Google.com, etc).

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.

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 your premium domain?