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
With so much competition, it’s easy to wonder if the .com domain has lost its edge. Not so, says domain name expert Joe Uddeme. Here’s why.
As a super-premium domain broker and domain name valuation expert, we are continually asked if the .com is still as relevant as it once was.
The short answer is: “Absolutely!”
Branding remains at the forefront of all carefully executed advertising and marketing campaigns. It’s imperative that your message is clean, concise and to the point. Some of the largest and most successful companies around the globe understand the importance of brand appeal.
The domain name is the “foundation” for the brand. The .com domain name adds equity and credibility, and is easily memorable. We often refer to the .com as beach-front real estate.
Additionally, domain names are valuable and continue to retain that value. Most startups and brand managers understand the importance of the .com, as consumers have been programmed for years to gravitate towards it. It is irrefutably still relevant today.
Key Takeaways
Take a typical 60-minute program on television. Within that hour, at least eighteen minutes are geared towards commercials. The rest of the time is actual programming.
There are six breaks of three minutes with six 30-second commercials per break. Five out of six brands advertise the .com in their marketing campaign. Furthermore, consumers have been programmed to gravitate towards .com.
Additionally, over the past 30+ years, top brands have acquired and marketed their companies with the top domain names, and to this day, .com reigns supreme.
Some would make the case that the .com is dying and losing value, especially with mobile marketing continuing to grow. While there might be some validity to this, it’s not entirely true.
Most efforts to change the .com as the dominant tld revolve around small to medium-sized businesses. These companies continue to acquire alternatives for a fraction of the price of the .com. Many of the alternative TLDs, however, are proving unpopular and, thus, of little value.
Savvy brand managers and startups need to carefully select their brand and determine their scale and marketing reach. The .com is the only way to effectively add value to your brand and increase global appeal.
Remember, consumers have choices – more so than ever, and it’s important to make a good first impression. A dominant domain name is the cornerstone of any successful online presence.
In addition, Advertising is everywhere. As consumers, we are deluged with ads that saturate our minds with new products and services.
Finally, Take the challenge and review advertising best practices. Super premium and keyword-dominant .coms will continue to dominate the large-scale global appeal. In short, .coms will continue to add value to your global brand.
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]
Securing the perfect domain is crucial for setting your business apart—and that’s where domain name brokers come in. In this expert review, domain industry specialist Joe Uddeme highlights 10 of the best domain name brokerage services and explains their pros and cons.
Domain leasing is a viable solution for owners who don’t have a use for their name – and also for would-be buyers who can use it but can’t afford it. NameExperts.com Principal Joe Uddeme explores how it works. Life sometimes doesn’t give you the hand you were hoping for. You were planning to snap up cars.com for your used automobile business, only to find it was first registered decades ago and went on to sell for hundreds of millions of dollars. Or, more probably, you have a family business with a strong brand name, but someone else owns the perfect URL. Not having access to it is getting in the way of business growth. Domain names are an asset class that people speculate on. Some even have domain consultants advising them on their portfolio decisions. As a result, millions of domain names are simply ‘parked up’. While that might be bad news if you want to secure a specific .com domain name that either isn’t for sale or has a price tag that’s beyond your budget, it doesn’t mean all is lost. Welcome to the world of domain leasing. Key Takeaways What is domain leasing? 4 ways to make money from a domain name you own Why you may want to lease a domain Understanding the downsides of leasing a domain How to lease a domain for your business What Is Domain Leasing? Domain name leasing refers to renting a domain name for an extended period, usually a year or more. An individual or business pays to rent a domain name owned by another individual or corporation. This arrangement allows the lessee to use a domain name for a long time without paying a substantial sum outright. Domain leasing is usually done for valuable domain names that are too expensive for the lessee to acquire completely. How Does This Compare To Renting? Renting and leasing are the same thing, except for the latter being for longer periods. Domain leasing agreements usually cover at least one year compared to typical renting, which covers a few months. What Are the Ways You Can Lease Your Domain? You can lease your domain through the following ways: Periodic payments: The lessee can pay for their lease at specific intervals. For example, they could pay monthly or quarterly for the period the lease lasts. This method gives the domain owner stable income they can count on during the leasing period. Percentage of profit: You can agree to take a percentage of profits the lessee makes from the website using your domain name. This method is riskier, as there’s no guarantee the website will be profitable. However, there’s a higher upside if the website becomes a profit-making enterprise. Royalties: You can collect a fixed percentage of the lessee’s net revenue for as long as the lease runs. Ownership percentage: You can request a percentage of shares in the domain lessee’s company. This method is risky but can earn you significant income if the website becomes a viable business that another corporation eventually acquires. Benefits Of Leasing For Domain Owners Provides Another Way To Monetize A Domain Monetizing a domain is better than having it sit idle. If you have a valuable premium domain you’re not using, leasing it out can earn you passive income. You can always reclaim your domain once the lease expires. Opportunity For Investors With Domains In Their Portfolio Many investors specialize in acquiring domain names for profit. Investors with a portfolio of valuable domain names can lease them for a long time and get stable income. Consistent Revenue Stream Renting out a domain for periodical payments generates consistent income for the owner. The owner is sure of getting a specific return on the capital they spent acquiring the domain as long as the lease lasts. The Domain Value Increases Due To Usage Active domains are more valuable than inactive ones because of online traffic. The higher the traffic to a domain, the more valuable it is. Leasing out a domain increases its value in the long term, which the owner can realize by selling it later. Long Term Financial Advantage Receiving periodic lease payments can generate more revenue in the long term compared to selling your domain for a lump sum. It’s why many owners lease domain names out despite getting lucrative purchase offers. Benefits Of Domain Leasing For End Users Spend Less Money Upfront Valuable domain names can run into tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is risky to spend upfront. Leasing allows you to build a business with the domain and make periodic payments from the revenue you generate, which is cost-effective. Lesser Burden If the website for whcih you use the leased domain fails, you can terminate the lease and return the domain to the owner. If you owned the domain outright, that means having another asset you must keep renewing or find a potential buyer for. Opportunity To Buy the Domain In the Future Some lease terms include an option to acquire the domain outright later. This way, you can start the website to see if it succeeds. If it does, you can acquire full domain ownership and gain more control over your website’s fate. Access To Premium Domain Names At A Lower Cost Domain leasing lets you use very valuable domain names for lower costs. These valuable domain names can draw more organic traffic to your website. Avoid Legal Liability Issues Leasing a domain name means avoiding any legal liabilities concerning the domain’s ownership. Any legal dispute is the concern of the owner and not the lessee. Downsides Of Leasing A Domain No ownership Not having full ownership of your domain is a risk. The owner can terminate the lease anytime and pay any agreed monetary penalties for early termination. It could be at a crucial time when your website is booming, and losing the domain would affect it negatively. Less Control You have less control over your website than the domain owner. Let’s say your website grows big and becomes valuable; its fate lies more in the hands of the domain owner than yours. They could use that leverage to extract concessions from you. The Domain Value You Build Is Never Yours Drawing traffic to your website increases the value of its domain name. Yet, the owner will capture that value instead of you working hard to maintain the website. Where Can You Lease A Domain Domain Marketplaces Many domain name marketplaces allow owners to list and lease their domain names. This method is beneficial because owners can easily find customers to lease domain names to. The domain leasing services generate a lot of traffic, giving you higher chances of finding an interested lessee. Domain Brokers You can approach a domain broker to lease your domain for you. Domain brokers are experts in negotiating domain deals and can fetch you the best possible price. They’ll collect a fee for their service, either a flat rate or a percentage of the lease value. Word Of Mouth You can spread the word to your social and business circles about a domain name you want to lease out. You may find a trusted lessee this way and negotiate a good deal to earn a stable income. Forums You can join webmaster forums and post about the domain name you want to lease. You may find a buyer this way, but ensure you use a transaction escrow service because you’re dealing with a stranger. Leasing versus Buying a Domain While leasing a domain might be a good option for some businesses, buying your domain outright continues to be the safest and most secure option for guaranteed success. 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 also advises on leasing strategy and portfolio management. Contact us at: [email protected]
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]
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
