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
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:
There are many reasons for domain parking, including:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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]
From Amazon to Coca-Cola, strong brand names have helped propel businesses to stratospheric heights for centuries. Here’s how to find one that will take yours to the next level and ensure you have a domain name that supports it.
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]
When a business is stuck with a legacy name that no longer works, rebranding is often the only solution. But securing the domain name that goes with your new moniker is rarely easy – unless you have a premium domain name broker on your side. You may have heard of Second Nature, an air filtration subscription business based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Second Nature sells high-quality home air filters on a subscription basis, letting people access clean air conveniently. However, the company didn’t start with its current name. It was previously known as FilterEasy before rebranding in 2019. Rebranding from FilterEasy to Second Nature reflected the company’s decision to become an all-encompassing “home wellness” brand instead of limiting itself just to filters. It was a sound decision that made the company more attractive to customers and investors. FilterEasy was a referral from one of our trusted partners to help identify the owner and secure the SecondNature.com domain name. They were budget-conscious and looked for a way to buy the domain name without investing all the capital on day one. They were looking for a domain broker or consultant that could help assign value to the asset, and also protect the anonymity of the FilterEasy team. Second Nature is an ideal case study of how proper rebranding can boost a company’s fortunes. It’s something you can draw a lot of lessons from. Starting out – new insight about air filters FilterEasy began in 2012 as the brainchild of two students from the North Carolina State University (NCSU). Kevin Barry and Thad Tarkington sought to help people access residential air filters conveniently. Their idea was to sell home air filters on a recurring subscription basis so that customers could change them regularly. Often, homeowners buy air filters and forget to change them at the recommended time. An unchanged air filter usually clogs up, and debris passes through, causing adverse effects. Hence, subscriptions represented an excellent reminder for customers to change their filters. FilterEasy passed through a local startup accelerator program and launched out of beta in 2014. It began by offering air filters in over three dozen sizes. Barely a year after its launch, it had amassed 10,000+ subscribers and grossed $1 million in annual recurring revenue, representing major success.
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