The Harsh Truth About Selling Domain Names
Lets begin with two important things you need to understand and accept :
Most of your domain names are probably un-sellable. Before I dive into how you can boost your domain sales, its time for a reality check. The number one impediment to what is referred to as secondary market domain name sales is the quality or lack thereof of the inventory.
In general, the inventory that sells best in todays world is one-word, two-word, and sometimes three-word English language .com domain names that directly relate to popular business products or services.
If you are holding non-.com inventory or domains that contain invented words, or phrases, be prepared for the low probability that this inventory will not sell in your lifetime.
The cold, hard reality is that secondary market domain names are not very liquid assets. This probably means that most of your inventory is not going to sell. Of course, there will be exceptions to this, but they are, by their very nature, exceptions.
Most end-user buyers dont know where to look for secondary market domain names. They dont know how to contact the owners, nor do they have any idea of how to purchase and transfer a domain name. As a result, they become confused and frustrated by the process.
Quite frankly, who can blame them? So the more you can do as a domain speculator to soften the edges here, the greater the likelihood you will sell some of your domains.
Determine Domain Name Value
Premium domain names can fetch a high price, but its important to first determine the value of your domain. You can look up the domain value on popular domain marketplaces such as GoDaddy Auctions and Sedo.
You can also use a service like Estibot to help you arrive at a fair market value for your domain.
Establish Your Domain Names Value
The first step towards selling your domain name is determining its worth so that you dont price yourself out of the market.
However, determining what your domain name is worth isnt that easy as you might sell it for less than what its worth. But if youre lucky and in rare chances, you might sell it for more than its initial value. To be safe, check out the methods below to know how you can correctly price your domain name:
1. Search for Comparable Sales
You can use NameBio.com to get resourceful information regarding domain name sales. Similarly, you can search similar domains that match yours to know their listing price.
NameBio is well established and has a background database that accounts for $1.5 billion in domain name sales. Moreover, the site is updated daily to show the exact number of domain names that have been purchased in various marketplaces. So, its an ideal platform to help you determine how youll price your domain name.
Furthermore, you can narrow it down to the keywords and filter so that youre left with a filtered list that will give you the precise number of domain names that have been sold and at what price.
2. Try Domain Name Appraisal Tools
Using a domain name appraisal tool will come in handy, especially when you want to know the exact value of your domain name. Some of the tools you can use in this case are GoDaddy or Estibot.
3. Get a Domain Name Professionals Opinion
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Get Started With Godaddy
Using a domain broker will help you list your domain, get it in front of a bigger audience, determine the best pricing, and keep your transactions safe when you make a sale.
To get ready to sell on GoDaddy, the first thing youll need to do is set up an auction account with them. Go to the GoDaddy homepage, then head over to the top menu bars section for Domain Names and click Auctions for Domain Names in the drop-down list.
Youll then be directed to the GoDaddy auctions page.
Select Join Now and pay for your membership$4.99 per yearto get access. Youll be able to list your domains in GoDaddys huge directory for no cost and only pay a small commission on sales.
Once youve entered your payment information, youll be taken to your GoDaddy dashboard.
Why You Should Consider Selling A Domain Name
Domain selling can be a profitable venture. Here are five reasons you can benefit from selling one or more domain names:
- Make a quick profit. When you own a great domain, you can sell it for a higher price than what you paid for it. This is especially true if the domain is in high demand or is a premium domain.
- Diversify your portfolio. By selling a domain, you can free up money to invest in other domains, your business, or invest in other assets such as stocks, real estate, or cryptocurrency.
- Generate passive income. If you sell a domain that receives a lot of traffic, you can earn money from advertising revenue. You can also set up a payment plan so that you receive recurring payments for the domain.
- Get rid of unused domains. If you own a domain that you no longer need, selling it can be a way to declutter your portfolio and free up some cash.
- Make a strategic investment. If you think a domain will be valuable in the future, you can hold onto it and sell it for a higher price down the road.
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Is Buying And Selling Domains Profitable
It can be with the right approach.
When it comes to buying domain names, its all about doing the research. This means pinpointing names with potential value and if theyre already owned by someone else assessing their price against possible ROI.
On the sales side, market forces dictate when and where it makes the most sense to sell. For example, if you manage to purchase newly available domain name suffixes, you may be able to tap into market trends and make a significant profit. Its also worth noting, however, that domain name prices continually fluctuate. In practice, this means that a domain worth big money a month ago could see a sudden value loss. Much like owning land, however, the market typically rights itself if youre willing to wait.
What Makes A Domain Name Valuable
If youve ever visited a website that sells domains, youve probably noticed that some domains come at a price of just a couple of dollars, whereas others can be sold for thousands. You might have also heard stories of certain domains selling for millions of dollars. So, why are some domains more valuable than others? And how do you even determine that value?
Here are a few questions that can help you figure this out with more ease:
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How To Buy A Domain For Office 365 Operated By 21vianet
If you don’t already have your own domain, you can easily buy one online at a domain name registrar, domain reseller, or even at your current Internet provider. You get a domain name when you sign up for Office 365 operated by 21Vianet, for example, contoso.partner.onmschina.cn. But you may want to use a custom domain name, like fourthcoffee.com.
To set up a domain in Microsoft 365, you must own a domain and change some of the DNS records for your domain.
Caution
Some domain registrars or DNS hosting providers do not allow creating all the DNS records required by Microsoft 365. The following list of hosting providers supports all the needed records. If you’re thinking of using a different hosting provider, Service limitations when your hosting provider does not support SRV, CNAME, TXT, or redirection.
After you register your domain , you sign in to Microsoft 365 as an admin. Then, set up your domain so you can use it with your email address and other services.
Note
The SharePoint Online Public Website information in this article only applies if your organization purchased Microsoft 365 prior to March 9, 2015.
Branded Logos With Domains Are Quite Important
When you are selling a brandable domain name, its crucial to have a custom logo with it. You can hire logo designers to make creative logos for your domains to make it look way more nice at the time of selling.
Below are some awesome domain names with custom logos.
Creating a custom logo doesnt require a lot of money to be spent and it increase the chance for your domains to be sold at the highest price.
Although sometimes it gets expensive to hire high quality logo designers, most of the times you find people to do it for you for mere $5 or $10.
One of my favorite place is Fiverr. Here you can hire high quality designers paying just $5 per logo design.
You can even design your own logo yourself with a Logo Generator.
However there are many other places online where you can hire people to do it. So I dont think that it should be a problem for you.
Please note that it doesnt guarantee that your domains would be sold. But it increases the chances exponentially.
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How To Search For Domains At Godaddy
The worlds biggest registrar, GoDaddy has searching for domains down to a science. GoDaddy has an easy to use domain name search tool for mobile and desktop users, as well as a few other options for securing just the right domain name.
Simply follow these steps to register a domain name with GoDaddy:
1. Visit GoDaddy.com
Open up your preferred browser and go to GoDaddy.com. Once the home page loads, youll see a search bar where you can begin your domain search.
2. Enter your domain in the search bar
Enter your preferred domain name, and click Search. At this point, one of two things will happen:
If your domain name is available, great! Youll be presented with the opportunity to add it to the cart.
If your domain name isnt available, youll be prompted to search for a new domain name or select a different variation.
The good news? Even if your domain name is already taken, GoDaddys suggestion tool will list new ideas, with different extensions or variations, that you can review.
If you like one of the options, great! If not, enter a few of your other domain options into the search bar until you land on one thats available.
Pro tip: Dont shy away from different domain extensions. While .com is still one of the most widely registered domain endings, the availability of hundreds of new domain extensions gives you the opportunity to register a domain that perfectly represents who you are and what you do.
Go ahead, give it a try:
Other ways to search for domain names
Dont Hide Behind Whois Privacy
If you are using a WHOIS privacy service, remove it if possible. These services are fantastic if you want to cut down on spam and hide your identity as the owner of a domain.
Still, they are a severe obstacle to sales because most potential buyers dont know how to contact a domain owner using a WHOIS privacy service. It simply confuses them and is a perceived roadblock.
Make it easier for buyers to contact you. Ask your domain registrar to remove the WHOIS privacy service.
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How To Sell A Domain Name: The Ultimate Step By Step Guide
Theres tremendous value in the internet. Thats something people have been saying since the 90s. Mostly, theyre talking about a companys website. Its your online presence and the worlds window into your organization.
But thats far from the only way to monetize the online experience. Domain flipping has become a lucrative business in which individuals purchase high-value domain names and sell them to those looking to buy a domain for a profit.
This industry has become so lucrative that many entrepreneurs have taken to it as a side gig or full-time career. Successful full-time domain flippers have been known to earn up to $100,000 per year.
A high-value domain name is in demand, with business owners lining up to grab the ideal URL and pop it up in front of their website, ready to take the world by storm. But, much like flipping real estate, you need a certain amount of know-how to turn a profit selling domain names.
What should you consider before putting your domains up for sale? And what are the steps needed to turn a profit in the lucrative world of domain sales? In this article, well walk you through eight steps to help you learn how to sell a domain name for the highest possible price.
Share Your Contact Information
Why learn how to sell a domain name if potential buyers cant contact you?
Its important that potential buyers can quickly get in touch with you. So, make sure your contact information is available on all listings and landing pages .
You dont need to provide extensive contact details, but at the very least, you should have an email or phone number that buyers can use to reach you.
In addition to updating your listings, you want to check that your WHOIS listing is up to date. A WHOIS record identifies the domain owner and provides their contact information.
If you used a private registration service or a proxy service when you purchased your domain, then you should register the domain under your contact information before you sell it.
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Look For Outbound Sales Buyers
If you have a unique domain name, you may need to work smarter to quickly sell the domain name by getting in touch with wealthy businesses that may realize the profits of using your domain name.
Generally, when you take up the outbound sales route, youll need to know that most of the transactions will be run on the phone or email to the targeted audience. Ensure that you search for businesses and organizations that complement your domain names keyword when conducting your research.
After identifying the business, you want to target, use tools such as Clearbit and Linkedln to get the names and email addresses of the chief marketers of the companies youre targeting. From there on, start a conversation that will ultimately help you strike a deal with them. However, if you come across a small business, I suggest contacting the business owner directly to secure the deal.
If you want the emails and messages to be impactful, personalize them and make them simple while explaining to the chief marketer or the owner how they will benefit from buying your domain name. Ensure your responses are polite even if they dont take the deal at first, as they might opt to come back later after thinking about it.
Tips For Choosing A Domain Name
Finding a domain thats available, valuable and relevant is important to online success, which is why registering a domain name requires strategy.
Choosing a domain name that points out your value proposition , vertical , or geographic area can help you drive business and stand out from the competition.
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Ensure The Quality Of Your Domain Name
When assessing a domain, several factors contribute to its value, such as:
- Traffic. People are frequently drawn to domains with pre-existing traffic because they have higher chances of ranking well on search engines. Check out the most effective strategies to drive traffic to increase the market price of your domain.
- Keywords. Keyword-rich domains tend to be more valuable since they can improve a websites SEO and increase click-through rates. Try using and to gauge the popularity of your domains keyword.
- Top-level domain . Domains with solid extensions like .com or .net often cost more in the market due to their higher reputation and credibility. On the other hand, you could take advantage of the low prices of new domain extensions
- Length. Shorter domains are more appealing since they are more concise and easy to remember. Some of the most expensive domain names ever sold contain only five to eight words, such as floor.com, which sold for over $3.1 million.
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How To Determine The Value Of Your Domain Name
No exact science can pinpoint what a domains value is or should be. As with many products in various industries, the value is determined by whatever an individual or group is willing to pay, which can be hard to predict.
However, you can use several factors to reasonably estimate what the value for your domain will end up being.
One of the more concrete rules of securing a high-value domain name is its length. Put, shorter domain names command higher values as they are easier to remember. If a user can recall your domain name quickly, they are far more inclined to type it into a search bar.
Domain names generally have a higher value if it is clear what the target market is and which niches they are attempting to reach. If you are an avid chess player, most of the websites you want to visit will have the keyword chess somewhere within the name.
Keywords massively help increase SEO scores, propelling the website up the rankings of search engine listings.
When it comes to valuable domain names, simplicity is best. One-word titles with no hyphens or special characters often command high fees. For example, the domain name voice.com reportedly sold for $30 million.
Similarly, the domain extension .com is generally the most valuable. Most individuals tend only to remember the central part of the domain name and will assume it uses this extension. If your domain name does not, you risk losing potential website visitors because they cant recall the correct suffix.
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