Selecting the perfect domain name extension is a crucial step for bloggers, as it lays the foundation for their online presence.

Whether you’re running an online business or sharing personal blogs, the domain name is your digital identity. In this digital age, where the internet is brimming with opportunities, making the right choice between .com or .blog domain extensions can significantly impact your blog’s success.

The .com domain extension has been the go-to option for decades, boasting widespread recognition and credibility. On the other hand, the rise of .blog domains offers an alternative tailored explicitly for blogs.

In this article, we’ll explore the key factors to consider when making this pivotal decision, ensuring your blog’s future thrives on the virtual landscape.

Understanding .com Domains

As one of the most popular domain extensions, .com has become synonymous with the internet itself. Originally intended for commercial websites, it quickly transcended its initial purpose and became the top choice for a wide range of online ventures, including blogs.

The prevalence of .com domains is evident as they dominate search engine rankings and enjoy a sense of familiarity among internet users.

One of the key advantages of .com domains is their wide recognition and credibility. Many of the internet’s early pioneers opted for .com, and this legacy has persisted, making .com domains the default choice for businesses and personal websites alike.

Bloggers often choose .com domains due to the perception that they are more established and trustworthy, lending a professional touch to their content.

However, the popularity of .com domains has also led to increased competition for relevant and memorable names.

As more websites are registered under .com, finding the perfect domain becomes increasingly challenging. New bloggers might find themselves resorting to complex or lengthy domain names, which can be detrimental to their blogs’ memorability and branding.

The Rise of .blog Domains

In the ever-evolving digital world, the emergence of new domain extensions has provided blog owners with a viable option beyond the traditional .com domain.

The .blog extension, designed explicitly for blogs, serves as a perfect domain extension, tailor-made for bloggers seeking an ideal online identity.

Choosing a .blog domain can offer several advantages. Firstly, it clearly communicates the purpose of the website to visitors, indicating a blog-focused platform right from the domain name itself.

This clarity can prove beneficial for both blog owners and their audiences, as it sets the right expectations from the outset.

Moreover, while a .blog domain may initially seem like an unfamiliar domain extension, its novelty can work in the blog owner’s favor.

It can help the blog stand out amidst the sea of .com websites and provide a unique touch that sets it apart from the crowd.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Between .com and .blog

The decision between .com and .blog domain extensions requires careful consideration, as it significantly impacts the success of your blog.

Both top-level domains have their merits, catering to different needs and objectives. To make an informed choice, blog owners must weigh various factors that align with their blogging goals and target audience:

Target Audience and Niche

Understanding your target audience and the niche you cater to is crucial when selecting a domain extension or choosing your website’s name.

If your blog focuses on providing information or services to a broad audience, a .com domain might be the more suitable choice. The .com extension is one of the most popular domain extensions worldwide, and internet users tend to associate it with established and reputable websites.

On the other hand, if your blog has a specific niche or revolves around a particular interest, a .blog domain could be the perfect fit.

The .blog extension offers a specialized identity that conveys your blog’s purpose clearly. This specificity can attract a more targeted audience, resulting in increased engagement and loyalty from readers interested in your niche.

Blogging Goals and Objectives

Consider your long-term blogging goals and objectives when choosing a domain extension. If you plan to expand your blog into a comprehensive online business or brand, a .com domain provides a broader platform for growth.

Many commercial organizations opt for .com domains due to their universal appeal and acceptance.

Conversely, if your primary objective is to create a dedicated blog that shares insights, experiences, or passions, a .blog domain might be the better choice.

The .blog extension reinforces your blog’s identity as a dedicated blogging platform, appealing to readers who specifically seek blog-centric content.

Brand Identity and Messaging

Your domain name is a critical aspect of your brand identity. It’s what users will remember and associate with your blog. A .com domain may offer more familiarity, which can be advantageous if you’re aiming for a broader audience or a sense of credibility.

However, a .blog domain can enhance your brand’s storytelling, emphasizing your commitment to blogging and unique content.

The extension itself becomes a part of your brand’s messaging, signaling your dedication to the art of blogging. Carefully consider the image you want to portray and choose the domain extension that complements your brand’s identity. It’s also wise to put multiple alternatives in case the domain name you want to get is already taken.

SEO Considerations and Domain Authority

Domain extensions can influence search engine rankings to some extent.

While .com domains historically enjoy an advantage due to their prevalence, search engines have evolved to consider the relevance and quality of content over domain extensions.

The content’s value, backlinks, and user engagement play more significant roles in driving traffic from search engines.

Moreover, with the hundreds of domain extensions available today, popular domain extensions like .blog have gained recognition from search engines, leveling the playing field to some extent.

Focus on creating high-quality, SEO-optimized content regardless of the domain extension, as search engines primarily reward valuable and relevant information.

Domain Availability and Pricing

The availability of suitable domain names is a crucial factor to consider. .com domains have been registered for decades, leading to significant competition and limited availability for short and memorable names. As a result, new bloggers might find it challenging to secure their preferred .com domain.

In contrast, .blog domains offer more opportunities for bloggers to find relevant and creative domain names. This abundance can help blog owners secure a domain that precisely matches their blog’s theme or topic.

Additionally, some .blog domain names may be more budget-friendly than their .com counterparts, making them an attractive option for those with tighter budgets.

SEO and Ranking Implications

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a pivotal role in driving organic traffic to your blog, making it essential to understand how the domain extension can impact your website’s visibility and search engine rankings.

Both .com and .blog domains offer distinct SEO benefits. .com domains, with their historical prominence, may enjoy a slight advantage in terms of domain authority and familiarity with search engines like Google. This recognition can lead to faster indexing and a head start in search rankings.

On the other hand, .blog domains can target a niche-specific audience and attract readers interested in blog-centric content, potentially resulting in higher user engagement and longer session durations.

The focused nature of a .blog domain can contribute to better rankings for relevant search queries within your niche.

However, it’s essential to consider potential SEO disadvantages as well. Since .blog domains are relatively newer in comparison, they might not carry the same weight as .com domains in some search engine algorithms.

Blog owners must put extra effort into creating high-quality, SEO-optimized content and building backlinks to ensure visibility in search results.

Making the Final Decision

In the process of choosing between domain extensions, such as .com and .blog, blog owners must carefully consider various factors to make an informed decision.

While .com domains are common and popular, a custom domain with a .blog extension offers an original top-level domain that can distinguish your blog from the competition.

For commercial organizations seeking broader reach and user familiarity, a .com domain may be the popular option.

Conversely, bloggers aiming to build successful blogs with a focused identity can opt for the more specific .blog extension, emphasizing their blog-centric content. Weigh the pros and cons to ensure your chosen domain aligns perfectly with your blog’s vision and objectives.

Conclusion

The choice between .com and .blog domains involves a careful evaluation of various factors, including target audience, branding, SEO considerations, and niche specificity.

Ultimately, the decision depends on aligning your domain choice with your blogging goals and objectives. Whether you opt for the familiarity of a .com or the specialization of a .blog, remember that high-quality content, consistent branding, and user engagement are the key drivers of a thriving blog.

With careful consideration, your chosen domain extension can become the foundation for your blog’s digital journey, enabling you to carve your niche in the world of blogging.

The post .Com or .Blog: How to Choose the Right Domain Extension appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

Most web hosting plans offer a free domain name registration for new users. People usually take advantage of that feature since it enables them to save some money while keeping both the domain name and the hosting plan with the same company, which should make the site management more efficient.

Well, that is not quite true. In fact it is just the opposite, having your domain name registered with your hosting company might be a really bad idea. Over the years it is very likely that you will need or want to change your web host, you might find a more interesting plan somewhere else or you might need to switch to a dedicated server due to increasing traffic. If your hosting company is also managing your domain name they might give you a headache before performing the required changes on the nameservers (i.e. making the domain point to the new host).

The solution for this problem is to keep all your domains names registered with a reliable registrar (GoDaddy and eNom are good ones) while having a separated company to take care of the web hosting. Apart from avoiding trouble with nameserver changes and domain transfers this method will also be more efficient to manage your portfolio of domain names.

The post Keep your domain names at a registrar appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

You probably know that top domain names sell for big bucks, right? But exactly how much money are we talking about, and what are those top domains? Well, I just came across a list that has over 50 of the most expensive domains ever sold.

Here are some of the top ones from Wikipedia:

Business.com – Sold for $7,500,000 in 1999 (Remember: This was pretty much a “business” sale with a developed name)

Diamonds.com – Sold for $7,500,000

Shop.com – Sold for $3,500,000 in 2001

The post Most Expensive Domain Names Ever appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

Imagine the internet as one big thriving city.

Now, similar to how a great location can elevate a store, a perfect domain holds the key to your website’s success, acting as the foundation for your online presence.

Finding the best domain names is not an easy task, though. As I’ve mentioned, their value lies in the “location” – a combination of memorability, relevance, and simplicity.

The domain name acts as the gateway to your digital presence. It has a huge impact on your brand’s reputation, search rankings, and ability to gain recognition in the vast online world.

The question is, how do you secure your desired domain name?

Lucky for you, my good fellas, I am here to unravel the seven secrets to uncovering the perfect domain name for your business.

By the end of this article, you’ll be able to set the stage for a successful online journey.

What Is a Domain Name?

Before we dig deeper into the world of domain name generators, we need to make one thing perfectly clear.

What is a domain name?

I’m glad you asked.

A domain name is a strong website address representing a company name or brand.

The availability is checked using a domain name generator to find suitable options. For instance, can include country code TLDs like “.uk” for specific regions. When selecting a domain, factors like search volume and relevance are considered.

Additionally, domain names can be used to set up custom email addresses and create a professional online presence for businesses, individuals, and organizations.

They are truly valuable assets, so securing a meaningful and relevant domain name is crucial for establishing an online presence, attracting visitors, and building a successful website.

The 7 Characteristics of the Best Domain Names

As I already hinted, choosing the perfect domain name is a pivotal step in establishing a strong online presence.

And as promised, here are the seven essential characteristics that the best domain names possess.

These seven tips guarantee memorable, relevant, and effective domain names that will attract visitors.

Take notes!

1. They Are Short and Concise

Right off the bat, good domain names are short. It is not a coincidence that all the three-letter and four-letter .com domains are already gone and that the five-letter ones are going fast as well.

Although there is no set number of characters that you should aim for, just remember:

The shorter, the better.

Aim for fewer than 10 characters, and never surpass 20 – that’s a red flag right there!

By choosing a unique domain that aligns with your brand and optimizing for search ranking, you can significantly impact your web presence and attract more visitors.

Examples of short and concise domain names:

• Zoom.com
• Slack.com
• Apple.com
• Nike.com
• Hulu.com

2. They Are Easy to Spell and Memorable

When it comes to selecting a domain name for an existing business, there are no absolute rules, but certain principles can significantly enhance its impact. Memorable and easy-to-spell domains are key to attracting and retaining customers and your loyal visitors.

A domain that customers can effortlessly recall and type into their browsers improves the overall user experience.

Additionally, web hosts often recommend short, straightforward domains to enhance brand recognition and ease of access.

This makes it a valuable investment for any business seeking to strengthen its online presence. If you’re in that category, what are you waiting for?

Memorable domain name examples:

• ZenZone.com
• CatchyCafe.com
• BrightBloom.com

3. They Are Relevant To the Website’s Content

The importance of having a domain name that is relevant to a website’s content or purpose cannot be emphasized enough. When users come across a domain that aligns with what they are searching for, it creates an instant connection and trust.

Moreover, domain names that incorporate keywords related to the website’s niche can significantly impact search engine visibility, making it easier for potential visitors to find the site.

This relevance also contributes to a website’s overall brand identity and market positioning – which is crucial if you want to grow online.

Domain registrars and hosting providers offer tools to check domain name availability and generate domain name ideas, allowing businesses to find brandable domain names that perfectly represent their offerings.

Examples of good brandable domain names that are relevant to the website’s content:

• EcoLivingEssentials.com – an eco-friendly blog
• StyleHiveBoutique.com – for shopping
• CulinaryQuests.com – for cooking recipes

4. They have a .com extension

Having a brand name with the .com extension is vital due to its universal appeal and credibility. The choice of a domain name extension can significantly impact a brand’s visibility and discoverability.

It’s a known fact – when users search for a desired domain name, they often default to .com as it’s the most recognizable domain extension worldwide.

Owning the .com version enhances brand trust and memorability, and it prevents competitors from benefiting from potential customer confusion.

Most hosting providers and domain registrars actually prioritize .com domains, which ensures easy accessibility and seamless setup for businesses.

When users conduct a Google search, websites with the .com extension tend to rank higher, as search engines often perceive them as more authoritative and relevant.

Examples of famous .com extension websites:

• Facebook.com
• Amazon.com
• YouTube.com
• Instagram.com
• Twitter.com
• Hulu.com

5. They Are Unique and Brandable

The significance of brandable and unique domain names is my next point, and your next note.

Distinctive domain names are crucial as they provide a gateway for businesses and individuals to establish a lasting online presence – which is the Holy Grail, right?

Well, unlike generic or commonplace domain names, which are buried in a sea of existing brand names, a brandable domain name pops, leaving a lasting impression on potential visitors.

When embarking on a domain name search, though, businesses must focus on crafting a web address that aligns with their brand identity and resonates with their target audience.

It can’t be just something that they came up with out of the blue.

It has to be unique and relevant to the website’s content (which was my previous point).

Web hosting companies often offer domain registration services, guiding users to select suitable names for their websites. While some may be tempted by free domain name offers, investing in a brandable and unique domain name is always considered a wise(r) decision.

Sometimes they will not be descriptive, but they can be equally efficient.

Brandable domain names make your visitors associate the name with your website and its content. (Notice that brandable domains can be descriptive at the same time, but that is not always the case.)

Examples of unique brandable domain names:

• Google.com
• Yahoo.com
• eBay.com

6. They Don’t Contain Hyphens or Numbers

Having a domain name without hyphens or numbers is significant for several reasons.

Firstly, it enhances the domain’s professionalism and memorability.

Again, a well-known fact – users tend to find hyphens and numbers confusing and are more likely to forget or mistype them.

This can be a deal breaker as it can lead to lost website traffic and potential customers.

Secondly, a hyphenated domain can raise concerns about its authenticity, as it may look like a spammy or low-quality site. An uncluttered domain name, on the other hand, improves search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.

An effective domain should be easy to remember and reflect the blog’s theme or business purpose!

Here’s a free tip:

Prioritize keyword research to include a few keywords that resonate with your target audience.

And last but not least, opting for a hyphen-free, number-free domain name can positively impact your chosen domain’s reputation, history, and success with your hosting provider.

Examples of domain names that don’t contain hyphens or numbers:

• Reddit.com
• LinkedIn.com
• Wikipedia.com

7. They Are Scalable and Adaptable

An adaptable and scalable domain name is essential for long-term success in the whirlwind online landscape.

When starting with a new domain, it’s crucial to consider its potential for growth and expansion.

An adaptable domain name allows businesses to diversify their offerings without the constraints of a narrow-focused name. Likewise, scalability ensures that the domain can handle increased traffic and content without hampering user experience or search engine rankings.

These two seem to go hand-in-hand.

Furthermore, being open to multiple domain extensions enables businesses to secure variations of their brand name, protecting their online identity and preventing confusion.

A clean domain history is valuable, avoiding potential penalties or associations with past unsavory activities.

A SEO friendly domain name, free of excessive hyphens or unrelated keywords, improves search engine rankings and boosts visibility.

Examples of adaptable domain names:

• Apple.com
• Netflix.com
• Microsoft.com

3 Most Common Errors With Domain Registrars

It’s not all rainbows and sunshine over here, either. Although the path to creating a top level domain seems smooth, there’s still a chance that something might go downhill in the process.

With that in mind, here are the top three issues with domain registrars:

Inaccurate Contact Information

Incorrect contact information during domain registration can spell trouble for website owners. When the provided details are inaccurate or outdated, it can lead to serious consequences on your end.

Domain registrars rely on accurate contact information to communicate with domain owners regarding renewal notices, important updates, or potential issues.

If this vital information is flawed in any way, domain owners might miss crucial notifications, risking domain expiration and potential loss of ownership.

Moreover, some domain registrars employ privacy protection, which replaces the domain owner’s contact information with generic details. While this ensures privacy, if not updated promptly, it may lead to communication lapses.

Therefore, it is essential to provide accurate and up-to-date contact information during domain registration.

This will help you a, avoid doubled letters, and ensure targeted keywords are associated with the website’s niche for better visibility and search engine rankings.

Failure To Renew Domains

Failure to renew a great domain before its expiration date can lead to unfortunate consequences, and frankly, it’s the last thing you want.

Once a domain expires, it becomes available for others to register, losing the name’s availability, and your right to ownership. To avoid this, utilizing a free tool or setting up reminders can help track domain expiration dates and ensure timely renewal.

In this case, immediate action is essential to maintain ownership and preserve the hard work invested in establishing the website.

Hidden Fees

Hidden fees in domain registrars can catch domain owners off guard, leading to unexpected expenses. And if you’re not flexible with your budget, this might be a huge problem.

While some registrars advertise low initial prices, additional charges might emerge during the registration or renewal process. These fees can include anything from privacy protection, domain transfer fees, to premium domain charges.

To avoid financial surprises like this, domain owners should carefully review the registrar’s terms and conditions before registering. Utilizing a free tool for a trademark search can also prevent trademark infringement issues.

Transparency in pricing and understanding the full cost involved are crucial to making informed decisions and managing domain expenses effectively.

Summing Up: 7 Characteristics For a Good Domain Name

To sum everything up, selecting the perfect domain name is a critical step in establishing a strong online presence. By considering the following seven characteristics, businesses can rest assured knowing that they’ve done everything for their web address.

Before I sign off, let’s go over the key takeaways one more time.

A domain name that reflects the business name or blog domain creates a clear connection with the content or purpose of the website. That’s why choosing a catchy and unique domain name enhances its memorability. Moreover, a simple domain name is easy to type and avoids confusing elements like hyphens or numbers.

Likewise, a brandable domain name distinguishes a business from competitors and fosters brand recognition. Incorporating relevant keywords also improves the domain’s visibility in search engines.

Partnering with the best domain registrar ensures excellent customer support, and being cautious of existing words within the domain name helps prevent potential trademark conflicts.

Incorporating these characteristics ensures a good domain name that aligns with a business’s goals, strengthens its online presence, and, finally, paves the way for digital success.

Good luck with your top-level domain name!

The post The 7 Characteristics of a Good Domain Name appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

With dozens or even hundreds of domain search sites available, you can easily waste hours exploring all of them.

Instead of casting a wide net, do a targeted search based on your project.

Building an affiliate or AdSense site? Use a keyword-based domain site.

Creating a new business or blog? Find a memorable, brandable domain.

Below are the best domain search sites for any purpose.

For SEO and Niche Sites: Keyword-Rich Domains

Most domain search sites specialize in keyword-rich domains. Why? They’re in high demand and are easy to serve up to potential buyers.

Lean Domain Search is a quick way to find available domains containing your target keyword.

Bust a Name will combine your potential keywords and show you the available permutations.

Panabee is really basic but will show you a short list of options including keyword combinations, spelling variations, and keywords with simple modifiers like “go” or “it.”

For potentially higher-quality domains, try aftermarket site Sedo. The prices are higher, but the domains should be more desirable.

For New Companies/Projects: Brandable Domains

Brandable domains are not for SEO. They’re for people, not search engines, to remember.

To be brandable, a domain and business name must be short, unique, and memorable.

The domain should be less than ten letters, easily pronounceable (especially to English speakers), and be spelled how it sounds.

Real words with other meanings can work well but will be harder to brand with a new identity. Think Apple or Amazon. They’re also probably already taken or too expensive.

Wordoid is a great source of word-like domains that are pronounceable but available.

You can select how natural you want the domain to sound, in which language, how many characters (max), and a word or letter combo to include in the domain.

If you can’t find what you want on Wordoid, try Instant Domain Search.

Domainr will find available and very short domains, but you’ll be stuck with a tricky subdomain and extension combo like del.icio.us.

Give it a try, but Domainr is ideal for finding short URLs for existing sites.

For Quick Set Up: Domains with an Identity

If you want to hit the ground running, you can buy a package of a brandable domain with a logo and color scheme.

Both BrandBucket resell domains with ready-made logos as a brand package.

Both sites sort domains by category, so you can browse the possibilities for your niche. Name and logo quality seem fairly equal. The biggest difference is price.

Every domain and logo package on Stylate is $250. BrandBucket’s packages start at $595 but most are multiple thousands of dollars. The latter does offer a larger selection however.

For Any Purpose: Domains Without Effort

You can find additional tools like the ones above on domain name contests.

For just $35, you’ll get 100-300 suggestions of available domains based on a project description. Once ideas start coming in, you can vote on them to give the contest entrants more direction.

When you’re tapped out of ideas or just need a starting point, turn over your project to the masses and let them do the work for you.

Regardless of your project, you should be able to brainstorm domains with just one or two sites. What are your favorite domain search engines?

About the Author: Fred Perrotta is the co-founder of Tortuga Backpacks and a marketing consultant.

The post 9 Ways to Find a Domain Name for Any Site appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

a) “The domain is not a big deal” school: those people argue that while a good domain can help on the success of a website, it is not an important factor, because people are increasingly using browser bookmarks and subscription tools like RSS feeds, removing the need for them to remember the name of the website that they want to visit.

b) “The domain is vital” school: those people argue that despite bookmarks and RSS feeds, domains still play a very important role on the success of the websites built upon them. A good domain, therefore, can be the difference between a successful site and a flop.

Before proceeding with my analysis, however, I think it is important to define what a “good domain name” is. Summing it up, a good domain:

1. is short
2. is easy to remember
3. is easy to spell
4. is descriptive or brandable
5. does not contain hyphens and numbers
6. has a .com extension

You can read more about that on the article The 7 Characteristics of Good Domain Names.

I belong to the “domains are vital” school of thought, and I will tell you why, both with words and with numbers that I gathered on a small research.

Bear in mind that whenever I mention “domain name” throughout this article, I am also referring to the name of the website itself. In the majority of the cases those are the same after all, and for marketing purposes they should always be.

Everything Starts with the Domain

The biggest flaw on the argument of people that don’t think that domains play an important role on the success of websites lies on the assumption that web surfers will bookmark or subscribe to a given website right after visiting it.

That is not the case. Most people need to come across a website several times before making the decision to bookmark it or to subscribe to its service.

On the first visit they will come to that site via a link on another website or on a search engine. The domain name, however, will play an important role on the subsequent visits. If it is short, easy to remember and easy to spell, a visitor will not have a problem going back to that site in the future. If the domain is very long, hard to remember and hard to spell, however, there are great chances that the visitor will end up somewhere else, and will probably never return.

Now I am not talking exclusively about users that will remember your domain and type it directly in their browser URL bar after a couple of days. If your domain is long, difficult to spell or contains dashers and numbers, there is a possibility that the user will completely forget about it. After two or three days he won’t even remember that your site exists. A short and catchy domain, on the other hand, will stick on the mind of the visitor. Even if he will not be able to type that, Google is there to help him find your website again.

Another point to take into consideration is that connection between the domain name and the brand of a website. When you have dozens, if not hundreds of websites competing for the same niche, the brand factor will be determinant. If you then realize that the brand of any website is heavily anchored to its domain name, you can see how important domains become.

The Domains of the Top 250 Websites in the World

I know that numbers and facts speak louder than words, so instead of extending my prose I will back up my claims with a small research that I did. Basically I gathered the top 250 most popular websites in the world (according to Alexa) and counted how many characters and words their domains had. I also checked if they had a .com or another extension (e.g., .net, .org, .info and so on). Notice that sites with a foreign extension were excluded from the list for the sake of simplicity.

The results were pretty interesting. First of all, the average number of characters on the domain names was 7,15. The graph below presents the number of characters on the y-axis, and all the 250 domains on the x-axis. The red line is the average (the statistical mean).

Other interesting findings include:

• Over 177 out of 250 domains had 8 characters or fewer. That is more than 70% of them
• The average number of words was 1,58
• The most common domain name (statistical mode) had 7 characters and 2 words
• 86,2% of the domains had a .com extension
• only 11 out of the 250 domains (4,4%) contained a number
• only 3 out of the 250 domains (1,2%) contained a dash

The Domains of the Last 250 Front Page Stories on Digg

One could say that the list with the 250 most popular sites in the world could be biased due to the presence service portals like search engines, email services, social networks and upload sites. I don’t think that the bias would be significant, but in order to remove the doubts I also profiled the domains of the last 250 websites that reached the front page of Digg. Those are mostly content websites, so they should complement the initial findings.

The numbers here point into the same direction. The average number of characters on those domain names was 8,47. Slightly higher than on the previous case, but still a small number. The graph below illustrates that.

The average number of words on the domains is 1,67, which is very similar to the number found on the previous case. Other interesting findings include:

• 89,6% of the domain names had a .com extension
• 146 out of the 250 domains (58,4%) had 8 or fewer characters
• only 4 out of the 250 domains (1,6%) contained a dash
• the most common domain (statistical mode) had again 7 characters and 2 words (e.g. youtube.com)

Oh But I know A Website That Is Popular And…

At this point I am pretty sure that some of you are thinking “Oh but I know a website that pretty popular and has a really long and confusing domain name.”

Well, you just found an exception to the rule.

It is like when you discuss smoking and health problems. Even if the statistics say that smoking will reduce your life expectancy by 20 years, there is always someone that has an uncle or a grand father that smoked his whole life and yet lived to the age of 100 years.

Your uncle or grand father represents the exception, and in no way it diminishes the validity of the statistical findings. The same applies to the statistics we showed above, even if you know a popular website with a really long and weird domain.

Conclusion: The Law of Domain Names

Based on that evidence, here is the conclusion (or the law of domain names):

All other things being equal (e.g., marketing budget, content quality, design, affiliation with larger websites and so on), a website with a good domain name will always outperform a competitor with a bad or average domain name.

Does this means that if you have a long or hard to remember domain you are doomed to fail? Not at all. But if you have a competitor on your niche that has a better domain, you will need to produce better content, offer a better service, or spend more money in promotion to compensate for that.

The post On Domain Names, Size and Quality DOES Matter! appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

This is a guest post by Andrei. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

Look, the Internet itself is still in its infancy and out of all online industries, the domain name industry is definitely the one which resembles the wild west the most. You see a domain being sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars today, and the next day a similar domain is being sold for 4 figures.

iReport.com, remember that one? You know, the domain CNN.com uses? If you don’t remember the domain name deal, let me ask you this: how much do you think the domain sold for? Maybe it sold for $15,000? Maybe even for something like $30k?

Nope, It Sold for $750,000!

Yes, 750 grand. And you know what’s funny? Most of the people who invest in domain names have at least a handful of domains which are obviously a lot better than iReport.com. And again, it’s not Report.com that sold for $750,000, it’s iReport.com (it’s not a typo, “Report” followed by dot com and with an “i” in front of it sold for $750,000).

It seems that the Web has been around for ages but, in fact, it’s only about 20 years old! There are practically no rules yet, most domain name owners would have taken $15,000 or even less than that for iReport.com without even blinking. In this case, however, the domain was owned by an investor who was sitting on a lot of cash (Rick Schwartz) and who was in a great position to negotiate with CNN. Rick Schwartz is one of the people who has managed to retire early thanks to his domain name investments. Do you want to follow in his footsteps? Here are 7 golden rules which might just help:

1. Quality over Quantity

Domains are cheap so if you want to, you can hand register over 1,000 domains for less than $10,000. Would that make you happy? Would you consider yourself a “big shot domainer” if you were to own 1,000 domains? Wake up!

Most of the people who are just starting out as domain name investors make the mistake of hand registering worthless domains. For example, lots of people thought they would make it big by hand registering as many five letter domains as they could afford. Needless to say, practically all of them ended up learning a fairly expensive lesson. If you want to invest $10,000, buy a handful of domains which are actually worth it for 2 simple reasons:

a) A domain with inherent value will always be in demand
b) If you own about 1,000 domains, you’ll end up having to pay around $10,000 yearly in registration fees. If you own 10, you’ll only have to pay roughly 100 bucks per year in order to keep them all.

2. Stay Away from Over-Hyped Extensions

Do a bit of research and you’ll understand why. Dot mobi domains are one of the best examples: people have initially paid a lot of money for them but as time went by, these domains started losing more and more value for one reason: the fundamentals just aren’t there, dot mobi is an extension which has been over-hyped and nothing more.

The rule of thumb? .com is king.

3. Avoid 4 Letter Dot Coms, 5 Letter Dot Coms etc.

At a certain point, 4 letter dot coms were available for registration and at the beginning, a lot of people started to register domains live mego.com, tevo.com and so on. In other words, domains which were extremely easily pronounceable. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of domains like those even if the fact that they are easily pronounceable does give them at least some inherent value, nobody can deny that.

After a certain point, most of the 4 letter dot coms which are actually worth it have been registered but there were a lot of people who wanted in on the action. Since the good domains were all taken, they started to register the remaining 4 letter dot coms, domains which are anything but pronounceable. Seriously, try it yourself: pronounce FYQV.com, now say it ten times and faster. Needless to say, as soon as renewal dates got closer and closer, people who owned awful 4 letter dot coms started becoming desperate. Some of the sold them in bulk for like a dollar or two per domain, some have simply let them expire and the same principle is valid when it comes to five letter domains.

4. Always Go with Reputable Registrars

Remember what happened with registerfly? If you want to avoid situations such as those, stick with companies which have proven themselves and understand that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Personally, since I own lots of extremely valuable domains, I prefer to stick with Moniker (the safest domain name registration company in my opinion). Even if I have to pay a bit more, I know that my valuable domains are in good hands and it’s definitely more than worth it.

5. Sell to End Users

You can buy lots of amazing domains on the cheap through domain name auctions and sell them for 10-20 times more to end users. Buy domains through auctions, sell them to end users: this is a strategy which works for quite a few people.

A lot of times, you will have to explain why domains are valuable in the first place, so you need to understand that being patient is extremely important. Even if it seems that some of the questions end users usually ask are ridiculous, don’t lose your temper and calmly guide them through the process. A lot of times, an end users who does initially not understand why you ask for so much will end up reaching for his wallet after understanding why the domain name is valuable.

6. Take Advantage of Type-In Traffic

Most decent domains have at least some type-in traffic, so don’t just let them stand there and do nothing. Park your domains and if possible, make sure to also include a “this domain name is for sale” message on the parking page.

Most parking companies offer something like this and it’s definitely worth it. Some domains will generate more than others via parking but why not squeeze as much money out of them as possible?

7. Develop A Strong Position to Negotiate

If you rely on domain sales in order to put food on the table, you’ll never be in a great position to negotiate. Remember the iReport.com deal (the domain Rick Schwartz sold to CNN for $750,000) I told you about at the beginning of this article?

Well, he managed to obtain $750,000 for the domain because he was in a great position to negotiate (he already had a lot of money, so putting food on the table was definitely not something he had to worry about) and as I’ve mentioned previously, most domainers would have accepted $15,000 or less for that domain with a smile on their face.

Develop some websites at the beginning, offer some services online at the beginning or if you have a day job when you’re just starting out, don’t quit it just yet. A person who has to worry about paying off the mortgage and things like that is NOT in a good position to negotiate, be sure to keep that in mind.

Andrei owns dozens of top notch domains, and he is organizing a domain name auction which will end on Tuesday (tomorrow), together with Moniker and SnapNames.

The post 200+ Prefixes & Suffixes for Domain Names, Usernames & Company Names appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

A couple of weeks ago I published a post where I recommended to avoid free email services like Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo! when sending out business emails, because it makes you look unprofessional. It looks like I struck a nerve there, cause the discussion that followed in the comments was pretty heated.

Most people agreed with me. Some, however, said that they stuck to using Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo! because the interface and overall user experience was so much better when compared to the email clients available with their domain name emails.

Guess what, you can use your own domain name with Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo. That is, you can send and receive emails from an address like you@yourdomain.com from inside any of those free services, so problem solved. Here’s how to do it.

First of all if you are not using Gmail you are doing it wrong.

Jokes aside I am going to explain the process in Gmail (cause that is my cliente of choice), but I am pretty sure it is similar on other services.

Step 1: Inside the cPanel of your domain name create a forwarder to send all the email received by your you@domain.com account to your you@gmail.com account.

Step 2: Inside Gmail open the “Settings”, then go to “Accounts and import”, and then click on “Add another email account you own”.

Step 3: Put your you@domain.com email there, and follow the steps until Gmail says it will send you a confirmation code.

Step 4: That confirmation code should appear on your Gmail inbox (as you are forwarding all email on your you@domain.com account to Gmail already). Put that on the confirmation box and that is it.

Easy huh?

If you need more instructions, check out this tutorial on TechnetGR.

With this method you get the best of both worlds. You get to look professional with your you@domain.com email address and you get to use Google’s state of the art email client (or Yahoo!, or Hotmail…).

The post How to Use Your Domain Name with Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

My first ebook is getting launched today. It is titled “Killer Domains: Tools & Techniques to Find the Perfect Domain Name.”

If you tried to find some good domain names lately you know how disappointing the experience can be. It feels like all the marketable domains are already gone. And the problem is that the success of your website starts with the domain name.

If you use a structured research process with efficient tools and techniques, however, I am sure that you will be able to find dozens of good domains that are still available, or to find registered domains for sale that will represent an excellent investment.

Here is the table of contents:

1. Introduction
2. The 7 Characteristics of Good Domain Names
3. The Process of Researching Domain Names
4. Keyword Research
5. Prefixes and Suffixes
6. Tools and Resources
7. Registering and Managing Domain Names

The ebook has 55 pages, 30 of them for the content and 25 with the huge list of prefixes and suffixes (over 400). There is also a link included where you can download an Excel spreadsheet with the prefixes and suffixes to work with them more efficiently.

My experience with domain names

I started developing projects on the Internet more than three years ago, and on that time frame I needed to research and buy dozens of domain names. On the beginning I was not so sure about what I was doing, hence why some of my domains are not that good (DailyBlogTips.com, for instance, has 3 words and is quite long).

Over the time I learned some tricks and became familiar with the best tools around, so the quality of my domains improved as a consequence. Today I have a good portfolio of domains, probably worth over $20,000.

Some of the latest additions to that portfolio are TechCult.com, DailyBits.com and Freaked.com.

Money back guarantee

I am pretty sure that the ebook will be worth the $17 for the buyers. A good two-word domain name sells easily for $100, so even if you manage to find just one domain using the tools and techniques described you already recovered the money. If you end up finding a cool domain for your new website or blog, the ebook will probably be even more valuable to you.

That being said, if after reading and trying to use the described methods you arrive to the conclusion that this is not what you were looking for, just shoot me an email and I will refund your money.

Update: The eBook has been removed from the market because I will be using the information that it contained inside a larger project.

The post Killer Domains: My First eBook is Available Now appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

If you are not aware of it, some time ago the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) approved a regulation that will enable companies from around the world to register their own top level domain extensions. Microsoft, for example, could register .microsoft or even .software. There is will be a costly fee involved with the process, but if you think that domains like .sex and .poker are also a possibility, you can imagine the buzz that the whole deal will generate.

Anyway last week Lyndon Antcliff asked my feedback on the liberalization, because he was compiling a post with opinions from around the industry. Here is what I told him:

I believe that the liberalization of domain extensions was a bad move by ICAAN. It will add a great deal of confusion on the web, as the end user won’t know what extension means what. If I am not wrong companies interested in having their own extension will need to pay over $100,000 in fees, and this could have been the motivation for the whole thing.

After a while, though, I believe people will head back to the established extensions. Inside the mess of .nyc, .porn, .microsoft and .toys, people will just type .com or .org, because they know those will work. Interestingly enough, the liberalization of top level extensions could strengthen the .com majesty.

And this point raises the following question: would a company be better off spending $100,000 to buy its own extension or spending the same $100,000 to buy a premium one-word domain with a .com extension?

I would take the latter any day.

On the original article there are 19 more people sharing their opinions on the matter, so check it out. Feel free to drop a comment below with your take, too.

The post What do You Think About the Liberalization of Domain Name Extentions? appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

Picture this: you are a venture capitalist, and you just invested $10 million of your hard earned funds in a promising Web 2.0 company. A couple of days later you decide to visit the company’s website, only to find the famous Godaddy parked domain page there. That is right, the company forgot to renew its domain name and let it expire!

This is what happened with Foursquare, one of the fastest growing startups around. The lead is coming from TechCrunch. Here is a quote:

Yesterday, Foursquare had some downtime. That’s nothing new, startups have downtime all the time – see: Twitter, that was their M.O. for about a year – but the reason for Foursquare’s appears to be a little humorous.

While the site is back up and running now, it appears that Foursquare forgot to renew their domain name, which expired on March 25. As a result, GoDaddy, the registrar, pulled the site and put up their own landing page. Which some people noticed on Twitter and other tipped us about.

Luckily all the company had to do was to renew the domain and they were back in business. Still a pretty funny story huh? If nothing else, go to your registrar right now and make sure your important domains are on auto-renew….

The post Foursquare Raises $10 Million in Funding, Forgets To Renew Domain Name appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.