It’s always best to try and find a “virgin” domain name. This way you don’t need to worry about what was there before you bought it. But what if the perfect domain for you is already registered to someone else? Well in that case you have two choices; pick a different name or buy the name from whoever owns it. While this may not always be possible, as in the case of a site such as cars.com or news.com, many times you can buy an existing domain name as long as you do your homework and you have some good negotiating skills. Here’s what you need to know.
When finding a domain name, always go for the .com. They are worth more in the long run. This also means that if you are buying an existing name, you’ll end up paying more for it because it is more valuable.
If you are buying an existing domain name, chances are you’ll be dealing with a domain name broker. These are people who specialize in reselling domain names; much like a realtor sells homes. In fact a domain name is nothing more than online real estate. Just like when buying a home it is important to know how far you are willing to go. While the perfect domain may cost you a million dollars, if you can’t afford to pay for it, then it is best to just walk away and choose a different name.
Once you find a name that you like that is within your budget, it’s time to do some research on the name. One of the first things you should do is do a search for the name with Archive.com. This will give you a screenshot of the site over the years, so that you can see what it was used for. The next place you should check is a site called dogpile.com. Dogpile searches Google, Yahoo, Live and Ask for any references to your website. This will also give you an idea about what the site was previously used for. Next check with Google AdSense to see if the domain has been banned. This would negatively impact your ability to make money from the site with Google AdSense. Yahoo Site Explorer is another site that can help you find information on your prospective site.
Next it’s time to put on your negotiating hat. One of the most important things to remember is to be realistic. You are not going to get a million dollar domain for a thousand dollars. But with careful negotiations you may get it for somewhat less than a million plus some fees.
It’s important to make sure that you are dealing with a reputable broker, since you obviously wouldn’t want to get robbed by someone who claims they have a domain that they don’t have, only to have you hand over a bunch of money. You should also never ask for feedback on a public forum about your prospective purchase either. It may tip someone off that you are looking to buy it and you may lose it.
By following these tips, you may find that you can obtain the domain name that you want at a bargain price.
Most of us, at one time or another, have landed on a webpage in which we have seen advertisements for free domain names. If you are shopping around for a domain registration service, you may have even wondered how a company can offer free domain names without some kind of catch being involved. The truth of the matter is that, while these companies offer a free domain name, which they will give you, they bundle the offer with other kinds of services for which you will have to pay for. Let’s take a closer look at why a company cannot give a domain name in the true sense of for “free”.
First and foremost, domain names and their registrations are regulated by ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. Whenever a domain registration company issues a domain name to a customer the company has to pay ICANN a $0.20 fee and a maximum of $6.86 to VeriSign for that domain name. As should be obvious a company giving away “free” domain names would lose money unless they were able to make up for that loss in other ways. The way they do that is to bundle the free domain name offer with other services.
Other Services
Many domain name registrars will bundle a free domain name offer with their hosting service. A web host allocates space for subscribers to exhibit their websites on the server of the hosting company. Hosting services can vary from company to company, but are generally anywhere from $7 to $10 US dollars per month. What some companies will do is offer a free domain name with the purchase of a year hosting subscription. Those companies that offer a free domain name bundled with hosting services still make a profit after paying ICANN and VeriSign their fees.
Many domain name registration companies offer free extras when you sign-up for both a domain name and their hosting services. Some of those extras are web design tools, marketing web tools, and administration web tools, to mention a few. These little extras can be quite handy when fine tuning your website, marketing it, and maintaining it.
Whenever purchasing a domain name registration bundle you want to make sure you get the most value for your investment. This requires that you know what services you need as there are numerous service options. As you shop around for a domain registration company read the details about what each of their packages provide and compare those plans with the services of their competitors. Most domain name registration companies will be more than glad to help you and your business determine which of their bundle packages will best suit your business needs.
When you are interested in signing up for a free domain name know that the domain name itself may be free, but it is usually only when you sign up for a bundle package service. It’s the extras you are paying for so be sure you know what you are buying before signing up for a plan.
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