I built https://www.findlectures.com entirely without having a domain; my experience has been that having a domain too early locks you too much to the concept it references.
Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name
21–30 of 202 posts
Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name
#22I like this idea! Yeah, I could see some folks using it to get into shadier practices. But i could also see it as being a trigger/catalyst for prompting me to get into a decent-enough business that I (might be good at but) would never have gone into otherwise. I think i'll give this a try. Side note: Kudos also to the author for a lovely, and humorous writing style! (I've subscribed to your mailing list because of it…
you're too kind.. thanks. This amazing world introduced me (a city boy) into the dude ranching industry.. it can truly open up doors for you.
Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name
#23>I immediately gravitate towards the keyword descriptive dotCOM. It instantly exudes trust & authority Strongly disagree. As a result of this type of thinking, I find that the majority of "keyword descriptive dotCOM" domains are usually click-bait or shady content marketing. Sites like "VacuumReviews.com" are almost always full of content focused on SEO not quality, and questionable financial motivations. But I guess…
The general public no longer types domain names. They type what they want into the search box of Google or Bing. Domain names now only matter to the extent that search result ranking algorithms prioritize hits in the domain name. As for myself, I am automatically wary of domain names that do not include a known trademark, and have no plausible reason to exist (and pay its own operating expenses) aside from advertisin…
> The general public no longer types domain names.
I partially disagree. My opinion is that the general public has learned to type the first letter/s of a site they've previously visited, into their browser url bar. The median Pinterest user on the Web is not going to Google to get to Pinterest.com, even if a small percentage of users do so. Typing those first letters into the browser has become radically more common for the typical user than using a search engine for sites they visit regularly. The majority of Web users have long since figured out that typing into the browser reveals sites from their history.
Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name
#24Not to burst your bubble but I'm convinced we're moving into an era where your domain name and TLD are becoming less and less relevant. Google and Social are all that matter. Had you asked me 4 years ago if I'd ever consider building a business on .io or .co I would have laughed in your face. Now I'm building products on both of them.
FWIW, I used to buy/sell domains and I think it's a terrible investment strategy now. I can't tell you how many thousands of dollars I've wasted.
Unless you're able to pick up one-word / 3L .com's for very cheap and know you can easily flip them, it's just not worth it.
Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name
#25Maybe it's just that I lack follow through, but I disagree. I have a horrible habit of buying domain names thinking that I have this great idea, I play with it for a day or two and then abandon it. Actually, in the spirit of this article, if anyone here is interested in any of these, let me know: addressauth.com -- Was going to be a physical address verification service using lob.com's postcard sending API. atomicthi…
> I need to come up with better ways of describing it with fewer words. How about: knock.ninja automates your building's phone-based access system. It omits some detail, but to be honest I didn't get it until I read the features anyway. Depending who you want to appeal to, I think it might be better to call it a 'smart' phone-based access system instead of 'automated'. Sounds great, by the way. Unfortunately my build…
Yeah, I think I need to get away from the term 'access system' everyone I've asked didn't get it and I think that was the main part of the confusion.
I'm thinking something more along the lines of
"Can your front door call you? Let the ninja get it instead.
Knock.Ninja can open the door for guests and deliveries automatically in any building that uses phone-based entry request systems."
That still gets too technical at the end, but I think more people would understand.
Edit: It also now occurs to me that that's actually more word, ah well.
Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name
#26Not to burst your bubble but I'm convinced we're moving into an era where your domain name and TLD are becoming less and less relevant. Google and Social are all that matter. Had you asked me 4 years ago if I'd ever consider building a business on .io or .co I would have laughed in your face. Now I'm building products on both of them. FWIW, I used to buy/sell domains and I think it's a terrible investment strategy no…
gotta disagree, with all due respect. But I do like the .io extension..
but confused - you say Google & Social are all that matter.. Google indexes domains. And once a user visits a domain and has a positive experience, the domain would be that much easier for them to remember. And with social, you don't own or control the content - so if they fold (or change the rules), you're up the creek.
Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name
#27Sorry, but i really dont like the style of the article, i always feel like the author wants to tell me one little trick, doctors hate him for, which enlarges your penis by two inches.
Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name
#28I agree that if you think of a good domain name and it is available, then you should buy it. It's a very cheap investment. But be sure to write a super brief business plan explaining what this is for. You might forget by next year.
Even if you don't end up using it, you may be pleasantly surprised (as has happened to me) that in a few years someone offers you ten or twenty thousand for it.
I do not agree with the "just" buy a great domain. The domain name has very little to with the success of your business. I also, as others have said, disagree with "keyword descriptive" names. I don't think that search engines reward your for descriptive names, and they are poor choices for brand names. You want people to be able to Google your brand, and have your page come up first.
Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I need to come up with better ways of describing it with fewer words. How about: knock.ninja automates your building's phone-based access system. It omits some detail, but to be honest I didn't get it until I read the features anyway. Depending who you want to appeal to, I think it might be better to call it a 'smart' phone-based access system instead of 'automated'. Sounds great, by the way. Unfortunately my build…
Yeah, I think I need to get away from the term 'access system' everyone I've asked didn't get it and I think that was the main part of the confusion. I'm thinking something more along the lines of "Can your front door call you? Let the ninja get it instead. Knock.Ninja can open the door for guests and deliveries automatically in any building that uses phone-based entry request systems." That still gets too technical…
I've always heard it being called a "buzzer" (unless I'm misunderstanding the service).
I also think the hook should be short, followed by a bullet-point of features.
Knock.ninja handles your building buzzer for you.
* Works for any building with a phone-based lobby buzzer.
* Manages automatic-unlock codes.
* Starts the coffee machine as soon as your guests buzz up.
* Whispers to you in your sleep.
Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
I can see your point of view.. What I was trying to convey - albeit poorly - was a more holistic view of the domain, ie. the domain on the side of a truck. The domain on a tablecloth. The domain on a bumpersticker. If I saw a plumber driving around Atlanta with www.AtlantaPlumber.com on his truck, #1 - it'd be easy for me to remember, and #2 it'd be a more positive than negative perception of that business.
Are you the author of this post? Is there any way to contact you?
oop.. I guess I should mentioned that I'm the author.. you can ping me on twitter if that works.. or here : )