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Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name

deepsouthventures.com

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Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name

#41

Post by melvinmt »

chrishacken wrote: post #24

Not 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…

In the context of YC, here's what pg thinks about domain names:

"If you have a US startup called X and you don’t have x.com, you should probably change your name.

The reason is not just that people can't find you. For companies with mobile apps, especially, having the right domain name is not as critical as it used to be for getting users. The problem with not having the .com of your name is that it signals weakness. Unless you're so big that your reputation precedes you, a marginal domain suggests you're a marginal company. Whereas (as Stripe shows) having x.com signals strength even if it has no relation to what you do."

http://paulgraham.com/name.html

Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name

#42

Post by mikejarema »

> I’m talking about viewing domain names as an asset

Another way to read this, which the author indirectly touches on in his listing of expired domain auction results, is the $$$ value of the domain itself.

It's kind of insurance for the situation where your side project/business either fails to materialize or goes nowhere. A solid domain should at least retain its value so you can view the perceived authority/trust as free (or a dividend) on the initial investment in the domain.

This is the basis I've been using for some of the prospective side-projects I've been mulling. I've been buying some decent domains as investments both in the domains themselves and the value they would bring to my projects.

Here's a specific example:

I've got a few ideas related to energy, eg. a system that'll let IoT devices/smart appliances/software base decisions on the cost and environmental impact of the energy required for an application. So I bought http://energy.io as the eventual home for this. It carries the authority/trust that the author describes, at least as a developer-focused business, and in the worst case I'm sure I can resell it for an amount comparable to what I paid.

Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name

#43

Post by mxuribe »

k__ wrote: post #20

I still haven't figured out how to make money with butt.ventures

A few ideas...

* A site that posts startups that flame out spectacularly due to poor business models (models that everyone knew would never work but money was still invested, etc.). Like that F* Company site that used to exist, or whatever it used to be called.

* An incubator for startups devoted to the proctology industry. (I assume that's what you would call this sub-industry of medicine.)

* A p0rn site, duh.

* An incubator for startups devoted to the adult industry.

* A bathub company for folks with reading disabilities. (Sorry.)

* A startup focused on developing the next generation hardware programming language to replace legacy ASSembly language. (Sorry, I just couldn't resist considering the expected audience here on HN ;-)

Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name

#45

Post by vortico »

Halfway through reading, I was going to criticize the author for lack of quantitative evidence, but he partially redeemed himself by using actual numbers in the Expired Domains section. Anyone can write an article saying "X is important!" but a business owner will not give attention unless dollar values are assigned to the importance. Still, I'd like to see some more evidence in this article than the Bobblehead case study that using keyword domains actually increases sales in that market.

Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name

#46

Post by azdle »

wan23 wrote: post #38
azdle wrote: post #7

Maybe 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…

You probably don't want to name anything virga as it has a vulgar homophone in Spanish. http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/verga Though then again, if shit.foundation is a good idea then maybe it doesn't matter.

Huh... Well, good to know.

Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name

#47

Post by conductr »

adventured wrote: post #23
logfromblammo wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

I tend to agree with your view, or am biased because it reflects my pattern. However I would add, browsers (Chrome at least) have a bit of a dark pattern that pushes people towards a search making searches very common although not always needed/intended.

For example, when I type the first 4 letters of my bank's URL, the omnibox has 3 suggestions prior to the direct bank URL even though it's a site I frequently visit and google knows that. They want me to search "BANK NAME" because then I'm more likely to click on the top link which of course is an ad.

Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name

#49

Post by azdle »

throwaway729 wrote: post #40
azdle wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

> 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. Have you looks through condo/apartment amenity listings and figured out what words they're using to describe these systems? I imagine people would probably pick up on and use those names? I just call it a "buzzer" and explain to friends "enter the code or find me in t…

I've never seen any that actually specify it as an amenity. I think it's assumed that buildings will have that these days.

In searing for how they're actually sold, I've seen mostly "Phone Entry System" and "Phone Access System", but I felt like that was super generic without context.

Re: Want to Build a Side Business? Just Buy Great Domain Name

#50

Post by azdle »

Cpoll wrote: post #29
azdle wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

You're getting it right. The problem with terms like "buzzer", IMO, is that they're super generic and very regional. But I suppose it might be more generally understandable than what I've got, I guess I should try it on a few people.
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