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

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

#61

Post by icantdrive55 »

benmcnelly wrote: post #4

This is rubbish. I am (was) a serial domain buyer. Now, I guess its somewhat true that buying a domain to go with your idea can really inspire you, I have a lot of domains I let expire or still hold on to because I haven't yet or never did anything with them. I don't think its a good idea.

It become a habit for me. I did buy physibles though. Someone offered me $15,000 at the height of the 3-D printing hootenanny.

Stupidly--I turned it down. I has such big plans. Now I keep it because it's such a weird word, and new people I meet remember it.

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

#62

Post by eightturn »

rcarrigan87 wrote: post #55

If you're buying expired domains you'd be wise to learn a little bit about how to spot google penalties. It would suck to buy a domain where a bunch of shady SEO had been done by the previous owner. It will make ranking in google that much harder.

a fine point.. thanks for mentioning..

I'll try to point that out in the next post..

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

#63

Post by eightturn »

run4yourlives2 wrote: post #31

For the amount of money he's spending on auctioned domains, wouldn't it make more sense to find a 'related' (eg. backyardziplines.com vs ziplines.com) name and do exactly the same thing (set up a site, contact a partner, etc) and spend the thousands of dollars on advertising? Maybe it's just me, but google doesn't really put that much stock in the url itself, does it? A non-scammy site and some good lead ins will put…

Author here..My focus isn't a google seo play, it's a 'build a business' play that leverages all forms of marketing.. word of mouth, bumper stickers, billboards, search, social.. A neat, easy to remember domain can do lots of good when building a brand..

Related domains can do as much harm as good.. a good article to read:

https://blog.nuts.com/were-going-nuts-dot-com/

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

#64

Post by maxerickson »

eightturn wrote: post #9
vtlynch wrote: post #3

>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…

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 there plumbers in Atlanta that aren't fully booked without having nice domain names?

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

#65

Post by user5994461 »

vinceguidry wrote: post #58
audleman wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Descriptive.dot.com domain names are the equivalent of generic cereal boxes. I want to go to Amazon for my books, not books.com. I will never go to food.com, or glutenfree.com, or anything of the like. Amy's Kitchen on the other hand sounds compelling. I trust my pets with rover.com, but dogsitting.com? No way.

You're putting the cart before the horse. Going by domain name is the equivalent of planting your business on the side of the highway. You're going to get a ton of traffic just based on walk-ins alone.

To have worked at a company who had one of the most profitable domain on the planet. I confirm!

Internally, we used to call it the money printer. It was so obvious that revenues were flowing because of the domain.

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

#66

Post by eightturn »

melvinmt wrote: post #41
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.…

author here.. I've pinned that post on twitter. Paul gets it.

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

#67

Post by FilterSweep »

sunseb wrote: post #52

In the long run, I tend to think it's better to have a good brand name rather than a descriptive domain name with keywords. We all go on amazon.com to buy books, not on bookstore.com.

+1 for promoting an idea that a single-noun (such as Amazon or apple) could be purchased as a domain and be worth lots of money.

However, while the bottom statement is a truth, are you sure you have the cause and effect right?

We buy go on amazon.com to buy books because of a plethora of other reasons that Amazon does better than a bookstore.com that comes before an affinity for the Amazon brand. This ranges from ubiquitous options to their cost-cutting operational and source efficiency to their shipping options to Amazon prime benefits.

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

#68

Post by wessorh »

wow, I've run a domain registrar since 1999. Most domain name purchases are crap, domains are not assets but for a tiny tiny fraction of the top sites.

don't be a fool and give your money to a registrar. Build a business by solving problem that many folks have. After you solved a problem buy a domain to market your solution.

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

#70

Post by alasdair_ »

maxerickson wrote: post #64
eightturn wrote: post #9

Earlier 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 there plumbers in Atlanta that aren't fully booked without having nice domain names?

If they are fully booked, they should be raising their prices.
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