Picking a good domain name for $10 or less

Nearly every day I have someone new to domain name investing ask me “How valuable is this domain name that I registered?” Nearly every day I must politely give the reasons why that specific domain has little or no value in the aftermarket arena. Generally the name was purchased with great excitement and emotion and the buyer undoubtedly had their heartbeat racing as they felt that they had the next “Google”. What they failed to do was identify their target audience, pick keywords that are relevant to their industry and they didn’t use the tools available to them. With a little discipline almost every one has the ability to pick out a good reg-fee name.

Identify your Target Audience

First of all it is important to know what you are going to do with this name.

Is this a name that means absolutely nothing to most people and you plan on developing it into a brand like Yahoo, Google and Flickr?

In my opinion this is the most difficult development avenue because there is no natural search traffic to rely on and you must create your brand and what it means to not only you but your audience as well.

Is this a name that your audience will understand what the website is about as soon as they see it?

Now your on the right track!!! There are people already searching for that keyword and with some well written articles and a little Search Engine Optimization (SEO) your website should start to show up in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP’s).

Are you looking to sell this domain name and/or to hold onto it as an investment?

Then you must step up your game!!! Chances are that $10 domain name you just purchased has no reseller value at this time. The advanced Domainer scans millions of domain name possibilities per year and chances of that gem falling through the cracks is close to nil. Sometimes you just need to pay more than $10 for a quality domain name or just follow the advice in coming paragraphs.

Picking Good Domain Names based on Keywords

Keywords are what makes the internet go around. The first step that I use when picking out a potential new domain name is to conduct a basic Google Search. I look for the amount of companies that pay for sponsored links as well as any companies that may be using an inferior version of the available name. Then I always use the Google Keywords Tool. It helps me determine the amount of EXACT Google searches performed each month for a keyword or String of Keywords and also gives related Keyword searches. I look for a minimum of 2500 EXACT Google searches per month before I consider buying a name. It will also tell you if it is better to own the singular or plural version of a name. A good example of this would be to consider the domain names NineLive.com vs. NineLives.com. The plural is clearly better!!! Take your time and explore this important tool and see what it can do for you.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/featured-articles/608999-picking-good-domain-name-10-less.html

Conclusion

As you can see, domain name investing can be a complicated business. Take the time to read as much as you can about the industry, play around with the Google Keywords Tool and find some tools of your own and list them here. Resist the urge to impulse register any names until you have a decent knowledge of the industry. The key to domaining is research. The industry requires a great deal of patience, knowledge and some times nerves of steel, but ask any full time domainer if it is worth it and 100% across the board you will hear a resounding YES!!!! Good luck in your venture!!!
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=608999


Greg Slaughterbeck writes original articles about domain names on his blog, DropZone.us.