NamePros Blog

Future Sensors · 2025-12-21T07:17:39+0000

Quick heads-up for domain investors: DNSSEC can be a useful security feature when you run and control a live website and its DNS signing, but in the domain aftermarket it's usually a problem rather than a benefit. A leftover DNSSEC setting from a previous registrant can make your lander...

Sully · Dec 9, 2025

There's a strange phenomenon in this industry that everyone sees but almost nobody talks about. It doesn't show up in conference panels, it rarely appears in forum threads, and you certainly won't catch it on a registrar's marketing page. It's quieter than bad renewals and sneakier than...

bhartzer · Dec 4, 2025

Domain investing has evolved over the years, which is a good thing. Search engines are smarter now. Brand enforcement by companies is more aggressive than it has been in the past. And AI makes it easier to spot possible legal and reputation risks before you buy a domain.

As a domain investors...

Future Sensors · Nov 13, 2025

Registering domains is not only about finding something available, it's about choosing words that make sense, look professional, and appeal to buyers. For non‑native English speakers, this can be especially challenging because English has many quirks. A single word can function as a noun, verb...

Sully · Nov 11, 2025

There's a moment that happens to every domain investor, usually somewhere around year three or four, where you open your renewal invoice and feel something close to nausea. The number is higher than you expected. Much higher. And when you start going through the list, trying to figure out what...

bhartzer · Oct 30, 2025

Traditional domain appraisals focus on factors like length, TLD, and comparable sales. Those are useful when pricing undeveloped or “naked” domain names. But they overlook the additional value created when a domain has real backlinks, organic rankings, or direct traffic.

For domains that have...

bhartzer · Oct 23, 2025

AI has become one of the most powerful tools available to us domain investors. Whether you’re trying to uncover the next big name, evaluate which domains to renew, or sell premium domains more effectively, AI can save time and sharpen your strategy.

By integrating AI into your daily workflow...

bhartzer · Oct 15, 2025

In 2025, domain theft has become a growing problem for investors, businesses, and brand owners. Well, it has been a problem more and more over at least the last 5 years. As someone who runs a stolen domain name recovery service, I can tell you that attackers aren’t always anonymous hackers in...

Sully · Oct 14, 2025

One of the hardest truths in domaining is this: buyers don't just buy domains — they buy confidence.
Or flip it to domainers don't sell names, they sell confidence.

You can have a great name, fair price, the whole package. But if the person reading your email doesn't trust you? Deal's...

bhartzer · Oct 8, 2025

Every domainer has heard stories of quick flips, high-value sales, and expired domains with “instant authority.” The reality is different. Due diligence is critical. Not every expired domain is worth pursuing, and in many cases, Google’s policies make it clear that intent matters. Smart...

Sully · Oct 7, 2025

As domainers, we have to be careful not to let “rules” in domaining turn into blind spots. The market changes, buyers change, and the stories we tell ourselves need to change too. Here are a few myths I often hear, used to repeat—and why I don’t hold them as truth anymore.

Myth 1: “Short...

bhartzer · Oct 1, 2025

Having been in the domain industry for over 20 years, I’ve observed that most domainers are focused on short, catchy, and easily brandable names. We often chase these domains because they are easy to remember and seem to carry instant branding potential. However, what so many overlook is the...

Sully · Sep 30, 2025

You and I have seen a lot of extensions ride waves of hype over the years. Some burned bright and fizzled out, others carved out a lasting place in the market. Right now, .AI is the hot story — headline sales, startup adoption, and nonstop media buzz. But here’s the thing: momentum isn’t the...

Bob Hawkes · Jan 25, 2024

In response to a NamePros Blog article a few week’s ago, Arslan Nawaz asked that I write an article on Domain Investing Dos and Don’ts.

The following is an amalgamation of my own ideas along with views expressed by many other people over a number of years. Near the end is a list of...

Bob Hawkes · Jan 11, 2024

The new year brings new domain name opportunities and challenges. Definitely 2023 saw a mix of both.

This article is not about resolutions, but it is about reflecting on the past year, and setting the stage for the new one. Reflection is a helpful exercise in most things, and domain investing...

Bob Hawkes · Oct 3, 2023

I like to read and listen to experts from fields outside domain investment. Sometimes this is in sectors like technology, that will directly inform investment in new niches or sectors. Other times, it is in aesthetics or design, that can be helpful in name creation and evaluation. But I...

Acroplex · May 10, 2023

Domain investing is a thrilling and dynamic profession that attracts people from all over the world. It's a global activity that offers the potential for passive income and the freedom to live the lifestyle that you desire.

One of the most significant advantages of domain investing is the...

Bob Hawkes · Mar 23, 2023

NamePros is full of tales of mistakes made and mistakes to avoid. Personally, I have made my share of mistakes. This post is about the mistakes I made during the last six years. While I won’t cite specific cases, the article is also informed by mistakes that I have read on NamePros.

More...

Bob Hawkes · Oct 28, 2021

The landing page is one of the first impressions that potential buyers will have of your domain name. It also can provide information about the name, a link for purchase or lease, and how to make contact.

However, should your name be disputed in a legal action or UDRP, that landing page can be...

Bob Hawkes · Mar 10, 2021

Last week’s NamePros Blog post took a look at domain name appraisals – why you might want an appraisal, who could provide it, the different types of appraisals, and some caveats about interpreting appraisals. This week’s post looks into the types of appraisals available here on NamePros...

Paul · Mar 6, 2021

A few months ago, NamePros started observing aggressive credential stuffing attacks. This marked a new chapter in security at NamePros. We have rather secure infrastructure, especially for a site of our size. However, we've been growing at a steady pace, which makes us a bigger target...

Brian Harbin · Jan 27, 2020

A dad was in his home office on an important phone call when his 5-year-old son came in and asked him if he could play. The dad said, "Not right now son, I’m busy." The young boy left and came back a few minutes later with a hopeful expression, "Now are you ready?" The dad tried to stay calm...

Bob Hawkes · Aug 29, 2019

Dan Bingham (@DefinitelyDomains) asked an intriguing question: At what point do you stop buying domains? The question could mean, “When do you stop adding to your portfolio?” or “When do you get out of domain investing?” Good advice related to both...

Darryl Lopes · Aug 16, 2019

One of my favorite movies is Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. By watching this movie, I have developed a superior skill set for negotiations, based around illusion and a bluff, in a way that is not harmful to either party.

Credit: History...

James Iles · Apr 4, 2019

In a new industry, it's often difficult to know where to start. Coming in with an abundance of enthusiasm and a desire to make money quickly, it may be hard to resist the urge to start acquiring new domain names immediately with the hope of selling them within days or weeks.

It's been well...

James Iles · Mar 28, 2019

In this fourth and final edition of our outbound sales series, we have possibly some of the best negotiation advice possible. Over the past three installments of "How to Perform Outbound Sales", we have teamed up with domain name broker and Director of Business Development at Fabulous.com...

James Iles · Mar 6, 2019

When contacting a prospective buyer via an outbound email, what exactly do you say? That is one of the many questions we're going to attempt to answer in the third installment of our outbound sales series. This series is being compiled with the generous help of @Mike Robertson, the...

James Iles · Feb 13, 2019

In the first of our four-part series on outbound domain sales, we learned about some of the basic steps that you should consider taking before sending any outbound emails. With the help of @Mike Robertson, Director of Business Development at Fabulous.com, our sales expert for this...

James Iles · Jan 22, 2019

Outbound domain sales can be an effective means of producing cash flow for your domain portfolio. Rather than simply relying on buyers to come to you, outbound marketing relies on contacting specific potential buyers to try and secure a deal.

When it’s performed properly, outbound sales can...

James Iles · May 30, 2018

On May 25th, 2018, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect, aiming to give control to consumers over their personal data. The regulation is being enforced across the European Union and European Economic Area but also affects the exportation of personal...

James Iles · Mar 22, 2018

For many investors, performing outbound domain sales is an important part of their business. To create cash flow, it's sometimes advantageous to seek out sales opportunities rather than waiting for them to come to you. Domain name brokers regularly market domain names to end users on behalf of...

AndyM · Jun 8, 2017

When you get into a new hobby or career, it’s natural to make mistakes. Everyone does. Fortunately, other people have already made those mistakes and you can learn from their experiences rather than having to learn from your own mistakes, which can be discouraging and expensive. Armed with...

James Iles · Jan 30, 2017

I am a regular Reddit reader, and one discussion that caught my eye was a Life Pro Tip (LPT) that recommended searching for “things I wish I knew before starting” before starting a new venture or hobby. This way, you’ll typically find useful tips to taper your expectations when starting...

James Iles · Jan 2, 2017

Chrome is Google’s free web browser, and as you’d expect, it’s very popular. In fact, according to W3Schools.com, Google Chrome had a 73.8% market share in November 2016, up from 67.4% at the same point last year.

One of the attractions of using Google Chrome is the fact that users can...

James Iles · Mar 29, 2016

This may not be something that you've thought about before, but is the domain name registrar that you use ICANN accredited? Naturally, the majority of registrars around the World are accredited, because it is required to register gTLD names, but there are instances of registrars that are...

Keith DeBoer · Mar 23, 2016

The challenge with negotiating is that I never really know if I did a good job. I may get what I think I want, and I try and do it without taking advantage of the other person. But, somehow, I often feel like I left something on the table that I shouldn't have. Or worse, that I may have taken...

Joe N · Mar 2, 2016

There are many websites offering great advice from successful people in the domain industry, with tons of tips for beginners. I haven’t had as much success as some seasoned domainers, but as a beginner, I think I'm in a unique position to help others like me learn the ropes. Here are some tips...

sittingducks · Feb 27, 2016

Playing poker online in order to make money is similar to the art of domaining. Today I will introduce a couple of strategies from online poker and apply them to domaining, in hope that both novice and more advanced domainers can learn from them.

Look at the picture above. Two...

Omar Negron · Feb 3, 2016

I have been domaining for awhile now. Buying and selling domain names can certainly be fun. It's a thrill when you scan a list for hours to find 1-2 domain names that show "promise" and then you're able to acquire them through an auction or you successfully drop catch them straight into your...

James Iles · Dec 30, 2015

With the new year fast approaching, it’s a good opportunity to check that your domain names and your strategy are all set to make it a good year in terms of domain investing. Take a few minutes out of your day to make sure that your existing domain names are ready for the new year.

Sell...

Joe Styler · Dec 3, 2015

There’s no place like home for the holidays – or wherever your computer happens to be!

The domain market is a global market and anyone not living in a cave somewhere for the last year has been aware of how much and how quickly things can change due to this fact. The Chinese market has exploded...

Joe Styler · Oct 27, 2015

Whether you are the king of domains and sitting on countless super valuable domains or someone just starting out who spent days scraping through dropping lists to buy a handful of domains you found that others may have overlooked, our portfolios are special to us. They are a part of who we are...

12345 · Sep 17, 2015

We have all been there. You pay too much for a name.

Maybe it’s been a pretty slow week on the drops and auctions when you see a nice name ending that day. Since you haven’t purchased many names this week, you convince yourself the name is better than it really is. You and another bidder go at...

James Iles · Sep 15, 2015

There are five Gmail plugins that you should consider using if you're a domain investor who regularly uses Gmail to send sales emails or to manage domain name sales. These extensions have all been tried and tested by myself, and they are my own personal recommendations.

Gmail has been publicly...

JamesCrew · Aug 23, 2015

Today I feel excited to let my fellow domainers know that I have successfully sold my very first domain name! I think that makes me a domainer; right? It took almost a year since I restarted my learning of domaining, and I don't have words to explain the excitement and happiness I am going...

James Iles · Jul 20, 2015

In the domain industry, email is usually the preferred method of communication. Sometimes it can be very difficult to come across as trustworthy when sending a sales email, because - let's face it - you've sent an email out of the blue asking someone to buy a digital asset.

Any advantage we can...

James Iles · Jul 17, 2015

Domain investing typically slows down during the summer months. It's not just the domain industry that winds down; web traffic is mostly down too as most of the Northern Hemisphere head off on vacations.

There are always some exceptions to the rule, but generally sales are down and interest is...

S-B · Jun 21, 2015

If you need technical explanations of why and how the following works, I'm not your guy. If you want links to the plugins and the packages you need to achieve a 100/100, read on!

Google PageSpeed Insights is a web performance tool that allows you to evaluate your webpage against a...

AndyM · Jun 19, 2015

OK, so I've never written a blog post before, but where better to start than here on NamePros?

My name is Andy, and I've only been a member since September last year, joining one day after my 33rd birthday. I started my domaining journey in August 2014.

When I first heard about "domaining" I...

James Iles · Jun 16, 2015

Enom's auction lock is something that most of us have experienced at one time or another, but for those who haven't heard of the feature, I want to give you a brief explanation and warning about auction lock.

Auction lock is a feature that affects eNom pre-release domain names sold at NameJet...

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