NamePros Blog

Bob Hawkes · Sep 11, 2025

It is easy to despise automated appraisal tools. For almost any name, when you query different sites, the values will range from $100, or less, to often tens of thousands of dollars. If you check a name that has recently sold, odds are many appraisals will be far off the actual selling price...

Bob Hawkes · Sep 3, 2025

I have a problem. I have too many domain names. Or to be more specific, I have too many weak domain names. It is so easy to keep acquiring domain names, and each year I have more than the year before.

Domain name investing can be addictive. I thought it might help me, and maybe others, to...

Bob Hawkes · Jun 19, 2025

For each of our domain names, it is easy to visualize the name as selling quickly for a solid retail price. We acquire domain names that we see selling, so why would we even be in domain name investing if we were not optimistic? That way of thinking can be termed positive visualization, we...

Bob Hawkes · Apr 9, 2025

The Dan platform offered a simple responsive way for buyers and sellers to negotiate from an initial offer. While the seller did not have full buyer information, or communication outside the marketplace, nonetheless the system worked well for many. In just a few hours the two parties would often...

Bob Hawkes · Mar 6, 2025

Finding consistent success in domain name investing is always challenging, but are we entering a particularly difficult period? I don’t know the answer, and some successful veteran investors consider this a golden time, but let’s look at a few potential challenges.

Economic...

Bob Hawkes · Feb 6, 2025

After a domain name sells, then what?

First promptly take down listings for the name at any other marketplaces, and update your records. But after that, What do you do with the proceeds from the sale? Do you plow money back into more domain names right away? Or put into some other types...

Bob Hawkes · Jan 23, 2025

It is hard to read much without coming across an article about artificial intelligence replacing people in various jobs. What about domaining? How easily could we be replaced by a bot, or perhaps an autonomous agentic system?

If choosing names solely, or mainly, according to a few metrics, such...

Bob Hawkes · Dec 25, 2024

I had planned this week’s article to be about balance and discipline in domain investing. As I was struggling to make progress with that topic, a holiday gift arrived, when Michael Cyger posted a multi-point plan for his own domain name portfolio for 2025.

Mike provided an insightful list...

Bob Hawkes · Aug 29, 2024

I find it challenging to prioritize the many possible tasks that come with domain investing. Some don’t take long to do, but in total the time commitment can be substantial with a large portfolio, or if you are early in domain investing and still learning. Also what ‘needs’ to be done is not...

Bob Hawkes · Aug 1, 2024

Real estate staging is common in many parts of the world. As Mike Higgins recently commented:

Staging sells properties…PERIOD.
Staging your properties is the best money you will spend.
- Sell them faster
- Sell them for more dollars
- Make the buyer fall in love
- Minimize focus on...

Bob Hawkes · Jul 24, 2024

There are numerous books, videos, courses and articles that mention anecdotes of domain names that sold quickly for large amounts, and then say this book will teach you how to easily flip domain names for profit. Most members of our community know that is a misrepresentation; most domain names...

Bob Hawkes · Jul 18, 2024

Domain name investors have many choices in landers and marketplaces. Some options come with high commissions, others low commissions, and options like the NamePros landers have no commissions at all, other than transaction cost.

Is it worth it to list a name at a site with a higher commission...

Bob Hawkes · Jul 11, 2024

Is it better to concentrate on just a few, or even one, type of domain name, becoming an expert in that niche, or is it better to diversify?

If you specialize in just one type of domain name, the good times may be very good, but the bad times can be horrendous. On the other hand, if you invest...

Bob Hawkes · Jun 6, 2024

Last week I wrote about why comparator sales are important, how they might be used, and the basics of finding sales that contain a specific word in a certain position - see Finding Domain Name Comparator Sales - Part 1.

This week, I provide additional suggestions for finding comparators...

Bob Hawkes · May 30, 2024

An important skill is to find and evaluate relevant domain name comparator sales. This article uses NameBio to search for comparator sales information, along with a process to decide what is a strong comparator. I also consider how to adjust prices from comparator sales that are some years...

Bob Hawkes · Apr 10, 2024

Last week in Process to Rate and Price a Domain Name – Part 1, I covered:

Structure, clarity and memorability of the name.
Multiple interpretations, both literal and metaphorical.
Business applications, related metrics.
Indicators of recent startup use of similar terms...

Bob Hawkes · Apr 4, 2024

Domain name investing is hard. Typically only about 1% of names sell by the end of a full year. Many names will not sell for a very long time, or ever. Naming trends and popular niches may change.

Pricing is difficult. If you price too high, the rate of sales may go down, but if you price too...

Bob Hawkes · Mar 14, 2024

While most modern businesses need a domain name, that does not mean that all sectors and niches offer an equal naming opportunity.

What are some of the factors that make names more likely to sell for good returns in a niche or sector?

In this article, I consider 8 relevant factors for sectors...

Bob Hawkes · Feb 8, 2024

If you watched the 66th Grammy Awards ceremony on Feb. 4, 2024, odds are the duet by Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs is a lasting memory. Tracy Chapman made the song Fast Car a huge hit in 1988, while the 2023 Luke Combs rendition made the song popular once more. Their memorable duet...

Bob Hawkes · Nov 23, 2023

Any domain name can be categorized in various ways, such as the number of words, extension, etc.

This article introduces the idea of also categorizing a particular domain name acquisition according to the investment style that name represents.

Overview Domain Name Categories...

Bob Hawkes · Oct 19, 2023

Pricing of domain names is hard. If you price too high, your sell-through rate may go down. If you price too low, you leave money on the table. But what is the right price point? While various automated appraisal systems are available, they disagree wildly on almost all names, and few have...

Bob Hawkes · Sep 28, 2023

While there are many ways to find success in domain name investing, I suspect that most successful investors have a strategy to guide their acquisitions.

This week, investor James Kim shared his strategy for finding names. With his permission, I am sharing his strategy here, along...

Bob Hawkes · Sep 21, 2023

It seems that many domain investors are scaling back domain acquisitions these days. This may be because of economic uncertainty, a possible drop in domain sales activity, or profits from parking, or simply because the renewal increases have used up funds that might have been available for...

Bob Hawkes · Sep 14, 2023

It can seem complex, with all the metrics and tools and more, to decide which names are worth acquiring. Let’s simplify the process to some key questions to ask. None of these are original, and most have been around for years, but I thought, particularly for those new to domain investing, it...

Bob Hawkes · Aug 10, 2023

Domain renewal price increases make domain investing even more challenging.

We are about to see another 7% increase in .com wholesale prices on Sept. 1, 2023, and a 10% increase in .net prices on Feb. 1, 2024.

Prices for .xyz have increased each of the last two years, with timing...

Bob Hawkes · Jun 7, 2023

Successful domain investment depends on the art of selecting effective names, as well as the science of using measures to evaluate positive attributes of names.

We often consider various metrics, such as the number of extensions, or how frequently the term is used in business names.

In most...

Bob Hawkes · Jun 1, 2023

It is a familiar refrain within the domain world – I have some great domain names, but I am not getting any sales.

In some cases, the owner may be overlooking weaknesses in the names. However, even solid domain names can go year after year without buyer interest. How is that possible...

Bob Hawkes · Mar 29, 2023

The most important point in last week’s NamePros Blog article Six Years of Domain Name Mistakes was to acquire names that will have multiple potential users who are in a position to pay a solid retail price.

Each domain name is unique, and it is not possible to give a definite...

Elie Eweka · Feb 6, 2023

In order to be a successful domain investor, you need plenty of practice or training. You can choose to invest in domain courses, find a good mentor, or role-play with domain investors or family members. Regardless of the type of business that you are planning to get into, there is no shortcut...

Bob Hawkes · Nov 3, 2022

The most successful domain investors have a system. That system may include many elements, but one of the most important is a method for acquiring quality names that businesses will want. As is said, “you make money on the buy.”

But there are so many names to search. As I write this, the list...

Bob Hawkes · Sep 14, 2022

The long term goal for some domainers is to grow their portfolio so that domain names become a full time job, or at least a serious part time income stream.

In a survey conducted mid-2021, almost 20% of NamePros respondents indicated that they were essentially full-time, and another 33%...

Bob Hawkes · Sep 1, 2022

With industry domain name sell-through rates not much different than 1%, most domains sit in a portfolio for many years. Other than renewals, it seems natural to simply wait for an offer or sale. But is that really a sound strategy?

While a thorough review of every single name is daunting if...

Bob Hawkes · Aug 11, 2022

One of the more popular songs of all time is My Way. The English lyrics, adapted by Paul Anka from the French original, into a version specifically for Frank Sinatra, include “Regrets I’ve had a few. But then again, too few to mention.”

That got me to thinking about regrets...

Bob Hawkes · Aug 4, 2022

Many skills can help you make better decisions as a domain name investor. One of them is quantitative decision making. While probability can never firmly tell you what to do, it can help make better decisions in some cases.

Applied probability can be used to help answer questions such as how...

Bob Hawkes · Jul 28, 2022

When following domain name sales on NameBio, certain sales seem surprising. In some cases, the price was due to a strong link set. Also, now and then, it might be a domain name that was let to expire by mistake and the owner needs to bid to get it back, or an existing business may be...

Bob Hawkes · May 4, 2022

TonyNames, known here under the NamePros handle @blogspotter, has emerged as one of the most consistent domain name sellers. The level of success he has achieved within less than two years of active selling is a rare accomplishment.

Each month he shares a summary of his sales. For...

Bob Hawkes · Apr 21, 2022

Investors can sell domain names retail, to end users, or wholesale, to other investors who will seek to resell the names. In most, not necessarily all, cases, the pricing will be substantially different. This is because the investor buying wholesale must account for his or her costs...

Bob Hawkes · Apr 14, 2022

More investors sell successfully at the high 3-figure and 4-figure levels, compared to those with multiple 5-figure domain name sales.

A single 5-figure sale can make a monumental difference in a domain investing career. It might open the door to acquire higher-priced names, a larger portfolio...

Bob Hawkes · Mar 3, 2022

It is easy to start out on the wrong foot in domain investing.

Whether it is hand-registering too many names, choosing quantity over quality, or investing in sectors or languages that we don’t understand, there are many ways to go wrong. Those initial mistakes can be compounded by poor pricing...

Bob Hawkes · Dec 22, 2021

Year end is a good time to consider improvements in record keeping for the coming year. Many months ago, long-term NamePros member @Ostrados approached me with the idea of an article on financial record keeping and projections. He has founded and managed several startups, so has expertise...

Bob Hawkes · Sep 2, 2021

Recently I went through the .com and .xyz domain names in my portfolio, deciding which to renew prior to the price increases that took place Sept. 1. With another .com price increase coming in 2022, it won’t be long before the process is repeated. But how do we determine which...

Bob Hawkes · Aug 19, 2021

When you are considering a domain name acquisition, does it matter who owned the name previously, what price they asked, and the marketplaces they used to try to sell the domain name? We all know to check for possible developed use of a domain name, in case there was abuse that taints the name...

Bob Hawkes · Aug 12, 2021

Single dictionary word domain names can be incredibly valuable, as the list of sales in the next section shows. That does not mean that any dictionary word has value, however. With the spread of online dictionaries, some of which allow user additions, one has to be careful about whether a...

Bob Hawkes · Jul 29, 2021

By owning your own domain name, you have independence from social media giants. Nevertheless, some potential purchasers of your domain names may prefer to also control the matching term in social media accounts. This can be a defensive ploy, or simply the advantage of consistent branding across...

Bob Hawkes · Jul 14, 2021

Ideas don’t need to be complex to have value. I present below some simple principles about domain investing that resonated with me. I urge all readers to add their own principles in the discussion section in order to expand the list.

Acquire Domain Names With Many Potential Users...

Bob Hawkes · May 13, 2021

While there are many domain name lander options, how are we to know which lander will work best? It is possible to set up a randomized A/B trial, and with enough domain names and time, it might provide statistically significant results. That does not give us an answer today, however. Also...

Bob Hawkes · Apr 22, 2021

What domain name superpowers do you possess that can give you a competitive advantage? While much has been written on the best approaches for success in domain investing in general, I want to turn the focus here on tailoring the approach to take advantage of your particular skill set. Here are...

Bob Hawkes · Feb 25, 2021

While it is sometimes possible to have success without a business plan, having a clear plan, including near-term and long-term objectives, will improve your odds for consistent success. I personally consider late February as a good time to consider New Year’s resolutions. Goals we set at the...

Bob Hawkes · Feb 4, 2021

Relatively new NamePros member dave321 asked a really good question this week: Where do you see domaining in 5 years? Typical sell-through rates mean that most of a domain portfolio is held for multiple years, so ideas about the future will impact our investment...

Bob Hawkes · Jan 28, 2021

Choices can be wonderful, letting us feel better about an action, or empowering new ways to accomplish a goal. But is it possible to have too many choices? Are you, or the marketplace you use, presenting potential purchasers with too many possible domain name choices? Alternatively, is it...

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