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question Best Strategy to Lure a Specific Buyer for My Domain Name?

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I own a reasonably valuable two-word domain name (i.e., OceanView.com) that has the potential to attract a wide range of end users. However, there’s a specific high-value net company currently using a four-word domain that includes the same two words as part of their name (e.g., AdultCommunityOceanView.com), and they presumably would be the optimal buyer, as they invest heavily in SEO and own several redirects to their site. Yet, I’m hesitant to approach them directly to avoid any potential trademark issues.

Someone suggested an alternative approach: build a website in an entirely different niche (e.g., whale watching), invest in quality SEO, create valuable backlinks using the same keywords as them, and grow the site’s authority over time. The idea is to add value to the domain and wait for the company to take notice and potentially reach out to me.

To be honest, I’ve never attempted anything like this before. Has anyone tried this strategy or have other advice or insights to share? Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
Targeting the right buyer for your domain name involves research and personalization. Identify businesses or individuals who could benefit from the domain, then reach out directly with a tailored pitch highlighting its relevance to their brand or industry. Use platforms like LinkedIn and domain marketplaces to maximize visibility.
 
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Someone suggested an alternative approach: build a website in an entirely different niche (e.g., whale watching), invest in quality SEO, create valuable backlinks using the same keywords as them, and grow the site’s authority over time. The idea is to add value to the domain and wait for the company to take notice and potentially reach out to me.

To be honest, I’ve never attempted anything like this before. Has anyone tried this strategy or have other advice or insights to share? Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

I would advise against this.

Not least because if you don’t know what you’re doing this is a hard slog to make work.

But also because links in another niche have little impact — and in many cases are a net negative — for ranking in a diff niche… again unless you really know what you’re doing.

Put a bin on it and wait.
 
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Agree with Kyle here. There is no guarantee you can even grow the website like you say. SEO and organic growth takes a lot of effort and time and is definitely not a beginner's game. You might even need to invest significantly to outsource some of the work if you really want to do it. But most of all there is no guarantee your potential buyer would take notice or would want to purchase your website. All your backlinks and domain authority won't matter to them anyway if you are building your website in a different niche. But if the website growth is actually good and starts making revenue for you, you can always flip it in the aftermarket like on flippa or empire.

Your best chance to sell the domain is to identify other potential buyers. There are going to be plenty other players if the keywords are as valuable as you say. You can also check USPTO website to see if the specific company you are targeting has trademarked their name. Reach out to all of them stating your domain availability.
 
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But also because links in another niche have little impact — and in many cases are a net negative — for ranking in a diff niche… again unless you really know what you’re doing.

But most of all there is no guarantee your potential buyer would take notice or would want to purchase your website. All your backlinks and domain authority won't matter to them anyway if you are building your website in a different niche.
I suppose it's more about the potential to rank for the top spots in the same keywords as them, rather than the actual value of the site itself. Once they take notice, I'm confident they'll reach out, as this has consistently been their modus operandi for branding strategies.

But yes I hear all that you guys are saying.
 
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You can also check USPTO website to see if the specific company you are targeting has trademarked their name
I previously checked, and they’ve trademarked three out of the four words (i.e. "Community Ocean View"), which made me hesitant to reach out to them.

Maneuvering near trademarks can be tricky.
 
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Will be a waste of time unless you actually plan on monetizing the website. Buyers don't care so much about hits or traffic. They like numbers, like how many leads the site generates or revenue.
 
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Will be a waste of time unless you actually plan on monetizing the website. Buyers don't care so much about hits or traffic. They like numbers, like how many leads the site generates or revenue.
Right. But as I mentioned earlier, I’m really just looking for a way to get them to notice this domain name and provide an opportunity for them to reach out and contact me. So my question is what's the best strategy to hopefully make that happen?
 
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a way to get them
HI

trying to lure one mofo to notice your name is dumb

the domain would have more appeal to real estate properties with an ocean view, than to a single entity who may not have the budget you'd be happy to sell for.

do like Kyle suggested, put a BIN or Make offer and wait for the right buyer.
it's a quality name, so don't be so damn impatient.

imo...
 
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Contact other tlds developed.
Your name is .com ( the king)
Dodb over 100 extension taken
More than 10 developed
 
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Hi

just for kicks, did a 1 minute search

oceanviewproperties.net
oceanoptics.com · software · oceanview
oceanviewofnahant.com
oceanviewlife.com Oceanview
oceanviewrc.com

etc, etc

imo...
 
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Hi

just for kicks, did a 1 minute search

oceanviewproperties.net
oceanoptics.com · software · oceanview
oceanviewofnahant.com
oceanviewlife.com Oceanview
oceanviewrc.com

etc, etc

Thank you for your replies.

Apologies for any confusion—I used oceanview.com as a similar example. I can PM you the actual name.
 
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I’ll rephrase the question more generally: Does anyone have ideas on how to make someone aware that a domain name is now available for sale without reaching out to them directly?
 
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I’ll rephrase the question more generally: Does anyone have ideas on how to make someone aware that a domain name is now available for sale without reaching out to them directly?

Run very targeted Google/FB ads.

e.g. If you know where their office is located you could use location targeting.
 
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I would just go ahead and contact them. It’s just one business contacting another business with an opportunity to upgrade their name. Nothing wrong with that
 
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I would just go ahead and contact them. It’s just one business contacting another business with an opportunity to upgrade their name. Nothing wrong with that
Accordingly, in what case would there actually be something wrong with approaching a company and potentially running into trademark issues?
 
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I don't think it would be worth your time to develop a website. Exact match domains don't rank well in search like they used to, and going into a sub niche like you mentioned probably wouldn't have high paying keywords, so the revenue wouldn't be good (and if it was good, the competition and difficulty would be high).

I would put a buy not price on the domain with a lease to own option and reach out the them directly and say something like "I was planning on starting a whale watching website, but I have decided to pursue other projects. I noticed you have a similar name and thought you might be interested"
 
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If there are many interested parties/developed websites, then I doubt there will be strong UDRP case, you also should focus on others not just that business, cause it will look like you target just that one website.
So better wait for the proper offer/buyer, like others suggested but I would not be scared to contact them and others.
e.g. send same outbound email to more than 10 developed websites might do the trick.
 
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A very good domain. Put a BIN on it and be patient. I cannot see this name, not getting inquiries at the very least.
 
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reach out the them directly and say something like "I was planning on starting a whale watching website, but I have decided to pursue other projects. I noticed you have a similar name and thought you might be interested"
I would not be scared to contact them and others.
e.g. send same outbound email to more than 10 developed websites might do the trick.
Two different excellent pieces of advice for this scenario.

Thanks to everyone for your valuable input!
 
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Or engage a broker, and have them do the targeting and outbounding. They’ll identify the candidates and do the communication. Be prepared to set a minimum five-figure price and pay a 15% commission. If you go this route, don’t go cheap.
 
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If the domain names are not sold within a few years, you can choose to let them expire and delete them to reduce renewal fees; if you think they will be valuable in the future, you can continue to hold them; or you can buy some new potential domain names to expand your investment portfolio. In short, domain name investment is long-term, and unsold domain names may appreciate in value as the market changes.
 
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One aspect that you may not have considered is that one or more companies may startup in the future and which might be interested in the name you have. This can happen at any time.
Thus, you might not be restricted to just appealing to one company. Plus, who's to say that the company you have in mind now won't go out of business and/or change their name, focus, or area of operations?

There are 8+ billion people on the planet and while potential buyers of your domain are a tiny fraction of that number, just thinking there is "only one likely buyer for my domain" can put you into a limiting mindset for your domain name and perhaps make you behave in ways that you would not if you had or felt you had more prospective buyers.

Domain name investing is almost entirely a long game (many years) and it's best to register/buy up names and once parked, landing pages set, or added to marketplaces, you can just forget them and focus your mind on other things.
Only marketplaces may require more attention, such as price changes if something current/new changes the perceived value of a name.

Putting time and effort with trying to create more perceived value in your domain is almost entirely pointless and will likely leave you frustrated and perhaps deflated.

Although you have not intimated you would do this, I just want to stress the importance of never ever ever ever ever approaching your potential buyer. Doing so is a dumb move and will always put you into a weak position. You may already know this though..
 
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