Common mistakes for NOOBs

[jerdei]

As with every business everyone makes mistakes. After being in the website/domain/affiliate market for a few years now I have made my share. Feel free and follow up everyone on what you did wrong.

My biggest mistake

Web hosting:
For all those out there that develop websites to bring in the cash here are some pointers. Starting out you do not need a dedicated server. You can share a server for as little as $ 6 a month. Make sure and do your research and think about what you will be using the server for. Are you going to have a forum? Are you going to register and run many domains or just a few? By asking yourself what you will be using the server for you will find a good hosting match. I bought the big package for a dedicated server and I bought multiple packages to hold each domain seperatly. Looking back I feel like an idiot. Now I have one and only one server and host all my domains on it. Saving of a few grand a year right there

Affiliate programs:
There are thousand of affiliates out there. Find a product you like and are knowledgeable about. Having your website focus on that one product instead of 100's of products will pay off. Don't be shy in asking for help from your affiliate. The best programs out there will help you build your site. After all they want you to sell their product.

Linking:
Yes you can pay to link your site and it will get indexed faster. There are many free link exchanges out there and I suggest using them first until you fully understand how linking works. Don't forget about those article directories and directory sites as well as writing press releases. Those last 3 alone will boost your site to a PR of 3-5 in six months.

RESEARCH
Research, Research, Research. That is the only way you are going to learn. I know just enough to know I don't know enough.

Purchasing Domains
Many of us are motivated by fear of loss. You see a domain name and find it is available, so what do you do, you register it. Then a few days later you relize it was just a waste of money. Make sure you have a game plan for any domain you buy. If one does not exist for that domain do not buy it.

That is the end of my rant. Hope it helps.

Feel free and give me some rep points. I'm new at this site and need it.

 

[Fka200]

Great post. Making money from domaining is not as easy as people expect it to be... you live and learn -- but work and it can pay off Thanks, rep added.

 

[ZannuZZi]

Hello. Thanks for post. I'm going to start my domain name business and your post will help me.

 

[labrocca]

Not a bad post for a new member. Rep added.

 

[WORDSWORTH]

RESEARCH
Research, Research, Research. That is the only way you are going to learn. I know just enough to know I don't know enough.

Love that quote. It has relevance to every aspect of life, not just domaining.

 

[dongan]

Purchasing Domains
Make sure you have a game plan for any domain you buy. If one does not exist for that domain do not buy it.

very true. most of the times i did last year.

 

[SimpleDomaining]

2 cents from my mistakes:
never think, that if you like the name, everybody else will like it too.

 

[bgray]

For Noob domainers I'd say the most common mistake is regging a bunch of domains that they consider "brandable". A "brandable" domain available to reg in todays market is generally what most consider crap. Even if there is something there "brandable" domains probably have the least liquidity of any segment for end user sales.

 

[goodkarmaco]

My biggest mistake was looking at my accounts every day for over a year thinking one might sell, lol.

After I looked into how many names each auction house has for sale ( millions) and the amount that sold each day, ( 8-12), I came to the conclusion that it is close to impossible to recieve a decent sale thru them.

So now that I know that, my expectations are not high and that tempers my rush to buy domains and gives me more time to research the actual market for the domain. In other words, you may very well have great domains but selling them is not easy.

 

[Linkin]

Purchasing Domains
You see a domain name and find it is available, so what do you do, you register it. Then a few days later you relize it was just a waste of money. Make sure you have a game plan for any domain you buy. If one does not exist for that domain do not buy it.

I'll be letting a lot expire this year - as I don't "taste" domains - that I registered out of impluse. MY problem is that I get an idea, then register a name, then decide later to go after a different idea that seems even better. Too many of those can lead to a pile of wasted, useless domains. I dont usually buy for resell, I buy for developement, so type-in traffic would be nil for most of those.

 

[diegoid]

Another Mistake:

Getting domains with 0 traffic.

If you will build a large portfolio, getting domains with no traffic
means that.....

a) you're getting a great name and someone is going to pay you very
well for it (need some luck)

b) as your domains have no traffic, you have no way to monetize
them until you sell them.


Getting domains with traffic (from expired/typos/type-in) is less risk
and means that:

a) there are many chances that you can sell your domains (since you have traffic).

b) there are many chances that you can make money while you wait (since you can monetize your domains with traffic asap).

Good Luck My Friend.

 

[msfedxx]

Great advise.

 

[Phronesis]

I see noobs trying to sell off 200 horrible domains that they hand regged and no one wants. They lose a few thousand $ and quit domaining b/c of it. If you don't know how to scout out traffic names, or don't know how to find end-users you're better off spending that money to buy one lll.com and build your business from there.

 

[rontol]

I see noobs trying to sell off 200 horrible domains that they hand regged and no one wants. They lose a few thousand $ and quit domaining b/c of it. If you don't know how to scout out traffic names, or don't know how to find end-users you're better off spending that money to buy one lll.com and build your business from there.

Agreed.A beginner like me must read a lot!

If you want fast money...lll.com will be a good gamble for beginner...

 

[YesBrilliant]

A beginner like me must read a lot!

That is the very best advice for all beginners.

 

[NameClerk]

Just because UltimateGuitar.com sold for $101,000 recently doesn't mean that FabulousGuitar.com is worth $100,000 too.

End user sales are unique deals and just because you have a name that's better in your opinion, doesn't mean your guaranteed a similar sale, or any sale for that matter.

-Bill

 

[Sava]

Great post. Making money from domaining is not as easy as people expect it to be... you live and learn -- but work and it can pay off Thanks, rep added.

I totally agree. You can't make money from the internet unless you really know what you are doing. You need to study every website and see the potential it can bring. You can't make money from a blog ... if you don't like blogging.
Or you can't make money from Google Adsense unless you know some good tips .... and of course ... if you have a good amount of traffic.

So if you really wanna make some money ... go ahead and read, investigate, invest money to ... and you will see it's worth.

 

[Skinny]

Actually since coming here I totally stopped registering domains and went back to read read read.

And it's actually being here that I've regged TotalHD.ca (apraised @ $800 by DailyDomainer) and ssddrives.ca (appraised @ $200 by DailyDomainer).

So, thank you NamePros

Skinny

 

[Rogor]

well, I wish I had read,read, read. I've made the requisite newbie mistakes as described above, in the last 2 weeks I've regged 3k or so in .tvs. just got the fever. these include a brandname that I didn't know, of course it's trademarked. I understand that all sales are final, and wouldn't ask for a refund but, does anyone know if Enom will cancel or remove me from the reg if I request it? I add my thanks to NamePros, wish I'd come here sooner.