Developing a domain FTW

[domainviewer]

Hello,

I'm a web developer & online marketer so I know how to setup a site and get traffic to it, but I'm a total n00b when it comes to domains.

I've got a few domains I'd like to hold on for a while. I see a lot of references here to "developing a domain so the value increases" but I'm not fully clear on what people mean by it. I can see that registrars offer domain parking with some kind of revenue share for clicks on spammy links, and another route I guess would be slapping on some keyword rich text content, doing some linkbuilding, and putting AdSense on the domain, assuming it's a term that gets some searches. Search engines would crawl the site, establish relevancy and start the domain age clock.

I'd be grateful for any thoughts on how an experienced domaineer would start "developing a domain" and what exactly is meant by this term.

Thanks in advance.

 

[nielsencl]

never mind.

 

[domainviewer]

@nielsencl:

Thanks for the thorough answer - really helpful. From what you're saying, I'd guess that there's lots and lots of wannabe domaineers thinking that developing a site is a walk in the park. Frankly, with the web being as competitive as it is today, the amount of work that needs to go into a site to give it some traction is such that I also can't see the domain name really being a major consideration. What you're describing is really a mini web startup rather than a quick buck for a domaineer. This helps put things into perspective.

 

[nielsencl]

never mind.

 

[domainviewer]

Yep, makes sense, SEO is a volume game and just mashing up a few xml feeds won't cut it anymore.

 

[mhdoc]

Given the costs of hosting and renewal are so low I figure it's better not to use AdSense until a site is more built out. I also think the importance of time in website rankings is under appreciated. I have had good luck with installing WordPress on domains I am holding and writing a two or three paragraph post every once in a while. I also find that if you have a variety of domains which are more or less related it is frequently possible to make a nice, on topic, link to one of my other sites. It is my impression all of this has helped sites rank better and faster when I finally get around to developing them.

 

[domainviewer]

I also think the importance of time in website rankings is under appreciated.

Definitely. I personally see a turning point about a year in for new sites, probably because of Google sandboxing. Regular content and links help but it's time-consuming work. I don't think I'd even think of making money with AdSense with less than 100K visits per month. It's just too little to justify the effort, unless you've got several sites generating a few hundred dollars each.

 

[mhdoc]

I don't think I'd even think of making money with AdSense with less than 100K visits per month.

You might want to broaden your perspective a little. I really like little 20-30 page evergreen sites that make $75-100 per month with little ongoing effort. Done right they start to look more like an annuity than a business

 

[domainviewer]

Hehe... maybe I'll give that a go and see how it goes. I'd estimate about 15K visits per month for $75 at a normal CTR.... sound about right?

 

[mhdoc]

sound about right?

No There is no normal. It all depends.

 

[PlusNames]

I wouldn't use adsense at all. Use affiliate ads related to your content. I made $50 from adsense with my sites during a year, then switched to affiliate ads and these last 5 months I made enough to get a mac pro and apple cinema display

 

[mhdoc]

I wouldn't use adsense at all. Use affiliate ads related to your content. I made $50 from adsense with my sites during a year, then switched to affiliate ads and these last 5 months I made enough to get a mac pro and apple cinema display

Like I said, there is no normal and it depends. What works seems to be different from topic to topic, minor variations can have major effects. It really is a fascinating game.