poll Do you Google a domain before you purchase it?

[S-B]

I personally make sure I Google every domain I make an offer on to ensure there aren't any failed auctions or older threads with better prices. Do you do the same?

 

[S-B]

I googling, check whois, check other extensions, ...

Makes sense. Thanks for joining the conversation!

Also if it's a brandable, I check to see if the social media accounts are being used, @whateveritis. When I was searching for a business name, I had found that the domain wasn't being used but the exact match social media account was used with alot of obscenities and vulgarities (not so nice things they want to do with your mother). This would have been embarrassing for me so I had to dump the name that would have been perfect for my business.

I would never have thought to check the social media accounts. Good point.

That, and I check the backlink profile - ahrefs, majestic, OSE, whichever. If I see that it's been spammed to death I personally don't want it (and if I were going to sell it I'd to know in case the subject comes up.)

Wayback - sites can block archive.org_bot and ia_archiver so no results doesn't mean it's clean.

Googling the domain (without the site: operator) should also turn up any reputation issues it may have had in the past.

Sounds like a good strategy.

Depending on if I want to develop a site on the name will determine what I do before a purchase. I think reselling, parking and keepers for development can sometimes mean you look at a few different things. I like to develop so I check Google and a couple other search engines, Archive.org, the social sites name availabilities, email availabilities (just so I can have them if needed), spam checks, any indexed pages, etc...

Also sounds like a good strategy,

Personally, I google it to see how many companies use the keyword in their URL.

Then I Who.is to see how many extensions are taken.

Then I Archive.org it.

Basically, I now check for more value to a domain name.

Simple and sweet.

I usually google the term/keyword to check possible uses. If it’s a high priced domain, I also check detailed domain history. But I rarely care about any failed auctions or older threads with better prices as they don’t determine the current value of the domain.

Failed auctions could be because of listing the domain at wrong time and wrong place. Older threads with better prices could be from a time when the seller needed urgent cash or might not have known how to price them.

I've made the mistake of buying a domain that failed multiple times at auction. I haven't been able to move it... That's why it's become part of my process.

Yes, i block the wayback archive bot from all my domains. I don't want buyers to research the archives and find out that some of my domains have a "for sale" landing page for the past 8 years with no buyer. LOL

In my view, someone with a so-so domain who is having a hard time selling it, will be under pressure to succumb to low balls.

Hah! That's hilarious.

I like using:

Archive.org
Google.com, with and without quotes
Bing.com, with and without quotes
Twitter & Facebook Search
Alexa.com, for a general range
Namechk.com, for branding potential availability
Google AdWords Keyword Planner
Google Insights

Bing... What is that? :P

Answer to the main question => A lot of times I do, and a lot of times I don't.

:D

 

[rags]

I found what I thought was a good typo domain on the dropped lists, and thought it might be good for parking. I Googled it, wayback'ed it, and so forth. I looked at hosting history and saw a few potential red flags and a lot of turnover in recent years (delete-new-delete etc). I then ran the name through three of the "check whether AdSense has banned this name" search engines since I'd view this as a parking domain and not much else. Two engines said the domain is banned, one said it's not. 2 out of 3 wins, IMO and probably explains the registration churn. I'm staying away from the domain thanks to these findings. Depending on what one wants to do with the domain, the AdSense check may be useful. I'm not sure how accurate those engines are, but the churn + 66% probability of no-Adsense-income is enough to keep me away.

 

[greggb]

I'm vehemently opposed to doing any research, before I purchase anything. I mean, who wants to make an informed decision?

 

[dna]

Usually I just watch a domain for months and months just to make sure that nobody else wants it and then I register it. That seems to work for me.

 

[karan_1128]

Yes, I make a background check on domain using Archive.org and then buy the domain name.

 

[S-B]

I found what I thought was a good typo domain on the dropped lists, and thought it might be good for parking. I Googled it, wayback'ed it, and so forth. I looked at hosting history and saw a few potential red flags and a lot of turnover in recent years (delete-new-delete etc). I then ran the name through three of the "check whether AdSense has banned this name" search engines since I'd view this as a parking domain and not much else. Two engines said the domain is banned, one said it's not. 2 out of 3 wins, IMO and probably explains the registration churn. I'm staying away from the domain thanks to these findings. Depending on what one wants to do with the domain, the AdSense check may be useful. I'm not sure how accurate those engines are, but the churn + 66% probability of no-Adsense-income is enough to keep me away.

Good catch! Nothing is worse than investing in a dud...

I'm vehemently opposed to doing any research, before I purchase anything. I mean, who wants to make an informed decision?

Hmmm. Sounds like a solid business plan.

Usually I just watch a domain for months and months just to make sure that nobody else wants it and then I register it. That seems to work for me.

LOL!

Yes, I make a background check on domain using Archive.org and then buy the domain name.

Is that the only check you do?

 

[Steven McEvoy]

Yes I do, I try to make sure that the domains i buy our not with trademark or already made a business. Also I look at the keyword searches as well. I also look at archive.org and research some of the past content to see potential.

I honestly dont see why you wouldnt google the domain first!??

 

[godot2147]

I say yes!

 

[kite26]

I Google the domain as site:whateveritis.com to see what pages are indexed if any. I then check to see if the website was being used for something shady so I look at the cache pages if available. Then the I go to the WayBackMachine. Then I Google the phrase as exact match to see how common the word/phrase is. Then I check to see if it's trademarked.

How you check if this is trademarked?

 

[GravityEleven]

Trademarkia.com & Unibrander.com

 

[gerem]

Thanks for all your advices, great thread !

 

[vdonline]

No, I don't usually Google the domain, I use other sites: Whois.com, Archive.com, Trademarkia.com & Unibrander.com

 

[Domaingel]

How you check if this is trademarked?

I don't do a worldwide search I just check the national database in the US.
USPTO.gov is the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office website

 

[JanuaryBabe]

Yes. I Google the domain name I am interested and sometime I can see the previous offer price and transacted price.

 

[onebrand.co]

Depends, we Google almost anything online nowadays anyway