Domaining for the Long Haul - You?

[dgmweb]

(mods, if this needs moved to another forum, cool...I thought this would be appropriate here)

Just some random thoughts after an offline conversation with someone this week when they asked me about my "new" domaining activities. They had no idea people bought and sold domains, and I was kind of surprised as they were a fellow web developer.

While it's "new" in the sense that I'm really pushing it hard this year and getting more serious about it as a side business, it's NOT new to me - I registered my first domain 21 years ago (which I still have) and a few others which I sold. I didn't reg the first ones with the intention of getting into domaining, it just sort of evolved. I reg'd or bought, then sold, domains on and off in the years that followed. Every few years I'd develop then sell a site and all rights to the name. Over time, it all paid for a nice studio and a few guitars, and that was pretty darn awesome.

Last summer I decided to step it up a notch and start going full-throttle at developing the 100+ domains I currently hold. As I explained to my co-worker, I'm not in this for a quick buck or get rich quick. It's more than a hobby for me, not quite a business (yet). I have definite projects in mind when I hand-reg a name, or when I buy one I look for a name I can attach to or create a project from. I'm now at just under 200 domains and 90% are intended as a website, brand/product line, or community. Half of those I am not intending to sell.

Even as long as I've been in this, I still have so much to learn. I'm kind of blown away I hadn't been on NP before this year. Many of the tools you all use are new to me as I was only casually part of domaining for many years.

Bottom line, I am looking at this long-term, as investments and projects. I'm interested to hear how long you guys have been in this, and what keeps you going?

Cheers!

 

[DnEbook]

Long term, domaining has taught me patience, great to learn dev as well, that is my aim for the year. Gain some more dev knowledge

 

[deez007]

Awesome post dude...

I think much like you, I kinda stumbled into domaining...I was working for ISP's from back in 2000 and I was already exposed to domains back then but investing in them was not at all something I considered...I was on the consulting side so I would be advising clients on connectivity options and setting up their web presence... (domain and website) it was one of the larger ISP's in the country so I was not at all involved in setting anything up...just selling the solution to a client and then handing it over to the tech guys to sort everything out...lol I only started registering my own domains around 2008 and that because I started developing my own sites as part of my Internet marketing ventures... I would often end up with way too many domains because I would find keyword rich gems with the intention to develop them....many just sat there autorenewing in hope of me developing one day.....then when I saw some article about folks making insane money of domains... I was like hmmmm I wonder if I could sell of the domains I was not developing... hmmm... and then a hop, skip and jump later....I was busy poking around here on NP...lol

 

[Kate]

I guess many of us are in a similar situation.
I have been on the Internet early but at the time I didn't get the value of domain names. In 1994, there were not many sites around, there was no Google but there was Altavista, Dogpile and a few others, that are now distant memories. Subdomains were rather common. If you wanted your own domain name you had to turn to NSI. It's not like you could go to a local registrar or webhost.
So many people hosted their personal pages on Geocities or had URLs like freeyellow.com/user44/mypage...
Then from 1999 I started to buy some domains to develop them (they were becoming cheap thanks to the end of the NSI monopoly and competing registrars entering the market), but I wasn't yet into the domaining thing. In fact I only joined domain forums in 2005.

I am in for the long haul. What keeps me going ?
The passion for the Internet, the never-ending opportunities.
It's never too late to start domaining, it's not easy but tomorrow you will be saying today was the good ole days

 

[platey]

I remember having wap on a mitsubishi mobile phone back in the day that was early 90s

But I have always had concepts and tech ideas etc but domains are really my cup of tea because when I now have tech ideas I buy the. Com of the idea for $10 and let it sit on the back burner while I think about what I want to do with the concept

But in a way I don't really want to develop my concepts

I must have 20 concepts with the. Com domains that I am happy to sit on for the time being

I look at the vr and and holo threads and think I couldn't be more dis interested in domains in that field

I much prefer grocery or future car tech concepts

But domains gives me the opportunity to buy domains that are based on future tech

Thinking between the dots

But I still think I bought my best domain name in 2008/9 but let it expire and it got bought

But seen a post this morning elsewhere about someone trying to buy the f word

But I own a similar version of it in. Com

But long term for me I think

 

[hugegrowth]

I recently sold a domain and the buyer told me they had no idea that people bought and sold domains for investment. Can you believe its 2017 and there are people who still don't know a domain aftermarket exists?

 

[equity78]

I recently sold a domain and the buyer told me they had no idea that people bought and sold domains for investment. Can you believe its 2017 and there are people who still don't know a domain aftermarket exists?

Absolutely I can believe that, I would say it's the majority, most of the people I talk to about domains have no clue, and most have no interest even after educating them a little.

 

[dgmweb]

Long term, domaining has taught me patience, great to learn dev as well, that is my aim for the year. Gain some more dev knowledge

Definitely a business you have to have patience in... (and dev requires patience too!)

 

[dgmweb]

I guess many of us are in a similar situation.
I have been on the Internet early but at the time I didn't get the value of domain names. In 1994, there were not many sites around, there was no Google but there was Altavista, Dogpile and a few others, that are now distant memories. Subdomains were rather common. If you wanted your own domain name you had to turn to NSI. It's not like you could go to a local registrar or webhost.
So many people hosted their personal pages on Geocities or had URLs like freeyellow.com/user44/mypage...

Ah, Altavista & Geocities!

I am in for the long haul. What keeps me going ?
The passion for the Internet, the never-ending opportunities.

Yep!

It's never too late to start domaining, it's not easy but tomorrow you will be saying today was the good ole days

True, I like paying less than $10 for a .com these days as opposed to 5 times that back then!

 

[dgmweb]

Awesome post dude...

Thanks!

I only started registering my own domains around 2008 and that because I started developing my own sites as part of my Internet marketing ventures... I would often end up with way too many domains because I would find keyword rich gems with the intention to develop them....many just sat there autorenewing in hope of me developing one day...

Ha, man same here...it's so easy to do and when you see potential in those names you want to keep holding onto them in hopes of having the site launched "this time around"...

 

[dgmweb]

I remember having wap on a mitsubishi mobile phone back in the day that was early 90s

Now that's pretty awesome

I look at the vr and and holo threads and think I couldn't be more dis interested in domains in that field

I much prefer grocery or future car tech concepts

But domains gives me the opportunity to buy domains that are based on future tech

Yep, I'm hoping some of them take off (aren't we all, lol). I guess in a few years a lot of us will know if we were thinking ahead or not thinking with our heads. :P

I'm not as much into the holo and vr names either, I have a few but I'm actually more into the tech itself (building a VR world for a game now in fact) than the domains around it.

 

[platey]

Now that's pretty awesome



Yep, I'm hoping some of them take off (aren't we all, lol). I guess in a few years a lot of us will know if we were thinking ahead or not thinking with our heads. :P

I'm not as much into the holo and vr names either, I have a few but I'm actually more into the tech itself (building a VR world for a game now in fact) than the domains around it.

With bricks?

As I mentioned the phone post etc

If you go back to that era in your mind eg what tech was available and how far tech has come in 20+ years

The closest we got to games was that tennis game

Or snap the card game lol

Handsfree car phones were about in the early 80s etc but 30+ years down the road we still haven't worked out how to have hands free communication lol

I remember seeing the first person back then talking in to a mobile phone and I thought what a............ Nowadays there isn't many people who don't use a mobile etc

So tech has moved on but it won't take half as long to get 10 x as far because the digital landscape is changing so fast possibly too fast

So even if vr is the next best thing how long will it be the next best thing

And potential tech giants will only want the best vr domain not 62000variations of it

Speculating on the next big tech venture could get extremely expensive

So longterm portfolios will have to adapt to reflect the changing trends which could make investing in domains for the long term interesting

 

[Silentptnr]

I have loved domain names and all things tech for over 20 years. I still have a few domains I regged back in 2000. I have sold domains I regged prior to 2000. I love developing websites, affiliate programs, and basically everything internet. Every real life business I have had, has been driven by internet technologies.

I am in it for the "life haul". I find that hand registering domains stimulates my brain. Making deals buying and selling domains fulfills my drive to close deals. Developing websites is a real passion for me too. I love creating sites and watching people use them. And of course, the collector (pack rat) in me, just racks up good domains for my daughter who is a studying computer science at college now (and is already better than me).

While I earn a great living in southern california buying and selling commercial and residential real estate and making mortgages, my passion is really online real estate. I love my portfolio and I continue to shed weak names and add great ones.

I have made money and lost money and I really don't care. If I make a big sale I move forward. If I lose a few bucks, I move forward.

Yet here I sit, in front of the computer, typing on Namepros, anxiously awaiting the Southern California Domainers meetup scheduled for 3.5 hours from now!

 

[platey]

I have loved domain names and all things tech for over 20 years. I still have a few domains I regged back in 2000. I have sold domains I regged prior to 2000. I love developing websites, affiliate programs, and basically everything internet. Every real life business I have had, has been driven by internet technologies.

I am in it for the "life haul". I find that hand registering domains stimulates my brain. Making deals buying and selling domains fulfills my drive to close deals. Developing websites is a real passion for me too. I love creating sites and watching people use them. And of course, the collector (pack rat) in me, just racks up good domains for my daughter who is a studying computer science at college now (and is already better than me).

While I earn a great living in southern california buying and selling commercial and residential real estate and making mortgages, my passion is really online real estate. I love my portfolio and I continue to shed weak names and add great ones.

I have made money and lost money and I really don't care. If I make a big sale I move forward. If I lose a few bucks, I move forward.

Yet here I sit, in front of the computer, typing on Namepros, anxiously awaiting the Southern California Domainers meetup scheduled for 3.5 hours from now!

Taking pics?

 

[Silentptnr]

Taking pics?

Yep...and video i hope if i dont drink too much.

 

[platey]

Have a good time

 

[DNWon]

Yep...and video i hope if i dont drink too much.

I wish I was going, I'd buy you a martini, shaken not stirred I presume?

 

[Silentptnr]

I wish I was going, I'd buy you a martini, shaken not stirred I presume?

Yep..sorry you cant go. Maybe another time!

 

[Silentptnr]

I have to go so I can tease Daniel about .xyz. He just loves that.

 

[dgmweb]

With bricks?

Unreal Engine - amazing environment for game dev.

As I mentioned the phone post etc

If you go back to that era in your mind eg what tech was available and how far tech has come in 20+ years

The closest we got to games was that tennis game

Or snap the card game lol

Handsfree car phones were about in the early 80s etc but 30+ years down the road we still haven't worked out how to have hands free communication lol

I remember seeing the first person back then talking in to a mobile phone and I thought what a............ Nowadays there isn't many people who don't use a mobile etc

Haha, yeah, there was always "that guy" now we're all that guy...

So tech has moved on but it won't take half as long to get 10 x as far because the digital landscape is changing so fast possibly too fast

So even if vr is the next best thing how long will it be the next best thing

And potential tech giants will only want the best vr domain not 62000variations of it

Speculating on the next big tech venture could get extremely expensive

So longterm portfolios will have to adapt to reflect the changing trends which could make investing in domains for the long term interesting

VR might finally have it's day for a few years IMO - I remember looking into it in '93 and there was just too much hardware. Had a chance to play a few games and look at 3d walkthrough software in VR back then and was inside this huge helmet with cables running down my back and into the base of the railed platform I stood on to move/walk; it was just cumbersome & disorienting, I think partly due to the graphics just being not even as good as the original TRON movie, all plain untextured blocks and triangles.

Now with Oculus and Unity, Unreal, Cryengine, etc I think it's got a shot at the mainstream this time around.

But yeah, after that what's next? Biotech, printing replacement organs, genetic modding? Who knows. Pretty exciting times at least, even if the trends are changing so fast.

 

[CarlosACFL]

I purchased my first domain in 2005 to start a website. I knew nothing about sites but got lucky with my first endeavor. It was a video site which had funny, celebrity, fight videos. A few weeks into it I began getting steady traffic of about 25,000 unique visitors a day.

That site was ugly as heck! But the videos I was finding and posting were good. I hosted my own videos back then so hosting costs were like $600 per month. Ended up selling it for $XX,XXX.

After that I began looking for other projects and started accumulating domains. Then I realized the value in them and transitioned to selling part time. In 2013 I stopped due to an accident I was in, I was so out of it, I didn't pay attention and let all my domains expire. Took me 9 months to start walking again and a couple of years to feel close to 100%. So my priorities weren't with domaining.

Happy to be back now (for the long haul). Starting from scratch but having fun doing it.

 

[dgmweb]

I have loved domain names and all things tech for over 20 years. I still have a few domains I regged back in 2000. I have sold domains I regged prior to 2000. I love developing websites, affiliate programs, and basically everything internet. Every real life business I have had, has been driven by internet technologies.

I am in it for the "life haul". I find that hand registering domains stimulates my brain. Making deals buying and selling domains fulfills my drive to close deals. Developing websites is a real passion for me too. I love creating sites and watching people use them. And of course, the collector (pack rat) in me, just racks up good domains for my daughter who is a studying computer science at college now (and is already better than me).

While I earn a great living in southern california buying and selling commercial and residential real estate and making mortgages, my passion is really online real estate. I love my portfolio and I continue to shed weak names and add great ones.

I have made money and lost money and I really don't care. If I make a big sale I move forward. If I lose a few bucks, I move forward.

Very cool. I can't imagine a real-life business today that doesn't also have a web presence. What affiliate platform do you prefer? I did ok with CJ for a while, now I'm using JVZoo and WarriorPlus.

Yet here I sit, in front of the computer, typing on Namepros, anxiously awaiting the Southern California Domainers meetup scheduled for 3.5 hours from now!

Cool, how was the meetup?

 

[Silentptnr]

Very cool. I can't imagine a real-life business today that doesn't also have a web presence. What affiliate platform do you prefer? I did ok with CJ for a while, now I'm using JVZoo and WarriorPlus.



Cool, how was the meetup?

Still use CJ. It's okay I guess. Yes, the meetup was a lot of fun! I enjoyed it!

 

[eyedomainous]

I'm in the same 'long haul' boat, and mostly reg names with projects in mind. At some point I lost track of how many project sites I had up, so I scaled back a bit and now focus projects with the most potential... and working on projects that are bigger than me, and today's web, is what keeps me going.