In search of some domain advise

[uno123]

I would love any feedback from some senior members.

I need some advice as I am looking to begin a startup in the next few months. It is in the "mobile app development" field and most of the .com domain names that i have been looking up have already been taken. I ruled out any single names and was leaning more towards a two word name that describes the business...again most taken. (unless I can figure out a 2 word phrase that describes this...and something with decent search results...then I will likely need to bid at an auction).

I have been looking at the auction sites and seen a domain up for bid which is 5k to start...I thought 1k was a good opening bid and looked at other domains...but think they are asking for too much for an opening bid... I went to google adwords tool (90k global/40k local) to see how many times it came up and also used compete for unique visitors (1,400/mo.. ballpark).

(I really like the domain, however don't know if it is really worth an opening bid of 5k. I have 10k to get the business off the ground and putting up more than half is risky).

I also noticed I could get the hyphenated version for much less, the same with the other extensions....org. I am curious to know how much an owner could get for advertisements or parking on a site that is getting roughly 1k/mo in unique traffic...I think that would be a good reference. And should I consider the other extensions... (.mx .be .fm .ag...etc)...would I be able to pick up any of this traffic?

Sorry for the book, but there is so much riding on this that I am clearly way over my head. I really don't want to invest tons of money in building the name up...I could do that as I grow, however think there is value in a good name and would love any feedback.

Thanks,

 

[tarikpierce]

Might as well buy the .COM because you will have to purchase it later once your mobile app grows.

Go to NameStation and try to find a similar match. Your domain is your brand. Don't get cheap.

Facebook started out as TheFacebook dot com unless they shortened it.

A hypen domain is worthless. Nobody will remember and you will cause confusion.

The most important investment is the domain since you have no other revenues.

Solution: Email the domain owner directly and force them to give a price. You can often get 90% off a domain if you are patient.

When do you plan to launch the mobile app?

 

[uno123]

Might as well buy the .COM because you will have to purchase it later once your mobile app grows.

Go to NameStation and try to find a similar match. Your domain is your brand. Don't get cheap.

Facebook started out as TheFacebook dot com unless they shortened it.

A hypen domain is worthless. Nobody will remember and you will cause confusion.

The most important investment is the domain since you have no other revenues.

Solution: Email the domain owner directly and force them to give a price. You can often get 90% off a domain if you are patient.

When do you plan to launch the mobile app?

I will be launching the startup within 3 mos. I appreciate the feedback, I was considering taking the extra money and invest in building the name up.

 

[GretelNick]

The most important investment is the domain since you have no other revenues.

I totally disagree. Your most important task is to develop a PRODUCT that people are WILLING TO PAY FOR. Taking half your start-up capital to brand something that you probably don't even know what it is yet could easily ruin your whole venture.

You may develop your app... and then realize that consumers respond and use it in a different way than you expected. And you end up going after that value, and your 'brand' is actually different than you pictured.

Worry about fine tuning your domain name and brand after you actually have something that people actually use and like and BUY. Get a $7.50 dot-com that's good enough for now. Obsess about your PRODUCT instead.

 

[tarikpierce]

I totally disagree. Your most important task is to develop a PRODUCT that people are WILLING TO PAY FOR. Taking half your start-up capital to brand something that you probably don't even know what it is yet could easily ruin your whole venture.

You may develop your app... and then realize that consumers respond and use it in a different way than you expected. And you end up going after that value, and your 'brand' is actually different than you pictured.

Worry about fine tuning your domain name and brand after you actually have something that people actually use and like and BUY. Get a $7.50 dot-com that's good enough for now. Obsess about your PRODUCT instead.

Hahah who said take 1/2 the capital for a domain?

Maybe you can explain why Apple, Google, Twitter, Sedo, Afternic, Facebook all invested in WORLD CLASS domains first?

and why RemembertheMilk and Somelongboringdomain.com will be forgotten.

The #1 mistake companies make is NOT getting the right domain first. Product development is easy if you do the correct market research.

Give them what they ask for. A simple survey could handle this.

But if you get the domain wrong, you will end up paying for it in the future or stunt your growth.

 

[GretelNick]

Maybe you can explain why Apple, Google, Twitter, Sedo, Afternic, Facebook all invested in WORLD CLASS domains first?

They didn't.

Apple offered revolutionary products decades there were domain names.

Facebook.com is not a world class domain. It's a world class product. Oh yeah, it was thefacebook.com first. Crappy domain. Great product.

Twitter wasn't Twitter when it started.

Those companies did not invest in world class domains first. They made consumers lives better by creating outstanding products. The domain names came later.

 

[uno123]

I would love your opinions on how much it would cost to get a domain to 1,500 unique visits /mo...and how long. I know there are factors that go into it but any ballpark figures?

 

[biggie]

:talk:


Hi

if you're going to develop the domain for a product, then don't rely on gkwt for search results.


look instead at the best name that describes your product, and if you're planning to put adsense then get a domain that has decent cpc.


but if you're not going to use adsense, then you don't need to use the gkwt period.


as for those "world class names"....they wouldn't mean "squat do do", unless there was a viable product or service behind them.

 

[uno123]

Thanks for the post. You bring up something I will likely need to know..on the cpc...what tools do you use to determine good cpc?

 

[Obosh]

Thanks for the post. You bring up something I will likely need to know..on the cpc...what tools do you use to determine good cpc?

google keyword tool provides approximate cpc for keywords...google "google keyword tool" you will find the free and probably the best keyword tool...

 

[fm1234]

uno

Keep an eye on the domain you want, the one that has the $5,000 opening price. If you think it's worth $1,000 (or whatever) just contact the owner directly and make an offer. He might well say "$5,000 firm opening, no exceptions" but the sad fact is that the domain space is full of delusional idiots, and not a few for whom domaining is less a business than a habit to feed. If you think it's worth $1,000, contact the seller and offer him $500. You might well be suprised to find that the domain is available for somewhere between your opening and the seller's proposed opening price.


Frank