Is the subdomain market still interesting, or is it almost dead?

[Gerrit]

With domainnames such as .INFO and .CO.UK being extremely cheap these days, everyone can buy a domainname. Just skip one visit to McDonalds and you almost got two .INFO domains...

I wonder if selling subdomains is still potentially interesting.

In some extentions there are still very powerfull domains available for subdomain creation (a bit like .com.tv or .net.tv) and subdomain.com.tv would be an interesting thing, more interesting IMO than domain.vg or domain.tf (or other obscure extentions)

However, I wonder if -with true domains being very cheap- there is still a future for selling subdomains. Imagine you have a great domain like org.fm, com.tv, web.tv, ...
Would it still be interesting to start selling subdomains at approx 5$ per annumn per subdomain? The cost of setting up such a service may be high ; would it still pay back all costs and bring a certain profit?

 

[RyuKenLi]

Why have a subdomain when you can have your own .com?

 

[fab]

Yes, second level domains are really cheap these days.

Shorter is better. Who prefers third level to second level? Just register a second level domain then you can have unlimited number of subdomain.

 

[peaudecastor]

There may be some quality keyword.blogspot.com that may be worth it.

I don't think this has ever been a good market unless you want to make a name for yourself. Never in my lifetime I would have paid for a subdomains. Those were mostly free service with not much advertising avenue unless you offered a crappy service with popups or iframe..

Sometimes there's some nice one that have huge success like del.icio.us, though this is much more of a concept than a subdomain.

Cheers,

Matt

 

[sEp]

Yes, second level domains are really cheap these days.

Shorter is better. Who prefers third level to second level? Just register a second level domain then you can have unlimited number of subdomain.

Some are. .com.au is rather expensive.

 

[GreenGambler]

I was sort of wondering this myself. I'm not sure if the market is there unless you have a highly wanted domain name.

com.tv, web.tv, forum.com, chat.com, wanted.com, forsale.com, directory.com, etc........these I can see haveing decent subdomain sells.

I own USAmom.com and thought it might be cool if it were a community of American Mothers and they could all have subdomains like BettyCrocker.USAMOM.com or HillaryClinton.USAMOM.com or MarthaStewart.USAMOM.com

I don't know if this would sell or not. But I like the idea.

 

[Robert Allen]

An example of this service is on www.dnsau.com.ru, who do 100% FREE .com.ru, .net.ru and .org.ru. Anyway, i would not say this would be expensive, all you need is a VPS and some knowledge, and you can virtually make your own biz. I have a VPS, and i have tryed this service before, and although i have not actually done it yet, it is a plan for the future.

Robert.

 

[dnb8]

An example of this service is on www.dnsau.com.ru, who do 100% FREE .com.ru, .net.ru and .org.ru. Anyway, i would not say this would be expensive, all you need is a VPS and some knowledge, and you can virtually make your own biz. I have a VPS, and i have tryed this service before, and although i have not actually done it yet, it is a plan for the future.

Robert.

Can You tell me how to do this?

I want to create subdomain service ( no redirect or alias ) with one of my domains and I'm looking for info how to do this since a year

 

[AdoptableDomains]

Can You tell me how to do this?

I want to create subdomain service ( no redirect or alias ) with one of my domains and I'm looking for info how to do this since a year

First, in a sense, all subdomains and domains are really aliases for a virtual server or dynamic or fixed IP number. for giving out/selling true subdomains, you just have to have full control of your DNS with no limitations on how many you can create.

An "A RECORD" is a DNS entry that sends the user to an IP number. This only works if you have assignd static IP numbers for each host. However, most IP's now are shared on virtual servers. There are some workarounds to forward A RECORDS to dynamic IP's, but you'll have to do some reading and sign up for a service.

A "CNAME Record" is a DNS entry for forwarding to another domain or URL that could be on a server you manage or anywhere else on the web. almost every "www." subdomain on the web is really just a CNAME forward to the base domain name.

Without an IP address for each subdomain, you would need to run DNS on the server hosting the domain, which uses some trickery to make it appear the name you got was really entered and not forwarded. Otherwise, you have to use "domain cloaking" which really just hides the forwarded domain behind a zero dimension HTML frame.

zoneedit.com may offer some DNS hosting tools you can use if your web host doesn't allow full DNS control.

I think domains are cheap enough and easy enough to register now, that a subdomain is probably not something most would pay for. Most subdomain sites give the name away for adding banners, ads, or for traffic to the base domain. The ad based model is probably the most likely to succeed.

 

[Gerrit]

An example of this service is on www.dnsau.com.ru, who do 100% FREE .com.ru, .net.ru and .org.ru. Anyway, i would not say this would be expensive, all you need is a VPS and some knowledge, and you can virtually make your own biz. I have a VPS, and i have tryed this service before, and although i have not actually done it yet, it is a plan for the future.

Robert.

.com.ru is no subdomain, it's an official ccTLD and is completely free indeed. You better register through the registry (www.ripn.net) and own it yourself, as dnsau.com.ru will own the domain themselves and just let you use it. So go directly with ripn.net Although this is nothing to do with the topic, as .com.ru is not a subdomain.



The thing is, registering a short high-quality domain like com.tv, org.fm, com.ac, ... will be expensive. Setting up the infrastructure for your service can also cost money (you need a smooth and rapid register-and-buy system, otherwise no one will buy a subdomain) so I just wonder if the amounts you could earn by selling subdomains would be high enough to at least cover the costs for setting up the service? Of course the ideal would be that you sell enough subdomains to make more money than you invested in setting up the service.

 

[RPK]

If anyone knows of a company that can set-up a subdomain registration site for me eith for free subdomains or better if I can charge, please PM me and I wil send you some NP's

 

[Badger]

sub domains are pretty cool in the right environment....

I dont agree with someone else having control over your developments like centralnic's offers of subs of .us.com and .uk.com. Although some will argue (probably for the next 20years) that centralnic subs have value. Apparently a poker sub domain sold for $15000.... :red:

However, in direct response to the OP, "yes", if you could get hold of com.tv etc then im sure there would be huge value..

i, myself, have a site that focuses on sub domains www.airport.sc - using www.newyork.airport.sc as an example.

 

[chimaera]

.uk.com are really popular in the UK - I cringe whenever I see one (sometimes advertised by big companies).

 

[freddy]

I think you should see a difference between Registry operated subdomains like .co.uk, com.au and self made subdomains like .uk.com or .de.vu or .co.ee.
For the registry operated 3rd Level domains there is no alternative in some countries, like in GB so the people must buy it, the other ones are simply alternatives that are mostly registered because they are cheap or by domainers. 60% of .co.ee domains are in domainers hand. Have a look to the spanish market, since .es is unrestricted .com.es is becoming smaller and smaller.