Newbies -- Points to consider when buying / valuing domains

[Paul123]

I found this online and thought it might help any newbies out there (myself included) when they try to value domains.

The points are a copy and paste from Elliot's Blog (domaininvesting.com) written by NPs Eric Lyon.

If I had to add to the list I would include --

A. Sticking to dot com until you have a better idea about what you are doing.

B. Don't spend coin buying handregs based on Estibot values. If a domain can still be handregged there's a reason why !

Always check for trademarks (point 21) as this could land you in big trouble if you violate a TM.

Best,
Paul


1.) Is the domain Pronounceable?
2.) How many characters are in the domain?
3.) If a short character domain, are they premium letters?
4.) Is the domain currently developed?
5.) If developed, how many pages are indexed?
6.) If developed, Is it original or duplicate content?
7.) Was the domain previously developed?
8.) Does the domain currently generate any Revenue?
9.) What are a few development possibilities for this domain?
10.) What is the obvious target market(s)?
11.) Is there any keyword value (cpc)?
12.) Is there any keyword competition?
13.) What are the top competing sites for this domain?
14.) What is the Alexa score?
15.) What is the root domain PageRank (PR)?
16.) Is the domain a dictionary word?
17.) What language is the domain?
18.) Does the language of the domain match the extension?
19.) How many backlinks does the domain have?
20.) What have some similar domains sold for in the past?
21.) Is this domain a Trademark (TM)?
22.) Is this domain a trend that has a limited window of opportunity?
23.) How old is the domain?
24.) Is the domain taken in other top extensions?
25.) Is the domain Brandable?
26.) Does the domain have any traffic?
27.) If traffic, What are the traffic sources?

 

[paul79]

great info so thanks for posting up - is really handy to have it in a checklist format too so you can literally just get a name in front of you and go through it one by one to make a decision

 

[WatchDogue]

Those are excellent pre-purchase points to consider in the acquisition of names, particularly in the early stages of domain name purchases!

Also your additions - A & B - have merit for newer name buyers to consider as well in their overall scope of decision making.

BTW I do regularly read Elliot's Blog and consider it a well written and well synthesized domain name resource.

Those are all good factors to consider when considering domain names.

 

[Thomas Smith]

Wish I had read this earlier rather than rushing in, great information indeed will use this when buying from now on.

 

[Paul123]

Wish I had read this earlier rather than rushing in, great information indeed will use this when buying from now on.

I think every one on this forum rushed in when they started out and wasted coin. It is part of the learning curve and as long as you learn from your mistakes, you will get your money back in time.

Research is the key to becoming a successful domainer.

Best,
Paul

 

[Thomas Smith]

I think every one on this forum rushed in when they started out and wasted coin. It is part of the learning curve and as long as you learn from your mistakes, you will get your money back in time.

Research is the key to becoming a successful domainer.

Best,
Paul

Indeed, I'm certainly going to be more careful now with my purchases, just take the loss on the chin and over time I will improve and keep up with what is hot.

 

[Paul123]

just take the loss on the chin

Absolutely the best thing to do. The old expression about crying over spilled milk springs to mind.

I will add that two of the most useful tools for any domainer are the Google adwords keyword planner and Namebio. Both are free and and can certainly help with your research.

As already stated it is best to keep away from handregs (IMO) although there are still a few worth grabbing. Stick with a niche you know something about if you want reg this way. For this purpose check out this site...

www.leandomainsearch.com

Easy to use and tells you whats available using your keywords.

We all want to buy domains as cheap as possible. This site is very good too.

www.domcomp.com

Again free to use and tells you the cheapest register for your domain.

Best,
Paul

 

[bigdomainer]

For this purpose check out this site...

www.leandomainsearch.com

I really like this site. Some functionality was lost when sold to Automattic but still a really good tool.

I've found good names using it.

 

[Thomas Smith]

I think every one on this forum rushed in when they started out and wasted coin. It is part of the learning curve and as long as you learn from your mistakes, you will get your money back in time.

Research is the key to becoming a successful domainer.

Best,
Paul

Those are fantastic sites, thankfully I found this site before I wasted more money. Got a lot of the information I need just from those to see whether they are worth going for. What would you say is a good amount of searches on average a month for your words?

 

[WatchDogue]

In the beginning we did " rush in " on virtually any random thought that we could register in .com and at about $70 a name pop, we learned an expensive lesson that patience really was a virtue!

Patience, due diligence / hard research guide our modest domaining plans.

 

[Vivi]

Thanks, @Paul123 for putting this list together. Your post is incredibly helpful for beginners such as myself.

 

[Thomas Smith]

In the beginning we did " rush in " on virtually any random thought that we could register in .com and at about $70 a name pop, we learned an expensive lesson that patience really was a virtue!

Patience, due diligence / hard research guide our modest domaining plans.

Having a hard time shifting any of the ones I got, so seems I'm going to have to let some go on the cheap, got like 60 domains so will take a hit and reset. Start over and buy better

 

[wakguano]

21.) Is this domain a Trademark (TM)?

i think i can understand ' YAHOO ' situation , but what about

name.tld , names.tld , named.tld

tq

 

[Willox Perez]

Definitely agree with these points very useful when it comes to buying a domain. I feel many times we buy based on instinct or emotion and we tend to make up reasons with no logic behind them as to why the domain is good. Reviewing these points before making that purchase will be so important in order to make better buying decisions.

Thanks for sharing! I will implement it right away. I do a similar process but just not these many questions.

- Will

 

[payekz]

great info,but what can be said about 'server ip blacklist'.is it a trouble before or after buying maybe due to parking.will selling not be a difficulty.please help on this area. thanks