ccTLD The Official .WS Discussion

[memorablename]

The Official .ws thread

.WS can stand for WEBSITE.

It has pros and cons as a domain. This thread is for people who wish to suggest ideas to build up and help promote the .ws domain as well as to give and receive help and advice on .ws domains in general. Some useful info contributed through this thread below. Views and comments anyone...

http://website.ws/faq/index.dhtml

The registry is now allowing .WS domain names to be transferred from registrar to registrar. It seems that most registrars just haven't updated their websites to allow this yet.

This is good news for the .ws market as this was a major factor in holding .ws back. Time for .ws to take off? Can we publicize this to help boost the market?

Wrote about this a while back -
http://www.mwzd.com/2008/01/23/the-significance-of-ws/

So why buy .ws?
1. Excellent keywords can still be regged.
2. You can buy premium keywords for $20-$50.
3. Excellent development potential, luckily goog doesn’t really care about which extension the site is on but how much content s there and how often it is updated.
4. Godaddy markets .ws - little but its a big brand
5. The ‘website’ christening seems to have more and more acceptance.
6. Its easy to get traffic and thus revenue for better keywords in .ws than a ‘bad’ keyword in .com

Some .WS sales over $200 listed below. Please post any .WS sales you know of over $200 to this thread

folder.ws$250 2008-03-05SEDO.com
reisebuero.ws$750 2008-02-23SEDO.com
cast.ws$200 2008-02-13SEDO.com
notebooks.ws$370 2008-01-07TDNAM.com
yukle.ws$62 2008-01-06SEDO.com
moshax.ws$350 2007-12-25TDNAM.com
flirt.ws$286 2007-12-24SEDO.com
washingtonstate.ws$500 2007-12-16SEDO.com
fulltilt.ws$310 2007-12-15SEDO.com
sms.ws$2,000 2007-12-08SEDO.com
liondog.ws$770 2007-12-05TDNAM.com
clipart.ws$850 2007-11-15SEDO.com
beaches.ws$250 2007-11-14SEDO.com
airport.ws$366 2007-11-05TDNAM.com
tomfelton.ws$335 2007-04-26TDNAM
london.ws $1,825 Sedo


Also from: 2004 to 2006

blogs.ws $1,600
save.ws $417
green.ws $227
Avatars.ws $400
VOIP.ws $2,000 Sedo
Game.ws $1,000 Namepros
VacationRentals.ws $800 Private
VoiceOverIP.ws $600 Sedo
PersonalInjury.ws $600 Private
NikeSports.ws ($480)
UsedBooks.ws ($240)

 

[Tribulatio]

You're probably going to hate me... But I regged a .ws through godaddy that also expired on 2/19 .. And I won the domain... I think it's the same domain you're asking about lol

I won't say the name just in case I'm wrong... But was it a 5 letter domain name? If so, it's probably the same one...

Funny! Thank you for informing me! Might be, since it was indeed a five-letter name too. But did you enter the bid during the last 45 secunds? When I discovered it, there was not yet anybody on it.
Anyway, if you have registered it, smart move, and congratulations! I will check that in a few days.

 

[tvdotcoms]

i own
institution.ws
farmers.ws
dropped.ws =PR1

 

[o7media]

Funny! Thank you for informing me! Might be, since it was indeed a five-letter name too. But did you enter the bid during the last 45 secunds? When I discovered it, there was not yet anybody on it.
Anyway, if you have registered it, smart move, and congratulations! I will check that in a few days.

Well I bought it straight up. It was one of the $5 domains. And I got it with like 2 minutes left LOL

 

[Tribulatio]

Well I bought it straight up. It was one of the $5 domains. And I got it with like 2 minutes left LOL

Well, it might be the same, it was also one of those 5 minutes domaines, but let's see: when I noticed it first, it was marked on my panel with 45 secunds left, so it might be another one. But it might also have been that you were just in the process of buying without having completed it.
Anyway, we will know in a few days, but I enjoyed the exchange on this thread, thank you for having posted!

 

[o7media]

Well, it might be the same, it was also one of those 5 minutes domaines, but let's see: when I noticed it first, it was marked on my panel with 45 secunds left, so it might be another one. But it might also have been that you were just in the process of buying without having completed it.
Anyway, we will know in a few days, but I enjoyed the exchange on this thread, thank you for having posted!

well if you really want to know..we can pm lol

but i'll be selling it right away anyway. hopefully i'll get a nice offer

 

[Tribulatio]

well if you really want to know..we can pm lol

but i'll be selling it right away anyway. hopefully i'll get a nice offer

Well, it was obviously not the same: it was rebel[.]ws - but when I checked today in order to see if it had become free, it had already been registered in the meantime by somebody based in Hong Kong, at Dynadot. OIf it was the one you had grabbed, it would be registered with GD.

Amazing that the guy registered it just at the time it became free, since I had checked a few hours ago, and it was still "pending delete" with GD.

This brings me back to the question: is there any way to backorder .ws names about to be deleted, or to grab them at the very minute they become available? Until now, I have not found any service offering that possibility.

 

[o7media]

Well, it was obviously not the same: it was rebel[.]ws - but when I checked today in order to see if it had become free, it had already been registered in the meantime by somebody based in Hong Kong, at Dynadot. OIf it was the one you had grabbed, it would be registered with GD.

Amazing that the guy registered it just at the time it became free, since I had checked a few hours ago, and it was still "pending delete" with GD.

This brings me back to the question: is there any way to backorder .ws names about to be deleted, or to grab them at the very minute they become available? Until now, I have not found any service offering that possibility.

Oh yeah that's not mine. I got allow.ws

But you can buy them straight up from Go Daddy. Just hit the "Buy Now" button, and it's yours.

But, I just found out that .ws isn't really worth that much

 

[Tribulatio]

But you can buy them straight up from Go Daddy. Just hit the "Buy Now" button, and it's yours.

I know that. The problem is that I was going through a list of domain names on a page, saw rebel[.]ws, was interrupted by a phone call, went back to it... and I was just a few secunds past the deadline, so the auction was closed. And when it became available again, since it had not been renewed, somebody in Hong Kong managed to register it instantly...

... hence my question: any backorder service working well for .ws? Obviously, that man had a list of newly-dropping .ws names, or it was an amazing coincidence.

 

[o7media]

I know that. The problem is that I was going through a list of domain names on a page, saw rebel[.]ws, was interrupted by a phone call, went back to it... and I was just a few secunds past the deadline, so the auction was closed. And when it became available again, since it had not been renewed, somebody in Hong Kong managed to register it instantly...

... hence my question: any backorder service working well for .ws? Obviously, that man had a list of newly-dropping .ws names, or it was an amazing coincidence.

Ooooh I see. lol that's funny :p :lol:

lmao j/k. But I'm not sure if there's any backorder service for .ws

 

[mwzd]

Interesting to see this kind of interest for a .ws at a forum auction:
http://www.namepros.com/domains-for-sale-auctions/572670-investments-ws.html

Given that it is a top of the line keyword but its still encouraging.

:tu:

 

[GF]

Interesting to see this kind of interest for a .ws at a forum auction:
http://www.namepros.com/domains-for-sale-auctions/572670-investments-ws.html

Given that it is a top of the line keyword but its still encouraging.

:tu:

Wow, in the latest sales environment, this auction is making a statement!

-G

 

[Tribulatio]

Yes, I am following it too - in recent weeks, my interest for .ws has really grown, so I tend to see this confirms what my instinct is telling me about the potential of good names in some "lesser" extensions. But let's see if there will be other cases.

I know that. The problem is that I was going through a list of domain names on a page, saw rebel[.]ws, was interrupted by a phone call, went back to it... and I was just a few secunds past the deadline, so the auction was closed. And when it became available again, since it had not been renewed, somebody in Hong Kong managed to register it instantly...

... hence my question: any backorder service working well for .ws? Obviously, that man had a list of newly-dropping .ws names, or it was an amazing coincidence.

Happy end: it was a taster, so I could finally grab the name when he dropped it.
But the fact that tasters are tasting .ws names shows that there must be a way to get the lists of expiring .ws. Where? I repeat my question about any backorder service offering .ws? Or at least where to find a list of expiring .ws, and if there is a specific period of the day when they drop?

 

[mwzd]

I repeat my question about any backorder service offering .ws?

I think dynadot seems your best bet atm.

The domain we are talking about above seems to be a dropcatch:
Domain Created: 2009-04-04
Domain Last Updated: 2009-04-06
Domain Currently Expires: 2010-04-04

The premium names listed on website.ws are also your best bet to monitor .ws 'drops'.

 

[Tribulatio]

I think dynadot seems your best bet atm.

The domain we are talking about above seems to be a dropcatch:
Domain Created: 2009-04-04
Domain Last Updated: 2009-04-06
Domain Currently Expires: 2010-04-04

The premium names listed on website.ws are also your best bet to monitor .ws 'drops'.

I agree about the list on website.ws. BUT some top names are not released, but reserved, and at this point it is not possible to get them, although they are listed on website.ws. Moreover, website.ws only lists SOME of the names that become available, by far not all.

Regarding Dynadot, as you knowm, they do not offer any dropcatch service. But I think I understand what happened in that case: the taster let it drop, but before the grace delete period, and since the taster had used Dynadot (allowing grace deletion still to some extent), it became available again on Dynadot, and by chance I checked at that time.

Still, this is neither a backorder service nor a full list of expiring .ws name. I am pretty sure this is feasible, however.

Thank you for letting me know if you come across something, I will continue to look for something too.

 

[mwzd]

"A small businessman who buys a domain in a new extension will essentially be invisible on the web." -- Ron Jackson

I have a lot of respect for Ron, but I'm going to disagree here, from purely an seo perspective.

Assume you're a new business with 5k to spend on a profit making website and you're into say "investments".

Your alternatives are keywwordinvestments.com or investmentskeyword.com or investments.ws - which one do you think will rank higher for the pure "investments" search? Given the same seo spend and say a $300 purchase price.

 

[Tribulatio]

Assume you're a new business with 5k to spend on a profit making website and you're into say "investments".

Your alternatives are keywwordinvestments.com or investmentskeyword.com or investments.ws - which one do you think will rank higher for the pure "investments" search? Given the same seo spend and say a $300 purchase price.

I fully agree with your remark. This is my point too: for good keywords at an afordable price, .ws offers interesting possibilities.

 

[Tippy]

Just picked up 3 including these 2...

MMORPGs.ws
Peter.ws

3rd one is kinda co-owned so wont list it just now but its got 4 Billion Yahoo results.

 

[wussadotcom]

Why are the domains listed at website.ws when I tried to register at dynadot is a 495USD fees :p
I have 2 developed .ws
Check Domain Check Page Rank
:o

Also I just checked namepros using me checkdomain.ws
http://checkdomain.ws/revlookup.php?s=namepros.com&submit=Lookup

I understand what they are using registerindex.com for...
Why the heck did namepros registered lamepros? its not even a typo

 

[Tribulatio]

Why are the domains listed at website.ws when I tried to register at dynadot is a 495USD fees :p
I have 2 developed .ws
Check Domain Check Page Rank

It is probably a 3-character domain: they are priced much higher. Names with four characters and more are sold by Dynadot at the normal price.

 

[Tippy]

Service.ws is available to hand reg if anyone is interested...

 

[Tribulatio]

Service.ws is available to hand reg if anyone is interested...

Thank you very much for this useful information - kind of you to share with other forum members: this is the nice spirit I like on NP - rep added!

 

[xrvel]

More availables

Service.ws is available to hand reg if anyone is interested...

It's gone :o (not me)

More availables :

- centaur
- emblem
- firework
- minotaur
- prank
- rotate
- tongue

 

[Timewarp]

Dot ws has served me well as a developer, I have over 10 .ws sites online - all with premium keyword .ws domains, there is no way I could have affored the .com versions but I can still have an authoritative domain with .ws instead.

Im also a .ws investor because I think other developers besides myself are becoming aware of the advantages, eventually the secret will be out!

 

[mitok]

I just took my first .ws! Personaly, i dont prefer .ws, but i couldnt resist to this one. And all other popular extensions are taken. Its brokerage . ws
Also for sale if someone is interested

 

[Tribulatio]

Dot ws has served me well as a developer, I have over 10 .ws sites online - all with premium keyword .ws domains, there is no way I could have affored the .com versions but I can still have an authoritative domain with .ws instead.

Im also a .ws investor because I think other developers besides myself are becoming aware of the advantages, eventually the secret will be out!

I tend to agree with your comments, I am thinking right now more or less on the same line.

Yes, there are wonderful opportunities for generic WS names. I feel that the real problem with WS domain names is that they are not properly promoted, and too often associated with dubious "become rich overnight" schemes - the registry could do a better job for promoting them, in my opinion.

So if we want not only to develop WS names, as you are doing, but also to sell them, we need at the same time to promote them adequately to end-users.

With that in mind, I have just created a small website specifically for promoting WS names and listing some from my portfolio (in which they make only a tony percentage). The website is primarily in French (hence the "e" at the end of "domaines"):
Domaine.ws
but some basic info is provided in English as well (and might be later expanded) - see the right column on front page.

The FAQs (in French) attempt to explain to endusers why it makes sense to buy WS generic names.

I hope that other domainers owning WS names will create similar websites in English and other languages, and then we can interlink between those specific WS domaining websites, and thus contribute to promote them.