To develop or not to develop - That is the question

[Federer]

Like many, I am slowly building up a very nice collection of highly brandable, gernic domains.

Most already have very good undeveloped value. But I am thinking of developing some into mini-sites or even nice (but basic) websites. Once developed, will the value of these domains increase (reseller/end user) - even if there is only a little traffic?

I would embrace any opinions on this matter as I have a few business decisions to make over the next few days.

 

[-REECE-]

Time permitting, you can never go wrong with development. Type-in traffic will always be there and now you'll be encouraging that type-in traffic (and SE traffic) to return more often.

Worst case scenario -- you develop a website, it doesn't work out, you convert it back to a parked page and enjoy SE traffic until Google takes you out of the SERPs. Sounds like a winning strategy to me

I've been getting more and more into development lately -- quite honestly, I think it's stupid to park generics and other expensive domains if it can be avoided.

 

[barefoottech]

of course the value will increase.
A developed website (even a minisite) will always be easier to promote ,so the traffic increase will enhance the value.
You could resell the website at a much greater cost , even without any traffic increase.
Any major traffic enhancement and site improvements over time will greatly increase the value.

Perfect example is the recent sale of a forum site by a NP member for $62k
as a parked name , it would still only be a $30-100 name.

On a smaller scale , I regularly buy names for $2 and turn them into minisites which I easily resell for $50-$100 plus.

 

[Big P]

No doubt in my mind that monetizing your domains by developing them is the only way to go. If you are half as successful in developing domains Federer as you are in selling domains, you will do great. You have prime property(generic domains), why not relate your intellectual real estate, to real world real estate & be a property developer, giving, selling & informing people that are interested in your niche/products. The old saying "build it, and they will come" applies heavily to dn monetizing.

 

[mwzd]

I don't think a mini site 'helps' a domain at all.

Professionally developed domains also tend to turn off buyers.

Its simple, an empty lot that appeals to someone appeals because of his/her vision for that empty lot. If there is a building on it, he/she just might not see the potential for the lot. Then you'd have to provide the numbers for the business to make it appealing and also let everyone know its for sale, even though developed.

 

[Traveler]

I think it is always best to dev a name if you can. The only time I would say someone is not better off with development is if they are so profitable buying and selling domain names that time spent learning what it takes to develop, or paying someone to develop, would have less value than the time the person could put into their domaining.

In the short time, if a name gets natural type in traffic it will usually perform better parked. You will lose revenue at first, because the page is no longer just advertisments, but in the long term you can create a user base that will return to your site, not only that but you will start to show up in the SERPs, so if it is a highly searched term, then dev the heck out of it, do your SEO, and reep the rewards.

 

[advaita]

I've tried making minisites/blogs and really in my experience if you don't keep posting you don't get any visitors and the visitors you do get don't click on much.
So my experience so far has not been positive. Parking of course is dire, but at least there's no work involved.

 

[gazzip]

Interesting topic federer :tu:

I don't think a mini site 'helps' a domain at all.

Professionally developed domains also tend to turn off buyers.

Its simple, an empty lot that appeals to someone appeals because of his/her vision for that empty lot. If there is a building on it, he/she just might not see the potential for the lot. Then you'd have to provide the numbers for the business to make it appealing and also let everyone know its for sale, even though developed.

Thats a very good way of putting it, I think if the main aim is to sell the domain rather than make an income from the domain then putting a mini-site full of adsense on it may not help.

I'm thinking of putting a few of my domains on a simple "For Sale" page rather than parking or developing, at least it gives you the opportunity to be contacted directly and hopefully it won't put people off getting in touch.

More like trying to sell the concept rather than an actual developed website.

Here's two examples I made last night but I still have work to do on them and I will probably add some text and an email contact form.

Tester one

Tester Two


I have another one that's been up live for a while now, just one page of related news links, no actual content as such and its now number one in Google for the keyword typed word word (without quotes) and number 3 in Google for the plural of the domain :tu:

I think if you can get your domain in the top of the search results then more people are likely to see more potential value in it IMO

I'v been a bit peeved how MSN and Google seem to be trying to cut parking pages out of their results lately so maybe something like this may work better ?


See what happens :blink:

I do think that mini-sites are a great way to help cover those renewal fees though !


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[shockie]

not sure why this is even a question. development will add value 99.9% of the time.

 

[Big P]

I've tried making minisites/blogs and really in my experience if you don't keep posting you don't get any visitors and the visitors you do get don't click on much.
So my experience so far has not been positive. Parking of course is dire, but at least there's no work involved.

Thats the whole point of developing domains, if you dont give anything to your visitors/readers, why would they want to keep coming back, you are offering them nothing of value, not information, not products, not advice, nothing...what makes you keep coming back to NP? New content & opinions, people helping each other, people selling domains etc....

it would be like building a $500,000 house, doing the initial landscape, painting etc. & then letting it sit there without any upkeep or maintenace.. what you wind up with is an eye sore, that has the roof falling off, paint peeling, grass overgrown, etc, that no one wants to be seen at, no one wants to buy it & no one wants to be associated with it...AND then wonder why no one wants to visit or buy it from you.

 

[kemjika11]

The question here is not to develop or not to develop. OFfcourse everyone here would prefer to develop than park, but the question is : How do we develop feasibly, specifically, and affordably

 

[advaita]

Big P - if I have understood you correctly then you have misunderstood my post. I said I have developed ministes/blogs - you can see one in my sig it's called the Oracle of Omaha - but despite providing information about Warren Buffett it still gets very few visitors and even less revenue.

If I have misundestood your post then please explain what it was you meant. Or are you just saying that my ministes are cr*p?

 

[weblord]

yes development will add value since it's no longer just domain only but a whole package, the web site.

but if you're gonna develop it you will earn from the ads put on it as well so it's not wasted time.

 

[mwzd]

More like trying to sell the concept rather than an actual developed website.

I really like what you've done with those two domains.

That said, I manage 4k names... kind of tough to duplicate.

Also, when you try to sell a concept - don't you cut down your target market? Not only should they like the domain, they should also like the concept.

 

[gazzip]

I really like what you've done with those two domains.

That said, I manage 4k names... kind of tough to duplicate.

Also, when you try to sell a concept - don't you cut down your target market? Not only should they like the domain, they should also like the concept.

Very True, Thats a good point it could only be done on a small scale, If you have 4k names I very much doubt you'd have anytime to develop anything, I only have about 300 and its a pain in the ass

I guess I should have said suggest a concept rather than sell, they pay for the domain but the "concept" is for free :hehe: It is of course up to them what they want to do with it.


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[thebutler]

The end value

Sometimes the end user might value tthe domain for more than you spent developing it but in the short term you can make more money off a developed site than a parked site in most cases.

Now its the problem of developing all those websites.

 

[Big P]

Big P - if I have understood you correctly then you have misunderstood my post. I said I have developed ministes/blogs - you can see one in my sig it's called the Oracle of Omaha - but despite providing information about Warren Buffett it still gets very few visitors and even less revenue.

If I have misundestood your post then please explain what it was you meant. Or are you just saying that my ministes are cr*p?

lol..not saying your sites are crap, i had not even looked at your site until you pointed it out in your post..sorry if I offended you...guess we dont understand each other...I like your oracle of omaha site, it is clean & has good information..the problem lies in the niche/topic you are using in your example..there are approx 140 searches a month using the keyword tool, along with no ad competition...bottom line is nobody is searching for that term & no one is bidding on ads for the term...you said you have to keep up with posting for minisites to be successful, then you say you haven't had very much luck with minisites...I take that as you meaning you dont post all the time & the minisites haven't yielded much..am I misunderstanding you?

 

[barefoottech]

I don't think a mini site 'helps' a domain at all.

Professionally developed domains also tend to turn off buyers.

Its simple, an empty lot that appeals to someone appeals because of his/her vision for that empty lot. If there is a building on it, he/she just might not see the potential for the lot. Then you'd have to provide the numbers for the business to make it appealing and also let everyone know its for sale, even though developed.

I beg to differ.
If the name has a ministe ,it is easier to promote and build up the traffic. Any traffic enhancement can only improve resale value, even if at time of sale it has been re-parked.

 

[mwzd]

I beg to differ.

But then you would :p

If the name has a ministe ,it is easier to promote and build up the traffic. Any traffic enhancement can only improve resale value, even if at time of sale it has been re-parked.

You can only promote a developed site, so mini sites make sense for names that don't have intrinsic value or traffic.

Premium generics don't really need pre-development to be a 'must' buy. See older auction results.

 

[maxeaus]

Im a big fan of WhyPark.com, i guess i would describe it as half minisite, half parking.

For people like me who HATE developing and the time involved i think it is a great option.

I think domainers now have more options open to them due to parking drying up, this could well be a god send in the long term.