What is the number 1 thing you're looking for when purchasing a domain in 2015?

[ommedu]

I know that in my years of domain flipping I've seen a lot of different trends. Back before google cracked down and changed their algorithm it seemed like people were all about the exact keyword domains. It was so easy to flip those names because there were end users everywhere wanting to set them up, buy backlinks, rank it, and throw affiliate links on it. Now a newly registered exact match even with a ton of searches takes ages to get ranked.

Now it seems like those same people buying up exact match names are going after domains with domain authority and page authority. Pagerank has fizzled out as google has made statements they no longer plan to update pagerank.

Lately I've shifted my focus more on brandable domain names and I feel there will always be a market for them no matter what changes google makes to their search algorithm. So for me the biggest thing I look for is brandability. If I were the end user and that were my niche would I really want to go around telling friends, family, potential customers, etc. that xxxxxxx.com is my business and I'd be proud of it. That's always the first and biggest thing I think of, what are yours?

 

[ulterios]

I look for Brandability as well for my main point of interest in a domain. I though like to develop websites so I do tend to see the brandability factor as higher than some people. I am one of those people that believes your domain name/brand can be a bigger plus for a website in the long run.

If you owned a website and say had an e-commerce store on it what sounds better?

a keyword based domain:
KeywordKeywordKeyword.com

or a brandable for example:
Awesome.com

 

[ommedu]

I look for Brandability as well for my main point of interest in a domain. I though like to develop websites so I do tend to see the brandability factor as higher than some people. I am one of those people that believes your domain name/brand can be a bigger plus for a website in the long run.

If you owned a website and say had an e-commerce store on it what sounds better?

a keyword based domain:
KeywordKeywordKeyword.com

or a brandable for example:
Awesome.com

Exactly, it's the same in real world scenarios as well. Where would you rather go to buy a new computer the apple store or the "Computerstore"

 

[ulterios]

Exactly, it's the same in real world scenarios as well. Where would you rather go to buy a new computer the apple store or the "Computerstore"

Many people who are developers or websites or domainers look at the keywords in the name seeing what they perceive as a good name because they are thinking "exact match" for a keyword. With the major search engines always messing around with their algorithms you never know what is going to be good down the road.

Maybe keywords help ranking on day, then the next day keyword domains get penalized.

With a brandable domain name you can build authority and brand recognition with that great brandable/memorable name.

 

[Hypersot]

I don't think we can choose just one thing since there isn't a no.1 choice really.

For example,
personally, I look for 4 different kinds of domains:
-keyword/brandables
-keyword/parking
-high metrics/parking
-keyword/new trends

They are all of equal importance to me since all have a chance of bringing profit.

If what you ask is 'what you believe will work' in 2015, ie. what will bring profit. I'd answer the same way.
They all bring profit each in different ways.

Why, 2 days ago I sold a pure keyword domain for $1k
a week ago I sold one brandable for $600
two weeks ago, another brandable.... and so on.
Plus, every month I earn a nice profit from parking, enough to pocket some and re-invest some

which of those poll choices should I choose?

I believe the power in domaining/domaineering is the wide choices we're given and as such they can't fit in one poll choice

just my opinion

 

[ommedu]

I agree it is a little tough to chose just one thing. I've changed the poll allowing you to chose up to 3.

 

[Chris Wright]

Keyword domains can sometimes be brandable at the same time.
I think Hotels.com is a good example. Or, LAfitness.com or KonaCoffee.com.
These types of domains are the holy grail for me.

Generally, what I am looking for is immediate and obvious usefulness.
It must be a brandable or keyword name where you can make a clear use case (and find obvious prospects) right away.

 

[Hypersot]

Actually, now that I think about it, what @Chris Wright says above could actually be the *one* thing that supersedes all for me,
ie. "...a name where you can make a clear use case", ..maybe not right away, but knowing what your target group is it's very important.

I see a lot of people buying names just because they fare well on an 'exact match' search or on an appraisal engine , without having a clear use for them. (I don't exclude myself from that list)

 

[Beezy]

As of right now, Age, Establishment, and Page Rank getting shut out!

 

[Hypersot]

Just ignore this post

 

[tekkybabao]

i agree with the man that said "invest in what will bring profit in 2015"

 

[discobull]

High value @ low price.

 

[TheFifty9Sound]

Clear endusers.

 

[abdussamad]

What do you mean by brandable domain name? Pretty much any .com domain can be turned into a brand. Yahoo, google, godaddy are meaningless names that someone turned into a brand. Putting your money into so-called brandables is very speculative. Domains like these are not scarce either because they are made up words and anyone can make up more words. Without scarcity how can it have any value?

 

[ommedu]

Some great points being made here. It's hard to classify what a brandable domain is because so many names can fit into that category. It's true, a made up name that you registered yesterday is going to be difficult to sell but names like YouTube, twitter, pinterest are also "made up" but in a clever way that relates to their function. These types of names are now really hard to find but names like zulily.com or zappos.com aren't, and if you can convey a potential brand idea to an end user, those names can go from worthless to worth-something.

 

[silgro12]

First I try to find some good old (10+ years) keyword domain, if I dont find it then I am searching for aged short brendable domain or domain which is popular ( tech, jobs, tv, video etc. domains)

 

[ulterios]

Some great points being made here. It's hard to classify what a brandable domain is because so many names can fit into that category. It's true, a made up name that you registered yesterday is going to be difficult to sell but names like YouTube, twitter, pinterest are also "made up" but in a clever way that relates to their function. These types of names are now really hard to find but names like zulily.com or zappos.com aren't, and if you can convey a potential brand idea to an end user, those names can go from worthless to worth-something.

You are definitely right about the classification of a brandable. It's hard to tell for sure that some are or are not good brandables.

One thing though is some people seem to think that something like CheapestLowPriceConsumerElectronicsOnline.com is a brandable domain. Some that just have a bunch of keywords that just doesn't sound like a name brand are are not what most people think of as a brand.

I think that a brand should be 1 or 2 words in most cases, just like the ones you listed. Stuff with several keywords that are just a poor attempt at having keywords in a domain is not a brandable. If you use maybe 2 keywords and they sound right, then sure, that can be a brandable I guess.

 

[The New Guy]

godaddy coupons

 

[optimen]

i think for made up words its up to you how you build it to become recognized brand. It same thing like efty and etsy, just to name a few. at first i was thinking what kind of name is this, but since they have site, i always encounter them through ads or accidentally sometimes browse their site on search engine i get familiarize and become my day to day site visit. So basically, made up words can be also be more popular just like keywords, if we put them in proper use not just for domain sale.

 

[urlurl]

I only buy names I can visualise either myself (or some else) building a successful site from.

 

[ulterios]

I only buy names I can visualise either myself (or some else) building a successful site from.

Thats what I do also. If I can't imagine myself or others wanting the domain for a site then that is a strike against the name.

 

[ommedu]

Thats what I do also. If I can't imagine myself or others wanting the domain for a site then that is a strike against the name.

Me too, I always take notes of names I see that mean absolutely nothing but are successful websites. Different people have a different eyes for "brandability" I've definitely seen some that made me shake my head.

 

[ulterios]

Me too, I always take notes of names I see that mean absolutely nothing but are successful websites. Different people have a different eyes for "brandability" I've definitely seen some that made me shake my head.

Yeah, I see a lot of websites that are developed on some domain names that make me wonder what the he_l they were thinking. You can make a brandable out of any name I guess, but you want it to sound right to your potential customers/visitors.

I do take all kinds of notes and write down all kinds of info when looking at domains and/or websites. You wouldn't believe how much paper I go through. Yes, I use paper because I can find what I am looking for faster. LOL

 

[optimen]

me too i agree with you guys, Different people have a different eyes for "brandability". Some people may say hey your domain has no value. They quickly judge the name itself but anyway its their point of view.
Many will debate and wont agree but it's their opinion. I also take note on every website i visited.

 

[muttus]

Perceived Profitability

As I am new to domaining I am still looking on multiple factors when searching for domains. While I started with estibot value (don't laugh), now my focus is on domains which fall in to at least 2 categories (even though I still buy many 1 category domains), as I am trying to maximize potential and increase sale chance. Sadly there are better people I the game, so my success rate registering those 2+ category domains is low. But i will get better .