Every online entrepreneur’s dream is to get the next Google or Yahoo, and now it’s time to get down to business. I’ve written dozens of articles on this topic, and more and more people are jumping on board every day with the hopes and dreams of registering and getting a name that’ll make headlines.
Domain name in the news.
You may already know that business.com went for $8 million a couple of years ago and AsSeenOnTV.com sold at $5.1 million. More recently, Year2000.com got a bid of $10 on eBay, which was later revealed to be a scam, but don’t be surprised if it ends up going for a couple of million. While the chances of pulling off a sale like these are low, that simple fact hasn’t stopped a lot of people from buying and parking a name for speculative purposes.
Domain parking by online speculators:
Have you ever typed one name after another into an online domain name registration form and all you got was an error saying “the name is not available for registration”? Have you ever wondered why most of those strange names you came up with were already registered by another person or company? If you’re like most of us, you’ve probably done an online search for cheap domain name registrars and filled out one form after another trying to find one that worked for you. Did you ever close out that browser window after narrowing down a list of names that you just wanted to think about one more time before settling on one?
A couple of hours or a couple of days went by and you finally decided on your chosen name. Then, to your surprise, when you returned to the website and typed in your chosen name, you were met with the shocking news that the name you had chosen was no longer available for registration. Then, you tried the other names in your shortlist and got the same result. You sat there staring at your monitor wondering what happened so quickly.
The right way to check if your desired name is available.
There are many domain registrars that adhere to a high level of ethical business practices. However, there are also a few that abuse the system by their resellers, or by an intrusion from a third party. To avoid losing your name and having to pay a price for it, here is a step-by-step process. Rather than going directly to a domain registrars form, you will need to: read and understand the characteristics of a quality domain name.
Research and think about your target market
Create a list of domain names that are rich in keywords or that match your target market
Do a Google search for “domain names” or “domain names.” |
Choose a domain name provider such as: Verisign BetterWhois.com
From the above list, scroll down and see which name is left on the list. Make a snap decision and choose one. Then, go to one of the low-cost domain names registrars and purchase it immediately. If you need to, register other alternatives to the name you have chosen. They may be worth considering in the future.