Domain Portfolio Building - Which domains make the cut?

[hearyourself]

I couldn't find a sticky with different views on domain name selection to help start the foundations to build a small portfolio so I thought I'd start one.

I realise this is topic is somewhat generic that leads more towards a set of pre-defined set of rules to apply when analysing domains for purchase, rather than the objectives of the portfolio in general.

Just looking at domains at a high level before purchasing I ask myself

• Is the domain name either com / com.au
• Is the domain name memorable
• Is the domain name easy to type
• Is the domain name concise / to the point
• Is the domain name available

What are some rules you would apply to scrutinise your domain selection before adding to a portfolio?

 

[snoopy]

I couldn't find a sticky with different views on domain name selection to help start the foundations to build a small portfolio so I thought I'd start one.

I realise this is topic is somewhat generic that leads more towards a set of pre-defined set of rules to apply when analysing domains for purchase, rather than the objectives of the portfolio in general.

Just looking at domains at a high level before purchasing I ask myself

• Is the domain name either com / com.au
• Is the domain name memorable
• Is the domain name easy to type
• Is the domain name concise / to the point
• Is the domain name available

What are some rules you would apply to scrutinise your domain selection before adding to a portfolio?

I think the last 4 are not particularly important.

Would say, extension, commercial value of the keyword and keyword popularity are the key factors.

 

[Chris.C]

I think also knowing that "someone else would want this domain and would be willing to pay money to own it" is also important to know.

Something as simple as this thought is regularly overlooked.

 

[findtim]

ohhh were do we start with this question?
firstly, do some more searching on DNT as its all been covered, you are looking for the easy answer so please put more effort into it before asking such a wide berth question, sorry and i know i have done it myself, search search search.
as for snoopy i'd say "Is the domain name available " ummm i think that is important!
as for snoopy part 2: read everything he has posted especially the ones where DavidL is invovled... theres your uni course.
for me here's your answers
1- .com.au if it is a local business
1a- .com if it has international appeal
1b- .com if it has inbound travel potential/tourism BUT also try to get the .au
1c- .com.au if you are promoting to aussies leaving the country for holidays eg: bali.com.au
2- YESSSSSSSS, if you can say to someone "my website is blabla.com.au " and a week later they can remember it without your business card then that has value eg: hobart.com.au
or dubbodentist.com.au
3- YES, doamins that don't type well stop people eg: duplicate letters like shoessouthport, do you see how the "ss" stuffs up the name
3a- doing shoesouthport is worse because what is it? shoe southport or shoes outport
this is all basic stuff and honestly i shouldn't be spending time typing it !
4- concise, well thats a loaded gun, just look at selfmanagedsuperannuation.com.au today ! seems longtail is hitting home runs
4a- i like 2 word domains, 1 word if i can get them, 2 words can desribe and FOCUS the website to the write market, look at "weddingbands" this week, was it rings or music but it would certainly get clicks
5- in reality every domain name is available
now onto chris C,

I think also knowing that "someone else would want this domain and would be willing to pay money to own it" is also important to know.
Something as simple as this thought is regularly overlooked.

pay CLOSE attention to this statement, its gold for you but do your research so you don't step on trademarks, many of us do but when you are early in the game you don't want to get burnt quickly as there is so much free ground out there don't push the big guys until you have some more knowledge, and if/when s*&^T hits the fan PM some dnt people before posting.

Portfolio RULES:

there are none: but best to sit down and make your own, sit and think about your goals and the direction, the skills you have and DO NOT have

SWOT
Skills, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, old school but a good base to work from

i mostly stay within domain names i know about that industry/business sector, i find i can move them on quickly as i have connections, sometimes i do stray but very rarely.

but GREAT names are GREAT names and you have to pay for them, there are still millions of hand reg domains out there if you have a plan.

just watch the drops, many GRAND PLANS drop each day, and we pick them up ! why, because we know what to do with them and someone else didn't

another lonnnggg post from tim

 

[snoopy]

as for snoopy i'd say "Is the domain name available " ummm i think that is important!

There is very little in the way of good quality domains that are available, they need to be bought. So if someone is just checking for reg fee names without going beyond that, it is a mistake in my view.

2- YESSSSSSSS, if you can say to someone "my website is blabla.com.au " and a week later they can remember it without your business card then that has value eg: hobart.com.au
or dubbodentist.com.au
3- YES, doamins that don't type well stop people eg: duplicate letters like shoessouthport, do you see how the "ss" stuffs up the name
3a- doing shoesouthport is worse because what is it? shoe southport or shoes outport
this is all basic stuff and honestly i shouldn't be spending time typing it !
4- concise, well thats a loaded gun, just look at selfmanagedsuperannuation.com.au today ! seems longtail is hitting home runs
4a- i like 2 word domains, 1 word if i can get them, 2 words can desribe and FOCUS the website to the write market, look at "weddingbands" this week, was it rings or music but it would certainly get clicks
5- in reality every domain name is available
now onto chris C,

I think it is really simple, look at how people advertise domains, people who sell a lot that is is, look at how drop lists are produced, how auction lists are produced. They state the name, the popularity of that term and the commercial value of the keyword as determined by advertisers. When was the last time you saw an auction list with "This name is memorable", "This name is to the point". These aren't factors.

There is probably a million .com.au names of that are memorable, concise, available, easy to type - all those factors combined doesn't make the name worth 5 cents. But, if the name is in the right extension, the term is popular & the keyword value is high, then you have gold.