The Dangers of Searching for your Perfect Domain Name

| Posted: 08-06-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 20 | Rating: (60)

(?)

Beware! There are some things to watch out for when selecting your domain name. The domain landscape is incredibly crowded. There are over one million domains registered daily (there were 1,263,695 domains registered on 8 Jun 07 according to Domain Tools). The good news is that domains drop, expire, and come back into circulation. You can also still come up with some great names. The bad news is that there is a segment of the domain industry that is more than willing to snatch your domain idea if you take one misstep.

One of the most popular ways to search for the availability of a domain is to type the name directly into a registrar like GoDaddy.com. It makes sense to check there, because if you confirm the availability, then you can simply register the name right then and there. If you do this, there is absolutely no problem. However, and this is a huge however, if you decide to wait and think on it, you run the risk of losing this name to a domain squatter. In fact I can almost guarantee if you have even a remotely useful domain name, it will be gone. Domain squatters are doing absolutely nothing illegal. They are simply staking a claim of internet real estate albeit with a little inside knowledge garnered from your seemingly innocuous search. Instead of paying $6.95 and some change for that great domain, you’ll be faced with a request for $500 and up depending on how desirable the domain is.

Here are some ways to prevent this. First and foremost, if you even begin to consider looking up domains names, and I don’t care where you look it up, have a credit card in hand and pull the trigger! Buy the name right then and there. If you decide not to develop it, you can sell the domain, park the domain for future use, or let it drop back into circulation losing only the initial $6.95 investment.

Second, if you aren’t ready to buy the domain and prefer to search and mull it over, then do not use a registrar like GoDaddy to search for domains. Using the GoDaddy search option, I lost FossilCreek.com and Webistics.com literally the day after I looked them up. I naively thought it was a freak coincidence. I have since been educated.

It is also important to note that GoDaddy is doing nothing wrong. Their search mechanisms often place previously searched names in the domain suggestion fields on future searches. They just do what they do best, and that is sell a whole bunch of domain names for a low cost. A lot of domaineers use Moniker.com to do domain availability searches and swear by the authenticity and security of Moniker. I haven’t personally used this site, but it has been recommended to me by several different esteemed sources. Again, the best policy is to register the domain if you even remotely like the domain.

In closing it is a real drag to come up with a great domain just to lose it the very next day. When I came up with the name www.infoaces.com, I had two credit cards in hand with my registrar account information all ready to go. I for sure was not going to lose this one.

I don’t know what happened to the FossilCreek website, but I followed up on the Webistics domain name and learned that it sold for $100. Thankfully, it wasn’t thousands of dollars, but it’s still $93.05 that could have gone to my pizza and Diet-Pepsi fund! If you have any questions, tips, or suggestions, please feel free to email me. I enjoy the feedback, and I especially like the success stories. Leona. www.infoaces.com

Rate this Article:

Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Tags: Domain Names, Domains, Finding A Domain Name, Selecting A Domain Name

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/domain-names-articles/the-dangers-of-searching-for-your-perfect-domain-name-161729.html

Print article

Send to friend

Publish this Article

Author feedback

About the Author:

Leona started her home based transcription business, www.infoaces.com, in August 2006. She served in the US Air Force and was awarded a commendation medal for her time during Desert Storm. She has two teenage kids and lives in sunny Arizona.

Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Add new Comment

Domain Name Portfolio Announced For Sale
By: Mike Colpitts | 28/06/2007 | Internet
A powerful real estate domain name portfolio composed of all 50 U.S. state names is for sale. The announcement of the portfolio was made by the developer of Housing Predictor.com, an information driven web site, which provides more than 250 local housing market forecasts in all 50 states. It's been...

A Lesson on Domain Names From the Apprentice
By: Tom Dun | 17/02/2008 | Web Design
The British TV show The Apprentice is a wonderful series, full of valuable lessons for business people. Many of these lessons are delivered by Sir Alan Sugar in his blunt and irascible style. But in May 2006 Sir Alan got a lesson about domain names that I’m sure he’ll never forget, and it was a salutary reminder for the rest of us too.

Choosing the Best Domain Name
By: OML | 25/06/2008 | Domain Names
One common question I encounter is from people who can’t get the “.com” domain of their choice, but find the “.net”, “.org” or other country-specific top level domains (TLDs) available (like .de, .nu, .sg, etc). Should they try for these?

Web Hosting, Domains, Traffic, Online Business
By: Gerald Greene | 20/10/2006 | Web Hosting
Web hosting , domain names and traffic are all required to have a successful long term online business. Here are ways to reduce expenses for these items.

Domains – Boom or Bust?
By: lmmodesto | 20/02/2007 | Domain Names
This article covers of a brief history of domain names and includes some handy domain Dos and Don'ts to consider when chosing domain names.

Unlimited Wealth From Three Magic Letters
By: Sharron Nixon | 02/03/2008 | Domain Names
A closer look at the world of Virtual Real Estate

Starting a Website? Then Choose Your Domain Registrar Carefully
By: Donald Nelson | 11/07/2008 | Internet
A domain name is a valuable property of any business or any individual who would like to establish a presence online. It is extremely important to register your domain name carefully and with the right registrar. I would like to share my experience with you and hopefully you can use...

Domain Registration: 4 Quick Rules to Grab a Traffic-pulling Domain Name
By: Soon Chai Lim | 20/07/2007 | Domain Names
If you want to save time and don’t want to go through those many tips you have found on the web, you can follow just these 4 simple basic rules to help you get a good domain name for your website.

Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Find Where my Domains Are Listed. It's ...
By: Stumpy | 10-07-2008
How Do I Find Where my Domains Are Listed. It's been 6 months and I can't find them. I have 5 different Domains. Can you help me out.Thank youSTUMPY

What are other country's domains like .ru is ...
By: tcraffs | 08-07-2008
what are other country's domains like .ru is russian.

By: Hammer | 07-07-2008

Use for an AOL myeaddress
By: Elle | 05-06-2008
I've had an AOL myeaddress for awhile now, and I'm wondering besides using it for email, what can I do with the domain name? Will I ever be able to use it for a home page?

What is topwebarticles? Who owns the name? What ...
By: curious | 03-06-2008
what is topwebarticles? Who owns the name? What type of company is it?

Rock Stars
By: twincitiesmark | 12-05-2008
Are there any other rock stars besides Neil Young that have a new species named after them, and if so, which star(s) and what is the name?

Q&A Powered by:

Latest Domain Names Articles

How to Secure & Register Cheap Domain Names
By: Mark Bellinger | 25/07/2008
The Domain Name Dilemma - How to Secure the Right Domain Name... Whilst most of the words in the dictionary have been taken by 'dotcom' speculators hoping to sell them at a profit in the future, it is still possible to register domain names that are both memorable and appropriate...

What is in a Domain Name?
By: Joseph Nyamache | 22/07/2008
Come to think of it, what really is in a name? Does the domain name you choose for a site still matter with all the available technology and social media?

How to Register a Domain Name
By: Peter Gitundu | 21/07/2008
Before you register a domain name, it is crucial to make sure you have the right name to register. When I say the right name, I mean that the name must meet all the requirements for you to launch your site to become the face of success.

How Do I Find An Inexpensive Domain Authority Registrar?
By: Darrell Miller | 15/07/2008
Learn what to look for when searching for a good domain name registrar and how to pick a good domain name for your company.

Domains and Subdomains
By: Sandi Baker | 10/07/2008
Do you know the difference between domains and subdomains? Subdomains can increase your value and your profits. Read on.

How Do I Choose My Domain Name?
By: Xyfex Media | 10/07/2008
There are a number of issues to consider when creating a domain name for your website. It's important to pay attention to these issues, and to consider them carefully, because your choice of domain name will affect your rank on search engines.

Understanding the Fundamentals of Domain Name Registration
By: Smit Mathur | 07/07/2008
Domain Name Registration as such is fairly easy. First you decide on some Domain Names for your website. Then the same are checked for availability on the internet by simply exploring them through the address bar.

Types Of Expired Domain Name
By: John Khu | 04/07/2008
A good expired domain name is a big necessity for your expired domain name business. The domain expiring name that you choose must be credible and commercial enough for your future success.

More from Leona Velez

How to Outsource Transcription – an Insider’s Perspective
By: Leona Velez | 19/06/2007 | Outsourcing
This article addresses key points in the selection process for outsourced transcription. While the article is specific to transcription, it translates well for outsourcing in general.

How to Price your Home Based Transcription Business
By: Leona Velez | 09/06/2007 | Home Business
This article examines the effects of foreign outsourcing on a fee pricing structure. It also addresses key decision making factors when pricing transcription work. The article provides a real life working sample and also makes pricing suggestions.

So you Want to be a Home Based Transcriptionist
By: Leona Velez | 08/06/2007 | Home Business
This article outlines the requirements and necessary components of a successful home based transcription business. It highlights the background and specific equipment needed. The article also provides a links for further information.

Article Categories

Article Marketing

Article Notepad

Stop Duplicate Content

Term Papers

Need Help?

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.13, 17)

The Dangers of Searching for your Perfect Domain Name

Article Comments

Related Articles

Got a Question? Ask.

Latest Domain Names Articles

More from Leona Velez

Need Help?

Site Links

Webmasters

Business Info

Sign up for our email newsletter