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Finding Expired Domain Names           

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There are few decisions within the planning of an online enterprise more imperative, and often misunderstood, as the selection of a domain name.

Your website's domain name can play an integral role in your business' success, hopefully generating enthusiasm, intuitive traffic, ease of recognition, and memorization amongst your clientele.

Finding a domain name that is a fit for your line of business, and available for purchase, either directly, or via negotiation with a current owner, is a task that demands due research. Limiting yourself to domains currently on the open market is a decision that can seriously impact your ability to succeed in this competitive marketplace.

It is estimated that there are currently more than 30 million registered domain names, of which only ten percent are in active use. Much of the remaining 90 percent is returning to the market via a range of sources, at a pace estimated to be as high as 800,000 domains per month.

The tools available for the researching, location, and registry of these high value expired and 'for sale' domains are many, but first one must develop an understanding of how true domain value is determined.

Know your Customer

This area is clearly rule number one, applicable in all areas of your business development, and certainly in the area of domain selection. Understanding who your customer is, and how they are going to try to find your product or service, will allow for the development of a keyword oriented site, and preferably, its domain name.

The keyword content of a domain name is highly regarded for its contribution to value on a variety of fronts:

• simple, keyword based domains are naturally 'intuitive'
• keyword based domains are favored by search engines
• keyword based domains are more easily recognizable
• keyword based domains are better remembered

Simplicity Counts

Limitations within the .com market have recently allowed for domain name length restriction increases, enabling the registry of domains up to 63 characters. Although this allows for maximum keyword usage, it has a severe impact on your client's ability to remember, and locate your property. In all business, online and off, 'branding' your property with easily, and often remembered access points is imperative to driving clients, and spending dollars. Memorable is key - often of greater value than a long string of search engine oriented keywords.

To-Hyphenate or Not to Hyphenate

Hyphenated domains are highly popular, and said to improve domain name keyword recognition by search engines. Although this will play a role in your overall search engine placement, there are innumerable other factors, such as link popularity, content relativity, etc, that also impact your ranking. As such, to select a hyphenated name because of perceived placement value must be weighed against its impact on your client's ability to memorize your site address. Many visitors impressed by the offerings of www.baseball-gloves.com will likely end up visiting www.baseballgloves.com next time around - the hyphen is one of the most easily forgotten attributes around.

Finding the Right Domain

Once you have determined the best general direction for selecting your business' domain name, the search can begin. Some services that can be of assistance in your quest are listed below:

General Registry Search

A general registry search is always a good place to begin. This is the easiest means of determining immediately if the domain of top interest is already taken. Whois services associated with these searches will allow you to verify ownership of domains of interest, as well as their potential expiry date. Online offers such a search page here.

Expired Domain Search

There are a number of internet based services for locating expired, or about to expire domain names en masse. With as many as 800,000 domains reentering the marketplace each month, these services can be of infinite value in assisting with the location of a prime domain for your business. One premium provider in this area is DomainBot.

Expired Domain Tracking and Registry

When a domain is about to expire, the competition for its registry by a new owner is fierce. As guidelines for its actual availability within the open marketplace are varied to say the least, tracking, and being the first to register an expired domain of any significant value is virtually impossible without the assistance of a monitoring service.

The most renowned service of this type is provided by SnapNames, whose specialty is enabling their clients to "back-order" domains that are expiring shortly. For just $49 per domain name per year, they'll monitor your domain and contact you if a change is made to it's registration record. They will also immediately register any tracked domain the moment it becomes available on the open market - and registration is included in the yearly fee!

Participants in the SnapNames program also have access to the tracking (no automated registry) of up to ten more domains, at no additional charge.

Find a Domain Already Listed With Yahoo

Recent changes with Yahoo's submission policies have resulted in recurring fees of $299 per year for business related submissions. Web sites that were submitted prior to this change were 'grandfathered' in, and are not held accountable for these fees.

Finding domains that are currently listed within Yahoo, and on the verge of expiration, can save the Internet business operator a considerable investment over time. Many such domains become available, bringing the finder the added link popularity, and traffic associated with a quality Yahoo listing. Locating these prized domains is takes considerable research, unless a service specializing in their location is used.

One such service is offered by YahTool, whose primary software is available for purchase at their site. The software is designed to search domain registries for about to expire domain names who have also achieved a Yahoo listing. The tool is invaluable for the Internet business owner interested in achieving instant popularity, traffic, and fiscal efficiency. And keep in mind, a site listed in Yahoo is likely listed elsewhere as well, so the investment is well worth it's initial cost.

Now get out there, and locate the domain name of your dreams! The expired domain name tools above, combined with a creative, and customer focused approach, are certain to assist you in developing an Internet business built for success!

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