In Part 1, we discussed how to come up with your new domain name. In this article, we will look at inexpensive places to register your newfound beauties. Youll find, as with Lays potato chips, no one can eatjust one. Once you make your first purchase, youll most likely find yourself registering other names as well; maybe to use as redirects to your existing site, or possible new business ideas for allthose new sites youd like to launch.
Due to the temptation to load up, youll want to finda cheap but reliable domain registrar to park themwith. If you dont, youll find your new habitleaving a big hole in your wallet.
As with most things in life, prices vary --from as little as $8.00 up to $35.00 per year. My suggestionto you is to never spend more than about $10.00per domain annually. My favorite place to register names chargesless than that. When researching a registrar, do make noteof what services they offer and their support policies.
Lets cover your options:
1) NameBargain.com: My favorite, where I register allof my domains: $8.88 per year. Sign up for .com,.net, .org, .biz, .Info, and .Us. Transfer names foronly $7.95. You can handle all ofyour domains from one easy interface andsee all of your listings at a glance.
2) GoDaddy.com: At $8.95 a year, GoDaddy is #1 withmany Web entrepreneurs. From what Ive seen andread online, theyre very reliable and have great prices. Includes free domain forwarding and freeparked page with every domain registered.
3) DomainOfMyOwn.com: $12.99 per year for new nameregistrations and only $11.98 for transferred names.Once a member, you can manage your domains with their user-friendly interface.
4) DotEasy.com: If you want to register a domainname and get free hosting to boot, you cant beatthis package deal. For only $35.00, a year you can buy and host your newfound name. This isa nice service if you want to put up somemini-sites inexpensively.
Theres also a big market for expiredand deleted domains. You would not believe how many peopleforget to renew their domains and letsome really super ones fall through the cracks.Many of them already have a high ranking in thesearch engines and increased link popularity.
The trick to expired domains is knowing where tofind them so you can cash in on them before someoneelse does. Many sites will charge for this privilege,but there are some freebies (if you know where to look):
http://www.DeletedDomains.com: I love this siteand the best part is its totally free. Justtype one or two keywords into the search boxand it will come back with all kinds of littlegems for you. You will find so many good namesto register that if youre a Domain Junkie (likeme), you could find yourself in real financialdanger here. Remember, I warned you.
http://www.Recycled-Traffic.com: Pick up onrecycled traffic by snapping up domainnames that have expired and benefiting fromtheir already established traffic. Searchthrough this index according to keyword andsearch engine ranking.
http://www.DroppedDomains.com : Do free searchesby keyword. Look for deleted domains availablesoon or ones available to register right away.You can exclude domains that contain dashes or numbersif thats not your cup of tea.
So now that you know where to purchase domainsyou need to know how to manage them. Its not unusual for one person to own 20 or more names, and keeping track of them and knowing when to renewthem can quickly become a full time job. I should know; I own over 30 myself. My recommendationto you is to register all of them at the sameplace. Preferably, a registrar that will allow youto modify your own DNS and make any other changesat will.
In the beginning I had many sites registered atmany different places and it was tough trying toremember which domain was where. Dont make thesame mistake I did. Find a registrar you feel comfortable with and stick with it. There are also some excellent tools that can help makemanaging your domains a breeze:
1) WatchMyDomains Pro: http://WatchMyDomains.com
Software that will automatically monitor all ofyour domains, regardless of where they are registered.Highlights names that will expire soon and muchmore in a nice list format. Download a 21-dayfree trial.
2) Easy DNS: http://EasyDns.com/dnsmanager.php3
Manage all of your domains from one easyweb interface.
3) Domain Manager Pro: http://DomainMgrPro.com
Software that will help you track multiple domainsand register data and also the websites (if any)connected with them. Download a trial versionat the site.
The longer youre active online, the more youll be struck with great ideas; resulting in domain names youll want to register.Remember, dont pay more then you have to, keepyour eyes peeled for expired bargains, and makesure you have some form of management tool inplace.
Domains are indeed like chips; you really cant registerjust one. In Part 3 of this article well lookat some fun and useful things you can do with your newfound gems.
Merle has been working the Net for over 8 years and has a Special Gift just for you.Download my FREE E-book 50 Easy Ways toPromote Your Website. Get your copy now at
You have permission to publish this articleelectronically or in print, free of charge,as long as the bylines are included.
In Part 1 of this series we discussed how to picka great domain name, and in Part 2 we reviewedwhere to register and how to manage them. In thisthe final section, were going to discuss some uses for multiple domains.
Before you become a domain connoisseur, you need to understand the advantages of owningmore then one domain and what you can do with them:
1) Redirects: Maybe when you registered your site there were other names you liked as well,or perhaps you registered the .net versionof your name. Its very easy to point thesenames to your existing site so when someonetypes in one of these alternate domain namesin their browser, theyll still wind up atyour site.
For example EzineAdAuction.com or EzineAdAuction.com
(MERLE: THESE ARE THE SAME! WAS ONESUPPOSED TO BE A .net)
will both take you to thesame place. Your web host can set this up for you. Some charge a small monthly feefor this service. You can use these alternatenames in your advertising.
If your name can be easily misspelled, makesure to register any variations and redirect them to your site. This will also keep your competitors from registering them andinfringing on your traffic, while sending all thosewho cant spell to the right place.
Remember that other domain names dont haveto point to your main page; they can beforced to point to certain pages or sectionsof your site as you deem fit.
2) Mini Sites: By monitoring hot trends onlineyou can quickly register a domain name anddesign a mini site around one product or service. If promoted correctly, mini sitescan be good residual money makers. These aregreat for pushing and making affiliate sales.
3) Domains as Commodoties: Some people buy domains simplyto resell them at a profit. If you purchasethe right names, it is possible to sell them tothe highest bidder. Selling domains at auctionsites has increased in popularity and is a greatway to move your domain inventory. Some of thebetter known auction sites are:
http://www.Afternic.com
One of the most popular places for buying andselling domains. Youll have to upgrade toan Exchange Membership for $49.00
http://www.GreatDomains.com
No membership fee to list your domains, butyoull pay a 15% commission fee to them ifyou sell.
http://www.ebay.com/
They actually have a section for selling yourdomain names. Upon entering Ebay, do a searchin the search box for domains.
Before putting your domains up for sale, youmay want to have them appraised so you knowwhat theyre worth. Youll find many appraisalservices online to help you do just that.
http://www.EchoArts.com
Appraisals start at only 6.95 and go up to14.95 for an analysis that includes ahard copy.
http://www.dbappraisals.com/
Domain appraisals start out at only $20.00
4) Shrink Them: Despite your best efforts to comeup with a name thats short and concise, youmay end up settling for something longer then youd like.There are free services you can use to shortenthem into something more manageable. When thesenew links are pasted into a browser they go to your site. If youre promoting any kind of associate program, these types of services comein extra handy for dealing with those extra longdomain names they give you. They also helpto hid the fact that youre using an affiliate link.
http://TinyUrl.com
I love this service. Just paste your long domaininto the window and it spits out a versionso short you wont believe its possible.Great for using in your ezine to break longdomain links into shorter ones so they dontbreak off in unexpected places.
http://www.shorl.com/
Shorl offers not only url shortening butstatistics as to how many people clickon your new short name.
http://makeashorterlink.com/
Make shorter link is another free servicewhere you just type in your long url andclick the make shorter link button andyoure set.
As you can see, theres more to domains thenmeets the eye. As you find yourself collectingmore and more names you need to be aware ofall of the creative ways you can use them inyour daily business. Sell them, shorten them, redirectthem; but above all, use them in your onlineventures and youll generate more income.
Merle has been working the Net for over 8 years and has a Special Gift just for you.Download my FREE E-book 50 Easy Ways toPromote Your Website. Get your copy now at
You have permission to publish this articleelectronically or in print, free of charge,as long as the bylines are included.