Bankrate, Inc. has purchased Bankaholic.com for $12.4 million with up to an additional $2.5 million earn-out payment available if the blog reaches certain performance points in the next 12 months.

The seller, John Wu has been blogging about the banking industry on Bankaholic.com since July of 2006.  He started the blog at only 20 years old, he is now about to turn 23 in November.  This is one heck of a birthday present.

Here is the link to an interview with John on WebProNews.com.

From what I read in the interview John Wu will stay on with Bankrate to help with the blog.  I’m thinking he wants to make sure to get that extra incentive of $2.5 million.

With everything that is going on with the banking industry I personally think this is a great purchase by Bankrate.  Bankaholic.com has tons of banking traffic and has become a very trusted site for information and advice.

Hmmm just a hunch but I am thinking that domainers are going to see what else they can register with “aholic” at the end of it.

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A conundrum presented itself long ago – There simply aren’t enough Tier 1 Generics to go around and lesser premium multi-word domains often evoke preconceived expectations and biased opinions in visitors which limit development possibilities to a subset of what they might otherwise have been.

Short domains and brandables present small businesses and Web 2.0 startup alike with the ability to purchase an affordable domain which doesn’t inhibit growth opportunities. Short domains result in less typos, no bias, enhanced memorability, and unlimited opportunity. Like generics, short domains often convey an image of authority and, once properly advertised, reputation and respect.

One mistake many short domain investors make is forgetting that value ultimately comes from demand, not supply. Being unavailable doesn’t necessarily equate to being invaluable. Short domains are difficult to optimize in search engines for particular keywords and generally receive little in the way of direct navigation or parking revenue. Effectively marketing and proactively reaching out to potential endusers becomes a must. Thoroughly research the market, arrive at your own conclusions, and don’t buy into hype.

Investing in short domains can be an exciting and rewarding opportunity, however like all investments, it requires due diligence and commitment.

Reece Berg
LLLL.com

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Tonight was a great auction, some really good domain names sold.

Below are just a few of the better domain names and the sold prices.
Coru.com $950 ***Not Sold – Auction Buyout***
NamesSold.com $85
5J0.com $250
Consummate.com $800 ***Not Sold – Auction Buyout***
Controversy.com $3650 ***Not Sold – Auction Buyout***
SimplyRSS.com & RSSCreator.com $115
DNPB.com $305
DualStroller.com $39 ***Not Sold – Auction Buyout***
9U.net $1372 ***Not Sold – Auction Buyout***
YiYY.com $275
TrainTalk.com $150

Keep in mind that although there is a sold price does not mean the domain sold.  The sellers have the right to buyout of the sale for $8.  I personally do not like the buyout option but really cannot complain because I used it myself tonight.  I had 15 LLLL.com’s listed which I was not happy with the highest bid.

If you were there hope you enjoyed, if you were not then try to make it next time.

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Every two weeks NamePros.com holds a live two hour auction. The time has come for another auction, check it out tonight at 6pm est. From the looks of it, it is not too late to add a domain to the auction. Go to NamePros.com, at the top right of the forum you will see live auction. Click the prebidding link and you will then be able to add a domain name. Several options, you can set no reserve, reserve or sellers choice. I personally like the sellers choice option, this allows you to back out of the sale for a small fee if you feel it went too cheap.

I have to say I look forward to the auction every time. Without fail I will either buy or sell something at the auction. My username on NamePros is Chef Patrick, hope to see you there.
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Hello to all at of the DN Kitchen readers…

First of all, I wanted to thank Patrick for having me here at this “stew pot” of the domaining industry. I am usually uncomfortable in the kitchen, but I think I will feel a little bit more at home in this one. I will be writing articles regarding many aspects of domaining, including my expertise, domain sales and investing. Hope you enjoy my articles and if you have any questions, comments or would just like to chat with me, feel free to contact me at Jordan@DNKitchen.com. I will get back with you as quickly as I can. Also, you can check the “Who’s Cooking” section to read my bio.

What Makes A “Premium” Domain Name?

After visiting several domainer forums, more specifically the appraisal threads, I have noticed many members posting domains for appraisal that should have been avoided, dumped or never registered in the first place. This led me to believe that many domainers both new and old alike, need to be reminded of what it takes to have a quality “premium” domain name. I have compiled the following list of things to keep in mind when preparing to buy or register a domain name, all of which I will explore in more depth below.  This list is in no particular order.
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