Short Domains – Both Sides Of The Coin

Posted on 03 October 2008   

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

  1. belshass says:

    imagine the world 20 years from now..
    think of the influence of internet on our lives then..

    in 20 yrs any common phrase ( + a .com) you type on your address bar will lead you to a website.. and what is pushing this to happen is domainers themselves.

    Too many domainers are holding on to their domains so tightly (asking too high a price) that
    companies with big financial resources to spend on great websites are simply chosing to go for longer domains, and with their ads they are
    educating people to type in longer phrases.

    SaveTodaySaveTomorrow.com
    alittlebitofwhatyoufancy.com
    etc..

    just my $0.02

  2. Reece Berg says:

    Hi belshass,

    Thanks for the comment. You’re certainly right that “call to action” domains are getting much more popular.

    I’ve sold over 3000 domains this year, of which about 99% were under $1000. If I can get $300-$1000 from an enduser on a domain I paid regfee for, I’ll take it.

    As domainers, we often have imperfect knowledge. When I get a 500 EUR offer on Sedo like I did on 9/29 for a LLLL.info I paid $1 for, I take it. Whether that enduser would have went higher, I really care not and I’m just happy to make a sale for an excellent ROI.

    I wouldn’t say that one way is necessarily better than the other — they’re just different.

  3. Michel says:

    Guys, thanks a lot for you positive comments.

    I was starting to give up.

    I have owned several of them for the last 8 years without being able to sell any of them.

    y2u.com, y2v.com, i4s.com, and so on.

    Maybe there’s light at the end of the tunnel!

  4. Technolojik says:

    Thanks for the article.

    I have owned several of them for the last 6 years without being able to sell any of them.


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