The total number is >1,000 for the year. There is NO WAY I set out at the start of the year thinking that I would make a move of this size. Domains happen! ;0/
A major motivator for this activity was a revitalization of my awareness/focus on geotargeting of domain names. In 1999 I took a geotargeting approach but in the most limited manner, focusing on my own professional needs. Too bad I didn't appreciate the broader opportunity. It was there. I only nibbled. The nibbled domains pay for themselves and then some.
So, starting shortly before the WebmasterWorld "Domain Challenge" (Where IS that thread?) I began picking up some new geotargeted or localized domains. The format: City+Service.
As if to validate my activity I came across an article on Clickz this evening Local Online Ad Spend to Double by 2010: Kelsey [clickz.com].
The forecast asserts the local search segment will grow from $3.4 billion in 2005 to $13 billion in 2010, with online classifieds growing from $12.3 billion to $18.1 billion. Overall local search and online classified spending will grow from $15.7 billion in 2005 to twice that, or $31.1 billion, in 2010.
Go Justin Sanger! Go Jake Baille!
The emergence and strengthening of the local search market, including the increasing flow of dollars into such marketing, explains the bulk of my 2006 acquisitions.
Then there's my old propensity to think highly of the lowly .org TLD. :0) In fact, I think so highly of it that I'm in the process of rolling out several websites using them (and my 25 years of experience as a . . ahem . . legal beagle.
2006 has also been a good year for learning that what I have acquired in the past 7 years has some intrinsic value as the domains, which are now parked, and therefore are paying for themselves . . and then some. Dope that I am I didn't park them years ago. Not that I'm entirely a dope, I just had other plans and a different rationale.
I could go on about the year's events, strategy, rationale . . but then what would there be to talk about in LasVegas? (Or, as some genius renamed it: LostWages, Nevada. See me at the blackjack tables for an explanation.)
If anyone is going to LasVegas feel free to approach me and ask me any questions you may have, share a domain war story or pick my brains. They're slim pickin's but I'm willing to share. Like most other mods my expertise can be acquired on the cheap. I work for beer. ;)
For those who are somewhat new to the great domain adventure, take note and take hope. There's still a few domain gems lying around, out there on the WWW, apparently immune from the unimaginative efforts of the domain tasters. Go get 'em before they do.
A few examples of the today's domain exploration and harvesting:
DenverCarpetCleaner.tld
BostonCarpetCleaner.tld
TampaInteriorDesign.tld
And on it goes. Do you see any value or potential? Chances are that parked they will pay for themselves. I would not be surprised to eventually receive a $$$$ offer from an end user, though my intentions are to develop microsites and a residual income. Retirement beckons. All I have to do is to pay 3 1/2 more years of tuition. ;)
Well, there's only so many work hours in the day, ya know? So y'all pick up the slack whilst I attend to other projects in my office. Whilst I do that allow me to suggest a motto for you to keep, until you get to Vegas:
I can pretty much guarantee you that if you give that motto some thought you will find silver and gold. They may not all immediately turn to gold, as local search is an emerging trend, but in my view small business is just waking up to the whole "web marketing thing". If you register them and build them they will come . . or so I believe. ;)
There's still some gems out there. I know. I've left some behind for y'all.
So, how goes your 2006 in the domain mines?
[edited by: Webwork at 2:12 am (utc) on Nov. 9, 2006]
Or do you depend on the graciousness of Google, and other means of developing traffic?
For that matter, same question for webwork. I can't imagine people typing those <city><service> domains speculatively. You know my opinion of the intelligence of the great unwashed is low, but not THAT low. :) What percentage of traffic is type-in, vs. "other"?
Yes, people do type-in CityService.tld. Of course, you want to "aim high" (population). Some cities have populations that are larger than various State populations. Again, you also want to target services that fit what people might be looking for online.
Google love? I don't count on it, which is why I stick to generics that might also fit the "billboard test". Easy to read or reconnoiter and easy to remember.
Hosting is cheap, so who wouldn't make it part of their online marketing strategy to have CityDivorceLawyer.tld AND DeweeCheetumAndHow.tld?
Last word: IMHO an integral part of the analysis is "the value of the sales/business lead". If the value of any one lead is $3,000, $10,000 or potentially $100,000 sooner or later people who have the generic lead generating domains are going to start selling leads and stop taking PPC as payment. Either that or the people who want to monopolize those leads will just wade into the aftermarket and start buying whatever they can - because the aftermarket is not valuing domains based upon the value of leads. Silly, sad and true . . but don't let me convince anyone that "lead value" is the great underappreciated intrinsic value of many domains. Not PPC value.
it was parked. up for sale, and its traffic figures were visible
Sadly, this is where my joy ended,
For my top most keyword phrase, it got under 50 visitors per month, an shucks, the owner wanted just under $3,000 for it
is this crazy, or just the way it is ,
actually it makes me smile everytime i remember it :-)
webwork - I agree that "lead value" is (probably) the great underappreciated intrinsic value of many domains. Not PPC value. That is not to say that you can't make a good old return, buying and selling domains with or without using these valuation principles.
Plural or singular?
Bostonlandscapers.com or Bostonlandscaper.com
-thanks
How about city-service.tld? Or is that just not a good possibility for a type in?
How low would you go for population + .com in the cityservice.com formula? cityservice.net? cityservice.org?
I also considered short and easy to spell city and state names. I missed some cities and staes that were too long and also sometimes if two words.
I did not register all services but high bid value ones such as realestate, assetprotection, estateplanning, dating, singles, insurance (all kinds), loans and mortgage (all kinds), jobs,credit, credit cards, credit report, debt, debtconsolidation, etc etc.
I did the same thing for some country names such as Canada, India, Europe, Usa, America, Worldwide, Global, etc.....I stayed mainly in English speaking areas because most of the money is to be made from English speaking areas currently.
Just my 2 cents.
