Domain Valuation Guide – Factors That Determine Domain Worth

There’s a lot to consider when you’re trying to determine the value of your domain name. To perform an accurate appraisal, you need to understand how these factors can make a website successful and why they’re important.

Relevant Keywords
Having solid keywords in your domain name can drive up the value significantly. Getting noticed online is all about Search Engine Optimization, which relies heavily on keywords. Keywords are what people use to find new products, sites, and services pertaining to their particular search queries. If you have a keyword right in your domain name, the website will appear higher up on search engine rankings. Thus, increasing visibility.

Companies can spend several thousands of dollars just to get their site noticed. Many will utilize Google AdWords and pay for exposure on certain keyword searches. All of that can be avoided with a solid domain name, which is why this factor is important.

The most lucrative domains have utilized broad keywords that can easily be adapted to the needs of the buyer. Some examples include Hotels.com, Cars.com, and Insurance.com. Big corporations snatched these up for millions of dollars and have gone on to do big things, proving that the large investment was well worth it.

Checking the Popularity of Keywords
If you’re unsure about any words in your domain name, you can turn to Google for more information. Google Trends allows you to see how the popularity of keywords rises and falls over time. You can even see how many monthly searches are made. When you’re determining your domain’s value, use this tool to accurately gauge where those keywords currently stand.

While your domain may consist of a recognizable keyword, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s relevant to what end-users are after. Check to see how popular the word is to determine how it affects the domain’s overall value.

Top-Level Domain
There are numerous TLDs available. However, most people are only familiar with the generic ones. Domain extensions like .com, .net, .co.uk, and more have been around for a very long time. They’re instantly recognizable. As a result, most people stick with URLs that end with these extensions. Despite all of the fun and quirky TLDs that have been made available in the past couple of years, Internet users still view the old favorites as more trustworthy.

Regular Traffic
The success of the domain can also be a driving force during valuation. Established websites already have an audience, which makes things much easier for anyone who purchases the domain. If the site is monetized, the value can go up even further. You would be giving a stream of passive income, so monetization efforts are always considered when appraising a domain name.

Age
Domains that have been around for a long time have a higher value because they help with SEO. Search engines tend to rank established sites higher up on results pages. Though, this only applies if the domain has been active. Parked domains or those that only display ads for monetization aren’t as valuable. Search engines like Alexa and Google pay attention to value-driven content, so parked domains don’t have as much leverage in negotiations.

You can also use the age of the domain and its contents during sales discussions. Sites with years of content hold a much higher value than those that were established only a few months ago.

Branding
This refers to how the domain name looks and feels. It can be difficult to apply monetary value based on branding, as your domain name’s appeal can be different from person to person. Like we mentioned earlier, the domain name is something that going to be associated with the company or person who buys it.

A unique attention-grabbing domain is much easier to market than one that’s just a string of letters. Think about how your domain name could be applied to different industries. It doesn’t even have to be a real word. If it sounds good as a company name, you may be able to find a generous buyer for it. There have been many instances where businesses changed their name to fit a domain rather than the other way around.

Number of Characters
When it comes to URLs, short and sweet is always preferred. Shorter domain names are easier to remember and can be used a number of different ways. Unfortunately, many short names have already been registered. This is especially true with a basic TLD like .com. Most buyers would rather pay more for an available short domain than save money and have a new domain name that’s difficult to type out.

How do you choose the best domain name for business online to be booming?

1. Thoughtfully Choose a TLD

A TLD (Top Level Domain) is your website’s extension. This is the .co, .com, .org, etc, after your website name. With this decision, there are some factors to consider. The .com is going to be by far the most classic and popular TLD out there. This has always been the most recognizable TLD. However, with that being said, there are also more domain names with this TLD than with any other TLD. This means the choices are limited and the chances are that your desired domain name has already been taken by someone else. The .net, .org, .co, and .biz TLDs are the next popular TLDs by a wide margin, but will provide you with greater chances of scoring your desired domain name. However, going for the .com first is probably the wisest starting place.

For example,AIcarCorp.com,AIfarmINC.com

2. Use Keywords in the Domain Name Itself

When a search engine such as Google or Bing searches the web using specific keywords, it considers the domain name of websites as a keyword to determine the type of content of that given website. So, let’s say for example that someone is looking for a robot toy company. The domain robottoycorp.com and robottoy.ltd would be more discoverable by search engines would be.. There are some tools out there that make choosing keywords much easier. However, be wary of over doing it. A domain name with too many keywords can appear tacky and suspicious, causing people to avoid visiting your site.

3. Keep It Short and Simple

The whole point is that your domain name is easily memorable by viewers. A domain name that is too complex, too long, or too wordy can have a negative impact on your online presence. Having a short and simple domain name will be easier for people to remember and search for you. It will also leave a better online footprint when it comes to brand recognition. In addition to this it is also best to stay away from the use of periods or hyphens in the middle of the domain name itself, as this adds to the difficulty of remembering and spelling.

For example,AIsys.Group,AIpost.VIP

4. Allow for Room to Grow

You want to have a domain name that is unique, because it sets you apart. You also want one that represents and defines your identity accurately. With this being said, however, being overly specific can easily trap you in the future on the chances that you want your website to expand into other categories. This requires you to think ahead, be a visionary, and consider the possibilities. For example, if you currently specialize in CNY settlement business, it may be best to steer clear from a domain name such as cnycheckout.com. What if in the future you want to other financial business as well? A better option might be cnyco.com.

Conclusion

Having a well thought out and strategic domain name is crucial. It will help you to have flexible online presence and will help you to be discoverable on the web. It also helps to reinforce your credibility and legitimize your site, as well as establish brand recognition and memorability. Having a popular Top Level Domain (TLD) will increase your discoverability as well. Choosing a short and simple domain name that contains relevant keywords will help your website to be memorable, recognizable, and will help build an online reputation. Finally, a domain name that is specific and yet general enough to leave room for expansion and growth down the road is a smart approach when make your domain commitment.

source:https://acuwebservices.com/website-hosting/importance-of-a-good-domain-name/

IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD DOMAIN NAME

Think of a domain name as the very face and identity of your presence online. Your domain name could be the very factor that determines how many visitors you have to your website, or if you have visitors at all. The more visitors to your website, the more opportunities open up for your business, blog, or whatever you use your website for. With over 350 million domain names globally, it is important to take into consideration what makes your website worth seeing, and what will make your website come to the surface in the midst of the internet ocean. Let’s take a look at some of the most important reasons why strategically choosing a domain name is worth the time and effort, as well as some helpful hints to assist in the decision making process.

Domain Names Help Maintain a Fluid Web Presence

Whenever a URL is visited or searched for, its presence online begins to grow and gain momentum. A URL is basically the server of a specific website. A domain name can be given to the URL that makes it uniquely its own. If you’re unhappy with your domain name and decide to switch it up, you’d have to start building all over, as the address has changed. There are some exceptions; unique blogs, services, or company domain names can switch their domain without losing all of the credibility and presence previously gained.

Domain Names Reinforce Brand Recognition

Business domain names that match the name of the business itself are much easier to remember and search for by customers wanting to find you on the web. When a customer or inquirer wants to search for your blog, business, or service online, it is an incredible help and convenience for the domain name to be the same. This builds credibility as a legitimate entity and helps to build a respected name. The obvious result? More traffic is generated for your website and your web presence increases.

Domain Names Help Establish Reputation

All in all, having a proper domain name that is easily discoverable helps to establish you as being innovative and relevant. Overall, this helps to legitimize your website and build credibility with your audience. Things which prove tech-savvy and professional in today’s modern world are typically elevated over those which seem “behind the times”. This makes having a discoverable and credible domain name crucial for any online entity. Without a good domain name on the web you run the risk of appearing old fashioned and outdated.

Domain Names Increase Discoverability on the Web

Without a domain name, or with a domain name that is either overly generic or overly specific, it is very unlikely to gain any sort of consistent random traffic online other than traffic coming from those who intentionally search for your website due to prior knowledge, such as friends, family, and clients. This leaves your website lost and never to be found in the plethora of domain names that saturate the world wide web. Having a strategically chosen domain name causes your search engine ranking to rise. This means you will be much more recognizable on the web, resulting in an increase of random traffic to your website. As your site develops in content and quality, your domain name will become even more recognizable.

source:https://acuwebservices.com/website-hosting/importance-of-a-good-domain-name/

Why Having a Domain Name is Important?

Whether you own an existing business or have an idea for a startup, you need a strong online presence. Usually, the first thing your potential customer will do when searching out your product or service is to conduct a web search, and if your website is relatively easy to find and navigate, you’ll greatly increase your chances of a sale.

With the majority of shopping happening on the internet, the dynamic of marketing has changed significantly, and one of the most effective and lasting methods of reaching potential customers is through a well-developed and maintained website. From a marketing standpoint, you can create a lasting brand image with the right domain name.

Benefits of a strong domain name

Deciding and registering a domain name should not be done in haste. It is a valuable marketing and search tool that should successfully lead customers to your site. Careful deliberation and research should be applied, as it might be the most important decision you make when carving out your slice of the online market.

A strong domain name:

• Adds professional credibility to your business and separates you from the millions of get-rich-quick-scheme websites out there.
• Provides visibility for your brand. Much like a storefront window, a good domain will create awareness and attract customers.
• Establishes your business as tech-savvy and forward-thinking. Whether you actually sell products online or not, it is crucial to your reputation to claim your territory online.
• Creates mobility for your internet presence. If you decide to change web hosting services, relocate to a different country, or shift to using your own in-house server, your domain name stays with you, allowing you to continue to build your brand without having to start all over.
• Increases your search engine ranking. As you build your business and develop your website with quality content, your domain name will become more and more recognizable in search engines like Google, which draws more customers in your direction.
• Will provide your brand with marketability around the world, or you can choose to focus specifically in a local region.
• As opposed to traditional marketing—as long as you keep current with the low annual fees—your domain name will not expire.

How to decide on a domain name

Your brand says everything about you, your values, your identity, and what you promise to deliver. Why should your domain name be any different? Before choosing one, it’s important that you educate yourself on the different styles and types of domain names out there so you can make the best decision for your needs.

A new startup business should select a domain name that parallels—or even better, matches—the company name to direct customers to your site without any confusion. This is a great opportunity to choose a name for your business that is unique and available as a domain before announcing yourself to the world.

If you already own an existing business and your company name or certain keywords you wish to use are not available, a little creativity might be needed to select a domain name. We’ll get into that later in this article.

Length of domain name

It is always better to have a domain name that is short and easy to remember. Ideally, the length should be between 6-10 letters, with 8 being the sweet spot. Simple, concise, and typeable should be the rule over longer, more descriptive names.

The longer the domain, the more opportunity there is for a misspelling when typing. Also, when combining words in a domain, beware of letters that don’t normally link together or are confusing, like expertsexchange.com for the site Experts Exchange. Not ideal.

Avoid using hyphens and numbers as they can complicate and frustrate users. Always remember: simple is best.

Keywords

Keywords are words related to the product or service used in a domain name. For instance, best-vacuum-cleaners.com. This is also known as an Exact Match Domain (EMD).

Although most people assume using keywords or EMDs will drive traffic to their website, Google has changed their algorithm in the past few years to downplay the strict use of keywords and now rewards sites with a strong sense of branding instead. It is Google’s way of weeding out the “noise.”

However, using keywords in a domain isn’t always bad. From a marketing standpoint, you know exactly what they sell at best-vacuum-cleaners.com, but beware that you could be looked upon as a spam. This could negatively affect your Google ranking.

You are much better off creating a strong brand image and backing it up with useful and original web content to foster a trusted online presence.

Top-level generic domains (gTLDs) and new top-level domains (nTLDs)

gTLDs and nTLDs are the extensions within your domain name. Far and away the most popular and most effective TLD is .com. It is universally recognizable, easy to remember, and most trusted by web surfers.

The most common list of domain extensions are:

• .com
• .net
• .org (non-profit organizations)

Some TLDs have certain restrictions associated with them. For instance, .biz, .name, and .pro are only assigned to credentialed professionals or businesses.

Sponsored TLDs are overseen by a sponsor who establishes the rules of eligibility for the specified community.

Some sponsored TLDs Domain.com offers include:

• .aero: dedicated to members of the aviation community, sponsored by SITA
• .coop: dedicated to cooperative associations, sponsored by DotCooperation LLC
• .mobi: dedicated to providers of mobile products and services, sponsored by dotMobi
• .museum: dedicated to museums, sponsored by the Museum Domain Management Association
• .jobs: dedicated human resource managers, sponsored by the Society for Human Resource Management

New Top-level domains are released every week and help to fill in the gap from a limited availability of gTLDs. They also help users looking to specifically target a niche market or geographic location. For instance, Domain.com offers domain name extensions:

• .coupons
• .marketing
• .restaurant
• .properties
• .deals
• .tech
• .club
• .wedding
• .chat
• .reviews
• .tours
• .yoga

These nTLDs can be very useful to create a domain name that quickly and creatively describes your brand or industry. The possibilities are seemingly endless, but now is the time to capitalize on a creative extension since, as with .com, they won’t be available forever.

Country code TLD (ccTLD)

A country-specific TLD can be useful if you conduct your business within a certain country. If you have a moving company in London, for instance, a domain name like bigbenmovers.uk will prompt Google to target searches locally in the U.K. directly to your site. A ccTLD narrows the focus of your business to a geo-specific region.

Premium domains

For the most part, a .com address is ideal, but if your desired domain name is not available, don’t despair. Your dream domain might still be available, but it will probably cost you.

A current operating business may be using the domain, but oftentimes, domains are purchased and never used, the company has gone out of business, or the domain was snatched up as an investment and is for sale. These are known as Premium Domains. If you are convinced that your business must have a certain unavailable domain name to succeed, investing in a premium domain name upfront could pay off in the long run.

Benefits of a premium domain

• Simple, short, and sweet: Since just about all of the common words and phrases are already registered as a domain, going premium might be your only hope to brand your company using a succinct or catchy domain name.
• Credibility: A highly valued domain will instantly thrust your site into the realm of the top players in your industry, and establish trust with the public that could otherwise take years to develop.
• Attract more commerce: With a simple and direct premium domain name, such as CNYwallet.com (taken by CNY wallet) or RMBwallet.com, people looking for your product or service can bypass a Google search and simply type the address into the search bar and be sent directly to your site.
• Highly esteemed: Most premium domains have been around for a long time, and have accrued a ton of backlinks, which drive consumers with referrals from other sites to your own. This also has a big impact on the site’s SEO ranking.
• A solid investment: If your business grows like you hope it will, the value of your premium domain name will also increase. Therefore, it becomes a very desirable asset if you choose to sell it down the road.

The cost of a premium domain name will vary based on several factors, but consider taking a long-term view on its value when formulating your brand.

Investing in premium domains

There are many professional investors who specialize in premium domain names and will resell them later when their value increases. If you see an opportunity to capitalize on the perfect domain name, or several, this could be your chance to start investing. After all, some domain names have skyrocketed in value over the years because of their simplicity, credibility, backlinks, and other valuable advantages.

Here is a look at some of the most highly valued domain names and what they were sold for:

• Insurance.com – $35.6 million
• VacationRentals.com — $35 million
• PrivateJet.com – $30.18 million
• Internet.com – $18 million
• 360.com – $17 million

If you think that’s something, consider that the domain name cars.com was valued at a staggering $872 million when the company was sold for a total of $2.5 billion just a couple of years ago. So, if you have an inkling for the next up-and-coming domain name, jump on it before someone else does!

Domain name alternatives

If your business is not in a place to take on the expense of a premium domain name or if your domain name is already taken, there are many other options you can consider.such as SportsCar.top or CrazyIdea.Top

• Choose a slightly alternate version or an abbreviated version of your desired name. Get creative, but don’t settle for too long a name or anything that could be confusing or unrelated to your business or brand.
• Use a different domain extension. According to Google, there is no preference given to .com addresses over any other extension. If your business reflects a certain nTLD and will create a memorable web address, go for it!
• Use a slogan instead of the company name. As long as it’s succinct, recognizable, and will reflect your brand, this could be a good way to generate marketing.

Find a domain name your customers will remember

A strong domain name is important for any size business, at any stage of development. It will entice consumers with a snappy slogan or unique title, it should promote a sense of professionalism and satisfaction, and it should separate your business from others in your industry. Think of it like you’re deciding on a company logo, because the two should go hand-in-hand. Your domain name must be a reflection of your brand, simple, and memorable.

source:https://www.domain.com/blog/why-a-domain-name/