Domain names are a 'serious' matter for a business or organization's success and survival.  Tips for buying, selling, reselling, and advertising domain names; providing quality content; search engine optimization (SEO) that increases web site and/or business traffic; and HOW to POWER ADVERTISE which integrates this Internet or 'Virtual World' to the 'Real World' are provided here.  Welcome!

Domain names, Search Engine Optimization, and Domain Marketing & Advertising

Search engines and search engine optimization

So what does that have to do with you?  It depends.  If you have a business or represent an organization, chances are you would like more visitors.  Right?  That would include swaying those from competing businesses or organizations to come to yours instead.  How can you accomplish that?

First, you must understand that search engines begin ranking at the domain name level. Then many look at the title, meta tags, content, number of links to and from that page, age of the domain whether a parked page (see domain parking) or developed website, etc.  Based upon the analysis, relevancy and SEO quality are determined.  Therefore, choosing the right domain name can make all of the difference in the world with respect to your domain's relationship with search engines and search engine optimization.

So, even if you already have a developed website whose domain name has nothing to do with search engine optimization, have no fear...no problemo.  Here's what you do.  Purchase a domain name(s) that best represents your quality content and provides you with search engine optimization characteristics or high type-in and promotional traffic potential.  Then 'point' or redirect it to your website's main page or sub-page.

It is very important that you initially check then periodically double-check and adhere to search engine guidelines.  Keep in mind that duplicate content and various other conditions are not allowed especially as it pertains to search engine optimization.

Currently, most if not nearly all search engines ignore the domain name's extension (.com, .net, etc.) in its ranking process.  Also, theoretically, some of the major search engines claim to rank content based on quality and that paying for position is a fallacy.  You could research that on a case-by-case basis if you are interested.

To see an example, click on the following link http://www.maintenance-cmms.info which points to one specific web page, 'Equipment & Facilities Maintenance: Web-Based Popularity is GROWING!' on this website. It scores high in '%relevance' and makes that page easier for type-in traffic versus using its complicated URL which is not memorable.

Another example is using a 'themed' domain name e.g. BusinessWebsiteModelHome.com which points to IBNETLLC's home page.  The themed or generic version(s) can be used for advertising, merchandising, etc. and also incorporates generic search engine keywords.

Domain names are not always used for search engine optimization.  As previously mentioned, a domain name could be a catchy name used for merchandising and/or another promotional technique.  The type of name selected will determine how much money and effort is needed to 'brand' it or have web surfers identify and correlate your relationship to those search engine keywords most entered.

Medical example (marketing and advertising)

For example, if you and other surgeons in your practice are bone marrow surgeons, when a web surfer looking for this type of surgeon types in the keywords, 'bone marrow surgeon' or 'bone marrow' and sees a search engine listing as 'BoneMarrowSurgeon.com,' 'BoneMarrowSurgeon.org,' or their plural version, etc., and/or sees 'Bone Marrow Surgeon' or 'Bone Marrow Surgeons' in the title, that web surfer is more likely to click on that link since it appears to be most relevant to their search.

If the practice's current domain name is not memorable enough for successful marketing; the information page they are trying to promote has a long and complicated URL and is difficult to find on the current website; or their practice appears to market only to their local community, then adapting and promoting an industry domain name such as 'BoneMarrowSurgeon.com' or 'BoneMarrowSurgeon.org' portrays them as the worldwide authority and much more.  The attention they would receive in print, TV, radio, and World Wide Web could be phenomenal.  Even their peers would check out a domain name like that if only just for curiosity sake.  As long as that drives up the web site's traffic or 'hits,' it only makes their web site space that much more valuable in terms of advertising and asset value appreciation when they resell the domain name upon retirement.

Suppose that practice accepted advertising on their website, with a domain name like that and the potentially high traffic it could generate, pharmaceutical companies would most likely consider advertising on that virtual real estate.  It is likened to prime billboard space.  Major advertisers have been known to pay big $money for that exposure!

If a hospital or clinic obtained those domain names, the traffic scenario previously described would apply whereby the traffic would be directed to their website.  They would then appear to be the world-renowned authority in the specialty of bone marrow-related health issues.

People afflicted with potentially fatal illnesses have been known to travel long distances to receive the best care.  When upon landing at that hospital or clinic's website and the information found on that site can preliminarily prove that they are truly worthy of being a world-renowned authority, they would secure a new patient and the patient may get the care they are seeking.

The most difficult issues with hospitals, doctors, or businesses in general are identifying effective strategies to attract patients, customers, and clients and to surpass their competitors' success.  Here is an effective strategy awaiting proper integration so that their organization's growth can be accelerated.

Content is everything

Although there are many more strong marketing strategies, the strategy previously illustrated described how to incorporate search engine keywords or industry names into a domain name and then promoting it.  So to reiterate, keywords are what web surfers type into search engines to find what they are looking for; they are what search engines look for on web pages; and more times than not, the domain name is the first place search engines look for those keywords.  Rest assured that a web page could still rank at the top of a search engine even if the domain name does not include keywords.  In many of those cases and depending on the search engine, a bit more effort may be required.

For this one ranking strategy to be effective, your content must be very relevant to the domain name.  Designing your content should be primary then you select the domain name that best represents the content, not the other way around.  First and foremost, web surfers are most interested in quality content.  Search engine optimization should be secondary to content design, although both need to work together for a successful outcome.

Which keywords do you think web surfers use to find your website?  Are they found in your domain name?  Title?  How many times are they found on your home page or sub-page?  How many inbound and outbound links do you have for the page?  What are the quality and rank of the pages that link to you and you to them?  How old is your domain name?  There is more to search engine optimization, but this can at least get you started with your research into incorporating search engine optimization techniques into your marketing and advertising plan.

Do you have some domain names you'd like to check availability for purchase?

In general, domain names should be chosen such that they are easy to remember, easy to spell (the shorter the better), one or two words (possibly three if needed), etc.  Hyphenated words typically have a lower value than non-hyphenated words mainly since visitors tend not to type the hyphen into the address bar. That typo would take that potential visitor elsewhere.  In other situations, hyphenated words may be what you want.  In still another case, you may want both so the typo would still get the web surfer to you.  Be able to justify your chosen domain name if outside of these basic naming guidelines.

Once you find the domain name(s) you would like to register or own (domain name registration), follow the instructions on that domain name sales web site.  When you visit a company like Afternic, Sedo, etc., they provide domain name registration instructions in layman's terms.

To limit your competitors from going head-to-head with you as it pertains to domain names and the marketing and advertising associated with them, it is very important that you read the section below.

Do you have a domain name(s) you'd like to sell?

Domain Names for Sale - Afternic The best domain names are already registered and might be for sale.  Search here:

Search the largest database for aftermarket domain names

Buying and selling domain names for CASH FLOW

This industry is lucrative enough such that financial institutions and large corporations are trying to become involved or become more involved.  Supposedly, there are cases where corporate investments are moving into this market.  Also, pawns, loans, and purchase financing are currently available for the right domain name, especially if the domain name has adequate web traffic.  Those financial entities and others view ownership of domain names (virtual real estate properties) as true assets as real estate is to us in the 'real world.'

Take a look at the resources (text links) above to see the domain name industry's buying and selling data.  Also note that when trademarking guidelines are satisfied, domain names can be trademarked.  Beware when buying domains that they are not trademarked properties.  Do your research regarding this and make up your own mind.

You can type a name into the 'Search' boxes above and type in more names after clicking 'Search.'  There you will be able to visit specific categories or type in specific words with or without e.g. '.com', '.net', etc.  You will then see which ones are available along with their price.  You may want to select a target market before you start spending money.  Additionally, those sales web sites usually list their recent sales.

Restaurant example (marketing and advertising)

Example:  if you select the $multi-billion dollar food industry as your target market, and you know of a restaurant that makes out-of-sight gravy e.g. chicken gravy, sausage gravy, brown gravy, or beef gravy, you can search on the 'Afternic' website for those search words and see which domain names are available.

If the restaurant you have in mind already has a website, then registering and advertising domain names such as

and/or other versions of them could be used to bring more people to that restaurant via the Web.  For example, '.info' or any other domain name extension could be used to interact with people around the world to discuss gravy recipes just like the 'SausageGravyRecipes.com' can.  That restaurant could then sell more of their jarred gravy online or earn additional income by providing a subscription to special recipes.

Note that according to one (1) search engine result, the keywords in the gravy examples above are specifically searched for by web surfers approximately a 1000 times (+/-) per month.  These just happened to be owned by IBNETLLC.

Using value-added domain names like those previously described could allow that restaurant to further distance themselves from their competitors since they would be attracting worldwide traffic for words that are actually typed into search engines.  Since the new domain name(s) have better marketing potential, that domain name(s) could be put on T-shirts, mugs, etc. and could generate significant type-in traffic.

Domain parking

Any of those domain names could be directed to any of their existing relevant web site pages or a separate web site could be created for each of them.  But, if there is a domain name version they own and have no immediate plans for, they could 'park' that domain and possibly earn money when visitors to that page click on any links automatically listed there by the domain parking company (see an aftermarket web site such as Afternic or Sedo for details).  That or a similar method could provide their restaurant with an extra boost in Internet / global sales and greatly-increased marketing exposure.

Domain parking will allow the owner of the domain name to earn an income which is then paid to them via check; wired to a bank account on file; or placed into their PayPal account for withdrawal or transfer to their bank.  Either domain name marketing methods remain just as applicable to be found via search engine keywords.  All of their domains could be submitted to search engines for inclusion.

Keep your competitors at bay

Keep in mind that they should want to prevent their competitor from going head-to-head with domain name versions that are uncomfortably similar.  Therefore, they may want to also get e.g. the 'plural' and 'singular' versions including major domain name extensions e.g. .com, .net, .info, .org, .biz, .us and/or any other reasonable version(s) they feel their competitors could use and heavily market against theirs.  In some cases, that may be unavoidable whereas in others, it can be somewhat controlled by following some of the purchasing suggestions outlined above.

Those domain names mentioned above are a representation of excellent promotional 'properties' for whomever gets them, whether the end-user (the restaurant) or a domain name reseller that sells them to a restaurant and reaps a nice profit after marking up the price.  Typically, all restaurants need to experiment with various strategies to bring people into their restaurant and/or to their website so they can increase their product and service online sales e.g. gravies and recipes (chi-ching)!!!

Summary

If you want to get started right away, you can sign up for a FREE account at e.g. Afternic or Sedo and start buying then selling domain names for cash money.  When you are ready to test the waters, whether now or in the future, feel free to click on the search box to be taken to their web site.  While you are waiting for the right sell offer or you want to give your domain names more time to appreciate in value, you can participate in domain parking in the domain aftermarket at e.g. Afternic or Sedo and let your parked domains earn you money while you wait to sell or develop them.

As with anything, do your own homework first to verify, clarify, and whatever else is needed for you to be successful at this.  Know that the content contained in this article is based upon personal interpretation and is subject to change as is the domain name industry as a whole.

Don't go overboard - this is not a 'get rich quick' process.  Be patient because it may take time to get the right offer and/or wait for specific markets to move in the direction forecasted, etc.  Of course, given the right domain name and the right promotion that announces to the world that your domain name is for sale, you may find yourself selling some domain names relatively quickly for cash money.

If you are the end-user, also do your homework.  Make sure the domain name(s) you select fit your current image and/or image in whichever future time period you determine is appropriate for the investment needed to properly promote your domain name and receive an acceptable return.  Use your domain names in conjunction with your web site content and traditional real world marketing and advertising methods.  Use domain names to discover creative ways to become world-renowned, if you so desire, then be prepared to back it up.  It's okay to be #1.

Remember to be diligent and HAVE FUN.

ENJOY!!!

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