Domain parking is out of hand!
I have been searching for a domain for several hours now. I know that there are millions of website owners using billions of domain names, but the whole system is completely out of hand.
I have searched for over a hundred names, not one with an actual dictionary word in it, and only one domain has been available so far. What bothers me more than the lack of available names, is that none of the takes names actually have useful content on them. Almost every one, has a parked page or a made for adsense page, with some generic ads on it and nothing else.
It is completely ridiculous that millions of domains can be registered without the owner ever intending to do anything with the domain, except make a few dollars a year from the three people that accidentally get to the domain, and some how decide to click on a link.
I have emailed parked domain owners in the past with obscure domains that I wanted to purchase. I was probably the only person in history that will ever show any interest in the domain. I almost always get back a response like: “I will sell my domain: rjtjhjr-55445-ksdh.com for $20,000” or some other absurd amount.
I’m sure that nothing can be done about the situation now, but I really wish that the system would have been made to prevent this.
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You hit the nail on the head. It is beyond frustrating. Domain parking is nothing but a scam. It is practically impossible to find a decent domain these days – even people’s names are being snatched up and used by domainers to park a bunch of crap ads.
Sadly, I don’t really think anything can or will ever be done about it!
I agree. I actually own a domain name and currently have it parked to generate revenue since I am no longer using the name.
However, to generate more revenue I joined up with http://www.electrolockbox.com and have seen a substantial profit.
Domains are a form of Real Estate. Those lucky to buy when others laughed are now reaping the benefits. Sadly though, those looking to buy a legitimate name must pay an inflated rate just to get what they want. It’s the law of supply and demand.
Domaineering is the web-based marketing business of acquiring and monetizing Internet domain names focusing on their use specifically as an advertising medium rather than primarily speculating on domains as intellectual property investments for resale as in domaining where generating advertising revenue is considered more of a bonus while awaiting a sale. In essence, the domain names function as virtual Internet billboards with generic domain names being highly valued for their revenue generating potential derived from attracting Internet traffic hits. Revenue is earned as potential customers view pay per click ( PPC ) ads or the Internet traffic attracted may be redirected to another website. Hence, the domain name itself is the revenue generating asset conveying information beyond just functioning as a typical web address. As the value here is intrinsically in the domain name and not in a website’s products or services, these domains are developed for advertising, ( i.e, “parked” ), and not into “conventional” websites. As with traditional advertising, domaineering is part art and part science. Often to be the most effective as an advertising tool, the domain names and their corresponding landing pages must be engineered or optimized to produce maximum revenue which may require considerable skill and keen knowledge of search engine optimization ( SEO ) practices, marketing psychology and an understanding of the target market audience. Domaineering generally utilizes a firm offering domain parking services to provide the sponsored “feed” of a word or phrase searched for thus creating a mini-directory populated largely by advertisers paying to promote their products and services under a relevant generic keyword domain. Occasionally content is added to develop a functional mini-website. Domaineers and some of those who advertise online using keywords believe domaineering provides a useful, legal and legitimate Internet marketing service while opponents of domaineering decry the practice as increasing the ubiquitous commercialization of the world wide web. Domaineering aka “domain advertising” is practiced by both large organizations which may have registered hundreds or even thousands of domains to individual entrepreneurial minded domaineers who may only own one or a few. The earliest known verifiable identification and defining of domaineering as a distinct Internet advertising practice is attributed to Canadian Professor William Lorenz
I agree with George on the supply and demand part. Since there’s only one .com .net & .org for any given name, I guess it’s as simple as first come first serve.
It’s still possible to find good names and there’s some great tools out there that help a bunch. It’s still very possible to find .com domains that get over 300 or more visitors per day, you just have to know what your doing.
Dave C
Thanks for the info – don’t forget to post about the Australian domain name industry – it’s really starting to take off… Thanks again