Domains: Buying Domains, Where to Find Expired Names, and How to Manage it All

By Merle
Posted Friday, July 16, 2004

In Part 1, we discussed how to come up with your new domain name. In this article, we will look at inexpensive places to register your newfound beauties. You'll find, as with Lay's potato chips, "no one can eat just one." Once you make your first purchase, you'll most likely find yourself registering other names as well; maybe to use as redirects to your existing site, or possible new business ideas for all those new sites you'd like to launch.

Due to the temptation to "load up," you'll want to find a cheap but reliable domain registrar to park them with. If you don't, you'll find your new "habit" leaving a big hole in your wallet.

As with most things in life, prices vary --from as little as .00 up to 5.00 per year. My suggestion to you is to never spend more than about 0.00 per domain annually. My favorite place to register names charges less than that. When researching a registrar, do make note of what services they offer and their support policies.

Let's cover your options:

1) NameBargain.com: My favorite, where I register all of my domains: .88 per year. Sign up for .com, .net, .org, .biz, .Info, and .Us. Transfer names for only .95. You can handle all of your domains from one easy interface and see all of your listings at a glance.

2) GoDaddy.com: At .95 a year, GoDaddy is #1 with many Web entrepreneurs. From what I've seen and read online, they're very reliable and have great prices. Includes free domain forwarding and free parked page with every domain registered.

3) DomainOfMyOwn.com: 2.99 per year for new name registrations and only 1.98 for transferred names. Once a member, you can manage your domains with their user-friendly interface.

4) DotEasy.com: If you want to register a domain name and get free hosting to boot, you can't beat this package deal. For only 5.00, a year you can buy and host your newfound name. This is a nice service if you want to put up some mini-sites inexpensively.

There's also a big market for expired and deleted domains. You would not believe how many people forget to renew their domains and let some really super ones fall through the cracks. Many of them already have a high ranking in the search engines and increased link popularity.

The trick to expired domains is knowing where to find them so you can cash in on them before someone else does. Many sites will charge for this privilege, but there are some freebies (if you know where to look):

(http://www.DeletedDomains.com): I love this site and the best part is it's totally free. Just type one or two keywords into the search box and it will come back with all kinds of little gems for you. You will find so many good names to register that if you're a "Domain Junkie" (like me), you could find yourself in real financial danger here. Remember, I warned you.

(http://www.Recycled-Traffic.com): Pick up on "recycled traffic" by snapping up domain names that have expired and benefiting from their already established traffic. Search through this index according to keyword and search engine ranking.

(http://www.DroppedDomains.com): Do free searches by keyword. Look for deleted domains available soon or ones available to register right away. You can exclude domains that contain dashes or numbers if that's not your cup of tea.

So now that you know where to purchase domains you need to know how to manage them. It's not unusual for one person to own 20 or more names, and keeping track of them and knowing when to renew them can quickly become a full time job. I should know; I own over 30 myself. My recommendation to you is to register all of them at the same place. Preferably, a registrar that will allow you to modify your own DNS and make any other changes at will.

In the beginning I had many sites registered at many different places and it was tough trying to remember which domain was where. Don't make the same mistake I did. Find a registrar you feel comfortable with and stick with it. There are also some excellent tools that can help make managing your domains a breeze:

1) WatchMyDomains Pro: (http://WatchMyDomains.com)

Software that will automatically monitor all of your domains, regardless of where they are registered. Highlights names that will expire soon and much more in a nice list format. Download a 21-day free trial.

2) Easy DNS: (http://EasyDns.com/dnsmanager.php3)

Manage all of your domains from one easy web interface.

3) Domain Manager Pro: (http://DomainMgrPro.com)

Software that will help you track multiple domains and register data and also the websites (if any) connected with them. Download a trial version at the site.

The longer you're active online, the more you'll be struck with great ideas; resulting in domain names you'll want to register. Remember, don't pay more then you have to, keep your eyes peeled for expired bargains, and make sure you have some form of management tool in place.

Domains are indeed like chips; you really can't register just one. In Part 3 of this article we'll look at some fun and useful things you can do with your newfound gems.

About the Author
Merle is an internet marketer, promotion consultant and ezine publisher. Visit her sites at (http://www.mcpromotions.com/), (http://www.merlesworld.com/) and (http://www.ezineadauction.com/).