There are lots of domain hosting websites to choose from which makes it difficult to decide which one you will use for your personal website. However, there are quite a few domain registrars that take the lead over all the other domain registrars on the Internet. These domain websites also accept a variety of payments including PayPal, which is definitely convenient and safe.

Below is a list of some of the top domain registrars on the Internet today:

GoDaddy

This Company has been around for such a long time and own just about 30 percent of the market share. This website is reputable and trusted; it is a company that you know will do the right job and never scam you. During the first year of services, you will be charged around $11 a month. This amount seems quite affordable when you think of all that the domain registrars will do for you. They have handled over 34 million domain names in the past and present and will continue to handle more domain names in the future as more and more people build their own websites. GoDaddy offers so much more than just a domain name to the customers that they provide service to. GoDaddy also offers email accounts, web hosting, online security products and website builders. All of these important tools have been helping people do better in business which also enables them to have more success with their website and, in return, make more money with it as well.

Enom

Enom is a good website for domain hosting but it has a long way to go to catch up to GoDaddy in the market share. Enom only owns about 8 percent of the market share. Customers who use Enom will typically have to pay around $35 a month which is just too much to some people. This is the main reason why many people prefer other domain registrars that are much more affordable. That is not to say that Enom does not provide excellent service, because it surely does. Enom has handled only a little after 10 million domain names.

TuCows

The only way to get domain names from TuCows is by going to their affiliate sites. They only own about 6 percent of the market share. TuCows has handled close to 8 million domain names which is still a long way to go to even come close to catching up with GoDaddy. TuCows charges $15 a month for the first year of service. The cost of service is definitely cheaper than Enom but is still more expensive than GoDaddy. TuCows also sell other types of internet services on their website.

NetworkSolutions

NetworkSolutions offer domain service solutions like no other. They only have 5 percent of the market share and have handled over 6 million domain names. Much like Enom, they charge about $35 per month for the first year of service.

Schlund+Partner

Schlund are the leader of the most Europe domain registrar names. They currently own over 5 million of the Europe domain names. Their domain services are only for people with 1&1 internet which is why they only own about 4 percent of the market share. For the first year of services, you will be charged about $16 per month.

MelbourneIt

This site offers domain names in various spaces which includes com, org, biz, info and edu. As of right now, their market share is 3.5 percent. They’ve handled over 4 million domain names and charge $35 for service.

Wildwestdomains

Wildwestdomains only owns about 3 percent of the market share. They have handled over 3 million domain names. The website also offers wholesales during their first year to new customers who want to use their services.

Resellerclub

This website has some competitive prices which is why they are slowly gaining popularity. As of right now, they own 2.1 percent of the market. They have handled over 2.4 million domain names and offer wholesale prices for customers who are interested in signing up for several domain names with them.

Register

This website offers a support system that is quite amazing and is the best thing that they seem to have going for them. They only have 2 percent of the market share. They have handled 2.3 million domain names and charge nearly $35 for the first year of service.

Moniker

This website can help you choose the right name for your own website, even if it was already registered before. They also provide auctions on domains and a domain brokerage. They currently have 2.4 percent of the market share. They have handled almost 3 million domain names and charge $8 for the first year of service.

Conclusion

Bellow are the market share stats of the top domain registrars by Webhosting.info:

It can be hard choosing a domain registrar due to the expansive providers. However, these are just some of the domain hosts that are currently on the market. Amongst these ten different domain hosts, there are a bunch of other domain registrars as well.

Most people would probably advise you to go with GoDaddy because it has been around for such a long time and is also cheaper than all of the other websites. Affordability and dependability are two things that many people look for when they are putting their website in the hands of someone else. It is ultimately your decision as to which domain registrar you will go with. Just make sure that you make the right decision and choose one that will have a lot to offer you.

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• July 28, 2010 – Knowing the Value of Your Domain
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Capitalizing on Keywords

Keywords are basically the linguistic gateway that connects web traffic to your website. Any phrase that is commonly input into a search engine is considered to be a keyword, and is therefore capable of generating residual traffic if a website can successfully rank highly for a popular keyword. Thus, the first step in registering multiple domain names should be finding available domain names that contain popular keywords or key phrases within your desired niche. Not only will these phrases make it easier to rank highly for the keywords themselves within the search engines, it will also make it more likely that random web surfers will type in the name of your website simply by guessing the keyword. This especially true if you can register popular keywords with popular TLDs such as. com,.org, or.net.

Capturing Misspelled Traffic

It is also a good idea to purchase possible misspellings of your primary domain name, in order to capture type-in traffic that may misspell the name of your website while attempting to return to it. For example, if you own the domain name “exampledomainname.com”, then you may want to consider purchasing the misspelling of that domain – “exmapledomainname.com”. This not only maximizes the possibility of receiving random web traffic, it also keeps competitors from registering such misspellings and effectively taking some of your rightfully earned traffic. Aside from basic misspellings, you may wish to purchase plural or singular versions of the primary domain name. For example, the registrant of the aforementioned domain name may want to consider also registering “exampledomainnames.com”, as people commonly confuse plural and singular forms when remembering website addresses.

Varying Syntax and Preventative Measures

When purchasing alternate versions of the primary domain name, it is best to consider all possible formatting, with and without hyphens, using numbers, and even registering what are known as negative versions of your primary domain name. For example, if your domain name is “yourcompanybrand.com,” you could consider registering domain names such as “the-truth-about-your-company-brand.com” or “your-company-brand-sucks.com.” By doing this you can effectively prevent competitors from purchasing such domain names and negatively effecting your reputation in the future. Your goal as a domain speculator and registrant is to purchase all possible versions of your primary domain, especially if that domain is intended to be used as a business website.

Related posts:

• September 18, 2009 – Acquiring the Domain You Want Through Back-Ordering
• March 4, 2009 – Beware of Drop Catchers: Secure Your Domain
• December 19, 2011 – Top 10 Domain Registrars
• December 9, 2011 – NameCheap vs. GoDaddy
• September 30, 2011 – Picking up Expired Domains – Not Always Fun, but There’s a Way
• September 2, 2011 – Domain Names – Do You Still Need One
• April 22, 2011 – Becoming a Domain Speculator with No Experience
• February 8, 2011 – Critical Factors for Choosing a Web Host
• October 5, 2010 – 3 Steps to a Successful eCommerce Site
• September 18, 2010 – .CO Domains – Frequently Asked Questions

There are several things you should take into consideration when selecting a web hosting service for your new online business including:  customer service, price, domain names, and upgrade options.

Efficient Customer Service

Before closing a deal, you should always know your business partner. Whether attempting to contact the interested web host service company via phone, e-mail or learn more about the services each offers reading website information and client testimonials, gauging customer service is an essential component when making a final decision.  Thriving business owners realize their key to successfully acquiring and retaining customers is excellent customer service; web hosting services are not immune from the same curiosity.

A respected web host service representative should return messages within 24 hours, answer questions honestly and value your time as a potential client – if not then move on to your next option.  If the web host service doesn’t respond in a timely manner, then chances aren’t any better in troubleshooting assistance.

Affordable Pricing

Pricing is another significant aspect to consider when opting for a web host package.  Many new online businesses get into financial trouble when purchasing a web host because either they aim too high or too low.  Quality service should never be compromised, but neither should it be ridiculously priced.  If you’re a small business owner, then you won’t need all of the bells and whistles as those of larger websites.   Although starting a website, estimating visitors and bandwidth usage is difficult, consider your current client base.

Free web hosting is tempting for many new online entrepreneurs; however, it’s not always the best option even though being affordable.   A free web host typically requires your website to display ads of various products and services.   Visitors quickly equate the pop-up ads as annoying and quickly exit left to your nearest competitor’s website.   Summary:  avoid free web hosting unless you’re testing a specific market or sharpening your web design skills.

Dependable Domain Names

It’s equally important to spend some serious thought and effort into a domain name for your online business.   A good web hosting provider will offer you at least one free domain name per hosting account. Of course, receiving the free domain is the easy part. Chances are the first name you choose will already be taken, so consider several different options.   A legit domain name should be easy to remember, spelled correctly, and relate to your business.   If you opt to use a free web hosting service, be aware that typically your online address requires you to include part of the web host’s address to your domain name.

Despite being affordable, the convoluted web domain name confuses existing customers searching for information online and detracts potential new sale leads.   A lengthy web address also wrecks havoc on SEO rankings.  When picking a profitable domain name, paying for the convenience of owning a personalized address is a worth-well investment.

Available Upgrade Options

Finally, before settling on a web host, be familiar with the available upgrade options.  Initially, your online business endeavors shouldn’t require a fully-loaded web hosting package, however, as your business grows, so will your need to accommodate web visitors.   The most common reason small business owners find for upgrading websites is due to an increase in web traffic to your website, which means the demand for more bandwidth.  A couple of advanced upgrade options preferred by larger online businesses include Managed Hosting and Unlimited Managed Hosting packages.  Upgrade options depend greatly on individual needs and available budgets.

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{Note: If you already know what niche your site is going to be in, skip to step 2.}

Step 1 – Niche Selection

This is an extremely intricate topic, considering all of the factors that must be considered when selecting the right niche. Sadly, most of the valuable niches are undiscovered, which means it will take some creativity if you want to find a true golden nugget. However, there are a lot of tools available that will help you find the most popular keywords that have the lowest amount of competing web sites in the search engines. Thus, the majority of your focus during niche selection should be aimed towards keyword research. If you want to be successful quickly with your eCommerce web site then you will need to stay away from heavily saturated niches and do some real brainstorming to find the perfect niche.

Step 2 – Find the Right Web Hosting Plan

The web server that you lease from your hosting provider will play an integral role in the continuity and reliability of your eCommerce site. If you want your site to perform like a professional online store, then you’ll need access to comprehensive server resources and the necessary tools and resources. eCommerce web hosting is specifically designed to aid webmasters of all skill levels in the construction and promotion of online storefronts. eCommerce hosting includes store building utilities, product catalog managers, payment processing functionality, integrated shopping carts, and free advertising credits for Google, Facebook, Yahoo and Bing. If you need an all-inclusive package for your upcoming eCommerce project then you should strongly consider an eCommerce hosting plan from a reputable hosting provider.

Step 3 – Building and Promoting the Site

Building the site is perhaps the most difficult aspect of creating a prosperous online business for the novice webmaster. Fortunately, it’s not nearly as difficult as it was in previous years, when everything had to be built manually. eCommerce hosting plans provide robust site building tools that let you design your own site using pre-made templates that can be adjusted according to your own preferences. eCommerce hosting plans also give you the tools and resources needed to begin advertising immediately using free advertising credit, and some hosting providers even offer SEO assistance for an additional fee.

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As the internet continues to expand it is very unlikely that the supply will outweigh the demand. In fact, it is almost a statistical impossibility, considering the amount of domain names left and the amount of people that are trying to buy domains. If you’re wondering why this incredibly profitable business opportunity has been kept from you for so long, keep reading to discover some of the secrets of buying and selling domain names.

Finding the Domain Name

The first step in buying and selling domain names is finding the name. You need to find a name that is almost guaranteed to be sold again in the near future. While this may seem like a difficult task, there are endless opportunities created by a sea of individual markets and industries. All you have to do is find a keyword or interesting name that would be valuable to a buyer.

Most domain sellers wont tell you that they use auction sites and certain tools to find out what kind of names are hot at the moment. Simply visit your favorite site auction site and checkout some of the current auctions. Look for the auctions that are currently being bid on the most. If you can emulate that success by picking a similar name then you’ll be able to consistently profit from buying and selling domain names.

You can also use the latest trends to your advantage by purchasing domain names that are relevant to new hot  topics that are being frequently searched for in search engines. To find this information you can use a tool like Google Trends. If the topic is hot and you find a matching domain name then you can be sure that someone will bid on the name and give you more than what you paid for it.

Selling the Domain Name vs. Parking It

Once you have acquired a good domain name you can start making small amounts of money from it right away, or you can sell it for a more hefty and lump sum profit. A lot of people don’t know what domain parking is. When you park a domain for monetary purposes you are actually leasing that domain name to an advertising company that will pay you to place ads on your pages. Obviously there is a potential for an extra revenue stream, however it would take hundreds of parked domains, which could be a hassle to manage.

On the other hand, selling the domain will give you a larger amount of money, sometimes entering into the range of thousands of dollars. There are a variety of ways to sell your domain.

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• September 18, 2009 – Acquiring the Domain You Want Through Back-Ordering
• June 11, 2009 – Earning a Living as a Domain Flipper
• April 7, 2009 – Should You Consider a Premium Domain?
• March 4, 2009 – Beware of Drop Catchers: Secure Your Domain

Common Back-Ordering Options

There are essentially three ways you can take advantage of back-ordered domains.

1.) You can pay close attention the status of the domain you want and register the name when it goes back on the market.  This is a manual process that requires a lot of patience and plain old luck to be successful.

2.) You can utilize a software application such as the Expired Domain Express program to automate the process for you.  This type of software will automatically monitor the status of the desired domain and also register it as soon as it becomes available.

3.)  The last option you have is to sign up with a back-order service.  This approach calls for you to pay a third-party company to monitor the domain and register it on your behalf as soon as it becomes available.

Essential Factors to Keep in Mind

A large majority of people looking to obtain a domain name through the back-ordering process rely on the third option, which is signing up with a service provider.  The advantage here is that the company usually has more reliable resources available than you have access to yourself, thus increasing your probability of acquiring the domain.  While there are numerous benefits, you should also beware of three important factors before investing in a back-ordering service.

1.) Regardless of what the firm might tell you, no back-ordering service can guarantee the domain name you want.  You may then ask, what happens to the money you paid?  Unless you have inquired within the service provider before signing up, you may not know at all.  The good thing is that most firms allow you to apply those fees to other domain related purchases, but it is still a good idea to find out.

2.) Domain name back-ordering services are infamous for inflating prices.  For example, if two people desire the same domain, the company might set up an auction for them to bid on the name.  Therefore, you want to make sure you know what to expect before entering into an agreement with a service provider.

3.) Lastly, it is worth mentioning that one of the best ways to acquire the domain name you want is to combine a few of the approaches mentioned above.  For instance, you can sign up for a back-ordering service and purchase a software solution while manually monitoring the status of the name yourself.  If you have the budget to work with, this combined approach will help you maximize the possibility of finally landing the domain name you have been after.

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If you have the determination and marketing savvy, you could earn a respectable living by purchasing and reselling domain names.  Before you get started however, there are some key factors that must be considered.  First, you need to be able to identify which domain names will likely sell the most and generate the highest demand.  In this article, we will go over some of the crucial factors that must be considered in order to make a prosperous business out of domain name flipping.

How to Spot the Best Domain Names

A short and simple domain name is far more desirable than one that is lengthy and complicated.  Why?  Most potential buyers have come to learn that short and sweet is simply easier to remember.  This makes the simple domain very effective when advertising via word of mouth.

Once you settle on a good domain name, try to optimize it and promote visibility through the search engines.  Doing so can dramatically increase the value of the name.  This can be done by setting up a website and advertising it through various methods of search engine optimization.  Potential customers will be more apt to jump on a popular domain name that already has a decent ranking due to its ability to generate traffic to their site.

Flipping Domain Names

After you have selected a domain name and performed the necessary measures to warrant a good sale, it is time for you to get out there and market.  This step here is not as difficult as it may sound.  You can start out by visiting blogs, community forums and auction sites.  Many of these sites will allow you to post the domain name along with the price you are asking for.  If the domain name is desirable enough, this could get you a lot of individuals and businesses looking to make a deal.

Grasping the Keys to Success

The key to successfully selling domain names is patience.  Remember, you’re the owner so the ball is in your court.  While the name is on the market, the best thing you can do is sit back and wait.  In the mean time, you can keep yourself busy by checking on similar domains and finding out how valuable they may be.  When you get the best price for the original name, take the buyer up on their offer and count your profits.  If you can continuously find good names and repeat this process, you could end up making out rather nicely.

Several entrepreneurs have learned the ins and outs of reselling domain names, making a profitable living from the comfort of their computer.  Perhaps the greatest benefit of all is that while this business requires strategy, it does not call for any strenuous effort on your part.  If you have the business savvy and an eye for good domain names, this might be the business move for you.

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What are Premium Domain Names?

Often referred to as simple domain names, premium domains are basically those that were once registered and now available on the market again.  While ambitious internet entrepreneurs snatched up names like trucks.com and tools.com long ago, these domain owners are now willing to let them go for the right price.  Premium domains typically sale for anywhere between hundreds and thousands of dollars but some of them have gone for millions.

Sure, you probably don’t want to roll out a 7-figure budget for a domain name, but here are a few reasons why you may want to consider spending more than usual.

Instant Branding – When using a premium domain, you are instantly branding your online presence.  Your domain name will likely be easy to remember and cause visitors to immediately associate it with your business.  If you’re lucky enough to snatch up baseball.com, it won’t take potential customers too long to grasp the nature of your business.

Increased Search Engine Visibility – Search engine algorithms consider the relevance of your domain to the content on your website.  This in turn, makes it easier to associate your domain name with your particular product or service, giving you the ability to increase your visibility through the search engines.

Increased Traffic – Although most web surfers rely on search engines, others simply type keywords directly into their browser address bar.  If someone types in “baseball”, there is a great chance that your baseball related URL will come up and direct them right to your site.  Direct traffic is one of the biggest advantages to having a premium domain name.

You don’t have to be a large corporation to secure a premium domain name.  To figure out the budget you need to set aside, visit register.com and find out if there are any available domain names relevant to your business.  You may also want to consult an internet marketing expert to better determine if a premium domain name can really give you a worthwhile return on your investment.  A professional can also help you get your hands on special search tools that will reveal what domains serve the most benefits.

Think About It

On the surface, buying a premium domain name seems like a huge investment and possibly one you can do without.  However, it can also increase visibility and play a major role in the success of your online business.  Though it will be more expensive than the standard rate of $9.99, it will help you save on marketing, enhance your search engine rankings and help potential customers better identify your business.  Who knows?  This is one substantial investment that could be worth your while.

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• March 4, 2009 – Beware of Drop Catchers: Secure Your Domain

How Names are Lost

As you probably know, domain names can easily be registered with a service such as GoDaddy.  Although they are in great demand, a domain name can be purchased for around $10 a per.  You generally have the option of registering the name for anywhere from one to ten years.  Nearing the end of the registration period, the registrar sends a renewal notice to the domain owner via email.  If the owner doesn’t respond in a certain amount of time, the name is eventually placed back on the market and can then be purchased by anyone else.  Thousands of domains become available each day because the owners fail to renew them.  Others lose their domain names simply because they didn’t realize they were up for renewal.

Domain Registrars Aid the Process

Per the rules set forth by the ICANN, domain registrars are required to notify the domain owner that their name will be removed from the registry 45 days after the expiration date.  Once the name is dropped, the owner generally has a 30 day grace period to reclaim their domain.  After the time has expired, there is another five day period before the name is dropped entirely and goes back on the market.

Over the past few years, domain registrars have used an auction to sell expired domain names.  These auctions bypass the original process by making domains available within a thirty day period.  GoDaddy is one service that starts an auction before the domain names have officially expired.  The company does however, warn bidders that the domain owner still has the option to renew their name.

Domain service providers that aid in the registering of expired domain names offer tools to make these products much easier to find.  For example, many provide frequent updates on available names, recommend auction services, customized searches and tools for those looking to snag expired domain names.  Some offer free software to help you dig deeper for domains on the brink of expiration.

Get Proactive

Drop catching will continue to be a widely used practice as good domains become more scarce and people look to leach traffic from established links.  You can secure the identity of your website and business by knowing the status of your domain name.  The best way to do this is staying aware of the expiration date or selecting an auto-renewal option.  Relying on a registrar presents the risk of never receiving the notification due to a tricky spam filter and losing everything you worked so hard to build.

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