Nonetheless there will always be someone that will really want to try to pick up that expired domain.  Maybe it’s their family name.  Maybe it’s the company name that goes back 100 years.  Whatever the reason, these customers will always be there.  If you’re one of them, then as long as you’re going to do this, you might as well know how to do it right.

“Expired” doesn’t exactly mean Expired

The first thing that you need to know is that there is a grace period that goes along with a domain name’s expiration date.  How long this grace period lasts is determined by the domain’s registrar, and can even be different for different top-level domains.  You will want to inquire with them specifically.  During this grace period the original owner of the domain name, and only the original owner, can re-register it at normal rates.

Once this period ends then there is usually a “redemption period”.  This amounts to about the same thing, except that the original owner must now pay a higher fee.  Again, though, no one else can touch it during this phase.

Even then there’s more

If the redemption period lapses, then one of two things happen.  First, the registrar can immediately open the domain name up for re-registration by anyone.  It is best if this does not happen.  Why?

Because the world wide web is packed with digital vultures ready to pounce on an available domain seconds after it re-enters the marketplace.  You will have virtually no chance of keeping up with these outfits.  Once they register them, then you’ll be looking at some exorbitant fee to make it yours.

This isn’t to say that if your domain goes on auction that you’ll be able to get it automatically, however, you will have a fighting chance.  Domain name harvesters are looking for profit, and profit is all but guaranteed if they can snatch up a domain name for a few bucks.  The higher the price goes, the less it’s worth, from an investment perspective, for them.  They’re making a bet, after all.  They don’t know for certain that anyone will want it.

Is it all worth it?

If you’re ready to deal with this hassle, then simply keep an eye on the registrar.  Find out from them whether or not the domain is going to go up for auction.  Then do like any good auction attendee: show up, and play it smart.  Remember what we said: there are nearly an infinite number of many domains.  Before shelling out a few hundred, or even thousands of dollars for your dream name, ask yourself whether you can get by with an alternative.  Quite a lot of web sites have discovered that they can.

Related posts:

• September 2, 2011 – Domain Names – Do You Still Need One
• July 18, 2011 – Domain Name Expansion Expected to Create Major Problems
• April 22, 2011 – Becoming a Domain Speculator with No Experience
• September 7, 2010 – How to Pick the Right Domain Name Extension
• May 20, 2010 – A Comparison of Domain Registrars and Web Hosts
• February 5, 2010 – How to Obtain a Memorable Domain Name
• September 18, 2009 – Acquiring the Domain You Want Through Back-Ordering
• July 14, 2009 – What Do You Get with a Cheap Domain Name?
• February 26, 2009 – Understanding Domain Name Transfers
• February 9, 2009 – Six Important Considerations for Domain Name Registration

Current Preparations

A local Internet lawyer is already preparing to fight for one of his clients for .Philly. New York City officials have clearly indicated that .NYC is a civic asset and has already taken the necessary steps to preserve the domain name. Additionally, large companies are scooping up their domain name extensions such as .Microsoft, .Google and .Ford.

Application Process

Unfortunately, the rules enforced by ICANN will not stop at new entrants. Beginning January 2012, the application process will become official. However, ICANN is only expecting several hundred domain registrants to pay the $185,000 application fee. Unfortunately, qualified applicants will be able to create domain names based on any word.

Supporter Reaction

To supporters of the new extensions, this has been a long time coming. They are claiming that customers are looking for a way to capture their preferences. Therefore, businesses should not be restricted by the usual .com’s, .net’s and .org’s. Instead, they should be able to try .Music or .Food.

Recognition of Upcoming Challenges

Unfortunately, these same supporters recognize that the new rules will inevitably cause turf-battles and they are unsure how they will pan out. During the early years of the Internet, similar legal turf-wars were over the control of generic domain names with high value. The new laws will indefinitely change that aspect of domain names by depreciating the value of generic .com domain names as a result of the endless possibilities.

Critic’s Reaction

Critics of the new Internet law view this as creating duplication (from the past) and redundancy rather than implementing a value-added system. The only positive impact it will have on business is for those in the domain name registry industry.

It appears as if this change implemented by ICANN is going to cause more problems than its worth. At the same time this could improve company branding and increase online business. It is difficult to predict the outcome once the dust settles.

Related posts:

• July 7, 2009 – Choosing a Keyword-rich Domain for Your PPC Campaign
• February 26, 2009 – Understanding Domain Name Transfers
• January 27, 2009 – How to Choose a Good Domain Name
• January 22, 2009 – What Makes a Good Domain?
• November 26, 2008 – Finding a Domain for Your Business
• November 14, 2008 – Someone Registered My Domain – What Now?
• October 31, 2008 – Do You Really Need a .Com Domain?
• December 19, 2011 – Top 10 Domain Registrars
• September 30, 2011 – Picking up Expired Domains – Not Always Fun, but There’s a Way
• September 5, 2011 – Premium Domain Names: What Are They?

Information About .CO Domains

Anyone can register for a .CO extension as long as you can cover the financial costs. Also, these domain names can be transferred in the case of a sale. There are currently only 10 accredited registrars that can distribute these extensions to the public. There are also numerous domain name resellers that are selling them for a profit.

Advantages of .CO

The first advantage is that it is easy to remember. Since there are only two letters, the extension is easily pronounced and can be spread via word of mouth. Google has even jumped on board by officially enabling international targeting which allows the domain name to rank well among search engines.

Another advantage is that the domain names are currently extremely cheap, unique and professional. Over the next few years, these are sure to catch on. In ten years, .com may find that .co has taken over. The extension is short, recognizable and desirable in today’s competitive market that is the internet.

Why .CO?

Although .CO is short for company or corporation, there are no limitations to what they can be used for. This extension was actually created in 1991 but wasn’t considered until 2001 for use commercially. A University in Columbia believed that the .CO extension could become a replacement for the popular .COM and the domain extension has taken off ever since.

Since so many .COM domain names are taken, why not look to picking up a .CO. They are greatly gaining in popularity, especially if Google is involved. Since domain names are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, the sooner you look into purchasing a .CO, the better chance you have of obtaining a potentially valuable name.

The internet and domain names have come a long way since the original .COM, .ORG and .INFO. The .CO seems to be an internet trend that will never dissipate due to the popularity among webmasters and major corporations. In ten years, .CO could become the most used top-level domain in history.

Related posts:

• September 18, 2010 – .CO Domains – Frequently Asked Questions
• August 26, 2010 – .Co Domains and Shortened URLS
• August 5, 2010 – .CO Domains Gaining Momentum and Google Support
• September 30, 2011 – Picking up Expired Domains – Not Always Fun, but There’s a Way
• July 18, 2011 – Domain Name Expansion Expected to Create Major Problems
• May 20, 2010 – A Comparison of Domain Registrars and Web Hosts
• October 30, 2009 – Free Domain Name Resources
• January 27, 2009 – How to Choose a Good Domain Name
• January 22, 2009 – What Makes a Good Domain?

When domain registration began, only one source offered this service, NSI. Despite the monopoly of selling top-level domain names, they remained in place until the late ‘90’s. Around this time there was an influx of domain registration companies that began to directly compete with NSI.

Currently, there are hundreds of domain registrars that are accredited by the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Over the years two types of domain registrars have emerged, domain registrar only services and web hosting providers.

Domain Registrar Only Services

Domain registrar only providers simply offer domain registration without any type of hosting package. There are still several available, but are seen as a dying breed. Clients want convenience so many find it a hassle to register the domain name at one site and find storage at another.

Domain registrar providers are more catered to advanced users. This method is often utilized so domain name registration and maintenance can be separated between storage space and domains. This is helpful for those that are building a large domain network.

Web Hosting Providers

On the other hand, web hosts offer the convenience of domain registration as well as hosting plans and packages in an all inclusive deal. Clients usually need both so this adds the extra ease of use function to their business model. There are many more web hosts than domain registrars.

Also, web host clients can search for available domain names directly from the hosting provider’s website. Once selected, within a day or two the domain name and hosting package are automatically setup; all in a few easy steps.

Redirection of Domains and Servers

Those that have an all inclusive plan may want to create a redirect to separate space from the domain name. This can be manually accomplished by redirecting domains to website content hosted servers. This is offered by web hosting providers so customer service can walk the client along, step-by-step.

Comparison Summary

Generally, domain registrars offer lower prices for each registered name. Also, depending on the need, separating domain name and server space can be beneficial. Those looking for an all inclusive, easy-to-use system should look toward web hosting providers. This will allow them to spend more time on developing content and creating the actual website.

As the internet expands and technology progresses, domain registrars will become a thing of the past. Web hosting providers are making the registration, creation and maintenance so easy that this is the most appealing option to most users. Due to an easy to use interface and excellent customer support, web hosting providers are at the forefront of website development technology.

Related posts:

• September 30, 2011 – Picking up Expired Domains – Not Always Fun, but There’s a Way
• July 18, 2011 – Domain Name Expansion Expected to Create Major Problems
• March 4, 2009 – Beware of Drop Catchers: Secure Your Domain
• November 26, 2008 – Finding a Domain for Your Business
• January 4, 2012 – Top Domain Registration Services
• December 19, 2011 – Top 10 Domain Registrars
• December 9, 2011 – NameCheap vs. GoDaddy
• September 2, 2011 – Domain Names – Do You Still Need One
• August 30, 2011 – Additional Branding Woes in the Domain Name Game
• August 12, 2011 – ICANN Defends New Domain Name Procedure

To the current day, well over 128 million domain names have been registered throughout the world.  Research shows that thousands of new registrations are being purchased on a daily basis.  The crave of domain names is what makes it so much harder for the newbie to acquire the name they truly want for their website.  If you came up with something simple and catchy such as Buy.com or Fixit.com, forget about it – those domains were gone a long time ago.   The sad part of it all is that many domains are just sitting there inactive, waiting for someone to come through and make a bid.  It’s a crazy game but no need to fret.  Instead of getting frustrated about the domain name shortage, get creative.

Keep it Short …

Even though you get up to 57 characters, using the maximum amount for your domain just isn’t practical.  In fact, anything over 10 characters is actually pushing it.  You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that shorter names are simply easier to remember.  They are also less vulnerable to typing errors.  There are however, exceptions to this rule.  Let’s say the name of your business is sort of long and you want to shorten it up with MWWF.  In this example,

Midwestwritersfoundation.com could be easier to remember than the abbreviated version.

Keep it Simple

If you find that your domain name isn’t available, you may be tempted to get clever and come up with a neat variation.  Let’s say Midwestwritersfoundation.com isn’t available.  In this case, you could decide to go with midwest-writers-foundation.com.  Although symbols can help you get closer to the name you actually want, there are some drawbacks.  For one, symbols hardly ever resonate with internet users. If anything, they will omit the symbols and end up at the site of the website owner who beat you to the original domain. Secondly, your potential visitors could easily forget exactly where the symbols are to be placed in the URL, especially if you use more than one.   If at all possible, refrain from symbols.

Be Unique

Sometimes, finding a good domain is simply all about thinking in ways others don’t.  This means coming up with different combinations of your ideal name, adding or subtracting words like “the” and focusing solely on your business.  The market you’re involved in may consist of thousands of businesses but only few, if any, will have the same name as your company.

Related posts:

• July 18, 2011 – Domain Name Expansion Expected to Create Major Problems
• January 22, 2009 – What Makes a Good Domain?
• December 19, 2011 – Top 10 Domain Registrars
• September 30, 2011 – Picking up Expired Domains – Not Always Fun, but There’s a Way
• September 5, 2011 – Premium Domain Names: What Are They?
• September 7, 2010 – How to Pick the Right Domain Name Extension
• February 18, 2010 – The Cost of a Domain Name – Registering Your Domain
• July 28, 2009 – How to Invest in a Domain Name
• July 14, 2009 – What Do You Get with a Cheap Domain Name?
• July 7, 2009 – Choosing a Keyword-rich Domain for Your PPC Campaign

What makes a good domain?  The following tips should sum it all up for you.

Memorable

A domain name isn’t serving its purpose if no one can remember it.  Sure, it would be ideal if everyone bookmarked their favorite websites, but the fact is that most people do not.  For this reason, it is best to choose a domain that resonates and makes an impact.  Avoid complexity by keeping the name straightforward and easy to remember.

Short and Sweet

While the experts say that a good domain should be no more than 20 characters long, 10 is even better.  Having a long domain name will only complicate matters.  Short and sweet is the key here because if you go over the 20 character mark, you could end up burying yourself in the deep dark corners of the web.

A Good Extension

Extensions or TLDs (Top Level Domains) represents the three letters that come after your primary name.  There are several extensions available including .com, .net, .biz, .org and the list goes on.  Keep in mind that some extensions are reserved for certain entities.  For example, .gov is reserved for government sites will .mil is for the military.  As the most popular extension, .com is what you should strive for.  If you can’t find this TLD, then .net would be the next best alternative.

Spelling

When choosing a domain, try to stay away from names that are difficult to spell.  Many people are not good at spelling, thus, if you pick something more complex, your potential visitors could end up at a competitor’s site.

Avoid the Flash

One of the worst things you can do is try to glamorize your domain with fancy symbols.  After all, most web surfers don’t pay attention to symbols anyway, so even if you do pick something that is memorable, your over zealousness could still lead them to another site.

Be Unique

A good domain name is one that is unique, very descriptive and tells a story in just a few characters.  What this means is that the name should instantly strike a cord with visitors and potential customers by giving them an idea of what to expect.  For example, if the website revolves around your business, using your business name for the domain would be a good idea.  If you are marketing yourself rather than a brand, don’t hesitate to go with your given name.  Besides, you have a much better chance of securing a domain under your own name than anything else.

Related posts:

• July 18, 2011 – Domain Name Expansion Expected to Create Major Problems
• September 7, 2010 – How to Pick the Right Domain Name Extension
• January 27, 2009 – How to Choose a Good Domain Name
• September 30, 2011 – Picking up Expired Domains – Not Always Fun, but There’s a Way
• September 5, 2011 – Premium Domain Names: What Are They?
• February 18, 2010 – The Cost of a Domain Name – Registering Your Domain
• January 28, 2010 – The Power of Branding: What’s in a Name?
• July 28, 2009 – How to Invest in a Domain Name
• July 14, 2009 – What Do You Get with a Cheap Domain Name?
• July 7, 2009 – Choosing a Keyword-rich Domain for Your PPC Campaign