Bulk Domain Name Registration

 

Most Internet marketing gurus know the importance of using a domain name.  However, only the experts use bulk domain names when marketing their website.  How do things work if one is using bulk domain names?  Basically, with the bulk domain name tactic, dozens maybe even hundreds of domain names point to one site.  The practice is completely legal, (since ICANN places no limitations on how many domain names a person can register), and could even boost search engine listings.  This is because search engine bots have more URLs they can find that relate to a particular website. 

So, how can a person get started with bulk domain name registration?  Well, if they have money, it’s best if they go to a bulk domain name company.  These are better than traditional domain name companies, because they are specially designed to help webmaster better manage their bulk domain name campaigns.  With a bulk domain name company, webmasters can manage up to 10,000 domain names in just one account.  This includes placing them in related groups, alphabetizing them or viewing which ones are going to expire first.  An example of an excellent service offering these features is DomainNext.com. 

If a person doesn’t have money, they will need to consider other means of bulk domain name registration.  For example, they could try to get maybe 100 or so domain names from domain name registrars charging just a dollar.  This would mean the initial fees would be $100, which is an affordable amount for most people.  They could also consider getting a series of free domain names.  However, they must be aware that many free domain name providers will places ads on a site as well as contain an extension that is not traditional.  There may also be a limit to how many free domain names a person can register.  Either way, webmasters may want to consider pointing free domain names to a second site that relates to whatever they are promoting.  They can advertise the domain name to their main site.  With this method they can take advantage of free bulk domain names without having to worry about bombarding their original site with advertisements.

It should be noted that if a person does not get free bulk domain names, they will have to pay renewal fees once their domain names expire.  If a person got a number of bulk domain names they can handle, this may not be an issue.  However, if it is, they can consider selling their domain names on domain name auction sites.  They will lose the marketing advantage, but at least they will get an opportunity to save money.

In conclusion, bulk domain name registration can be a way for webmasters to help corner the Internet market.  They can go about registering several paid domains and/or free domains.  Regardless, they should also make sure that their site contains other elements that make for good Internet marketing.  This includes being keyword-optimized and containing several inbound links.  Without doing these things, bulk domain name registration in and of itself will only bring limited results.

Avoiding Trademark Infringement When Choosing a Domain Name

Many webmasters erroneously believe that just because their domain name registrar says a particular domain name is ‘available’ that it truly is.  This is not necessarily so.  Even if a domain name is physically available, it may not legally be open for use.  Why?  It’s because there might already be a company that has the rights to the keywords used within the domain name.  If this happens yet the webmaster claims the domain name anyway, they are at risk of losing it through a domain name arbitration proceeding.  They could even be charged with trademark/copyright infringement if things get really ugly.  For this reason it’s best to make sure the keywords used in a domain name aren’t protected for someone else.  This article will explain how webmasters can make such a determination.

First, webmasters need to check and see if their chosen domain name resembles any existing trademark that is on the books.  They will want to do this before actually investing any money in the domain name.  To search existing trademarks, webmasters can visit the website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office which is USPTO.gov.  From here they can search a database that contains current trademarks as well as those that are pending. 

If a domain name is similar to a registered or pending trademark, webmasters need to evaluate whether the domain name is still worth taking.  Usually, if a site is not selling the same types of merchandise or services that the other business is selling and the trademark is not popular, a webmaster probably won’t get into legal trouble if they decide to go on and register the domain name.  To be completely sure, webmasters can run the domain name by a trademark attorney.  It shouldn’t cost too much for an hour consultation.  

Of course, if a webmaster would prefer zero percent risk, they can simply try to think of another domain name.  When they go about doing this, they need to be more generic and less creative in what they come up with.  Using search engine keywords for a domain name is one such strategy.  Webmasters can also look into using dictionary terms.  If all else fails they can take a generic term and combine it with a term that is less likely to be taken, such as their first and last name.  

Either way, once a suitable domain name has been chosen, webmasters should consider getting it trademarked themselves, especially if they are using it to help brand their business.  With an official trademark, a webmaster has more legal power should another company try to take them to court.  And since there’s no shortage of domain name bullies, (companies that try to steal profitable domain names from smaller enterprises), a webmaster should use all legal avenues available to protect the rights of their business.  

In conclusion, by checking whether or not a domain name has keywords that are part of a trademark, webmasters lessen the risk that they will have legal problems in the future.  If there are problems, and a domain name arbitration proceeding does not rule in a webmaster’s favor, they can turn to The Domain Name Rights Coalition. 

All About Mobile Domain Names

 

When the Internet first came out it was restricted to a wired connection to a computer.  Eventually technology improved, creating wireless Internet.  At that point the Internet could be accessible through desktops, laptops and mobile devices without wiring.  This means that the Internet was now portable.  And as more mobile devices are getting created, consumers are exploring how to increase this portability.  In fact, wireless Internet has gotten so popular with mobile devices, domain name companies have created a new extension.  It’s called .mobi. 

.Mobi is the extension of choice for websites that are being formatted for cell phones, pdas and other mobile devices.  It can be bought from most major domain name companies such as Godaddy or Network Solutions.  As far as registering a .mobi domain name, one would go through the same type of procedure that is associated with traditional domain names.  This involves first choosing a .mobi domain name and seeing if it is available.  If it is not available, the domain name company will offer suggestions on what a person can use.  Either way, the customer will be given another chance to select another .mobi domain name.  Once they get one that is not taken, they can proceed to purchase it.  The contract will last one to two years, depending on what they agreed upon with the domain name company.  When the contract is up, a person will have to renew their .mobi domain name if they want to continue to keep it.

So, why would a webmaster decide to invest in a domain name that is restricted to mobile devices?  Well, it’s mainly because they get an opportunity to center in on a market that is relatively new.  Since most webmasters or companies are trying to take advantage of the .coms or the .nets, the .mobi has become somewhat forgotten.  This means that it is prime for search engine keywords that would normally not be available for traditional domain names.  It can also allow a webmaster a branding opportunity for their company. 

However, since a .mobi domain name means a webmaster is creating a website specially designed for a mobile phone, it cannot have the types of frills that it could have if it was being promoted on a computer.  Good mobile websites need to be mostly textual with very limited number of pics, (if any).   Granted, plain text is not fancy, but it doesn’t require much loading time.  Mobile phone sites should also not be very large nor should they be created with frames or other more complicated layouts.

A webmaster may also want to consider trying to divert the mobile website visitor to a regular website.  One way this can be done is by advertising the domain name that is associated with a traditional website.  But it must be made clear that the site will only display appropriately on regular computers.  Another option is trying to capture the person’s email address by offering them something free, such as an e-book or low-cost merchandise.  When they sign up to the email subscription, their first newsletter could advertise the traditional website a webmaster wants promoted.  By doing either of these options, webmasters can still take advantage of pay-per-clicks or affiliate programs, revenue generators which may not be promoted on .mobi websites due to viewing limitations with banner or text ads.  

Hyphenated Domain Names 

 

You think of a perfect domain name.  It contains a keyword that is found in search engines, has no trademark issues and is memorable for website visitors.  You try to register your domain name with a domain name company.  It appears to be taken.  So, you put a hyphen in it.  That version of your domain name is not taken, but should you go on and invest in it?  This article will explore what webmasters need to consider if they are deciding to use hyphenated domain names.

First, they need to think about their website visitors.  Most people are not accustomed to using hyphenated domain names.  Even if they like a website, it may be simply a matter of forgetting to include the hyphen.  If this happens then the unhyphenated version of the domain name will be what receives traffic, which is definitely not what a webmaster wants.  Of course, if a domain name is not hyphenated in the first place, then such an issue would never arise.

However, a hyphenated domain name that is keyword-rich has a higher chance of getting a good ranking from a search engine than a non-hyphenated domain that is not SEO optimized.  A higher search engine ranking might outweigh the initial disadvantage of how inconvenient a hyphenated domain name is.  This is because if a website has a highsearch engine ranking, people won’t need to type in the domain name in order to access it.  They can simply click on the listing given in search engine results.  And if they like the site, they will bookmark it, an action that is preferable, since it shows they are really interested in what the site has to offer. 

Webmasters should also consider whether or not their domain name is more understandable if they use a hyphen.  Consider the unusual domain name molestationnursery.com.  This is actually in reference to a website that talks about mole nurseries, not molestation.  Yet, what will most website visitors think if they saw the domain name in that manner?  Including hyphens can make such a website much clearer.  

It would also be better for SEO, since search engines would index mole-station-nursery.com with keywords related to moles.  

So, basically, there are advantages and disadvantages to using hyphenated domain names.  If a webmaster thinks their domain name is going to bring them a lot of search engine traffic, they should go for it.  And in some cases, a hyphenated domain name is necessary to make its meaning easier to understand.  Otherwise, webmasters should try their best to create non-hyphenated domain names, since these are the types of domain names that rule the Internet world.  If they are having trouble coming up with a better domain name, they can consider using a domain name generator.  Many domain name companies provide rudimentary domain name generators if a selected domain name gets turned down.  Webmasters don’t have to settle for these type though, since there are more sophisticated domain name generators that can offer even more suggestions.

Free Domain Names

Without a domain name, a person does not have a suitable way to find a website.  The only problem is domain names cost money.  Granted, if a person is operating one or two sites, the cost of a domain name, (which ranges from $1.00 to $35), probably isn’t too steep.  However, what if one is an avid marketer, making profit from hundreds of sites?  Even the minimum in domain name fees can add up.  This is why Internet marketing gurus might want to consider signing up for free domain names.  Three types of free domain name exist: third level domain names, first level domain names with lesser used extensions and first level domain names with traditional extensions.

The first type of free domain name is known as a third level domain name.  This is a domain name that is commonly distributed by free web hosting companies or affiliate programs.  Yet, there is a downside to this type of domain name.  This downside involves the first level domain name, (usually the company’s name), having to be a part of the third level domain name.  For example, consider a website created with Geocities.  If a webmaster chooses ‘web hosting’ as their third level domain name, the following would be the syntax: Geocities.com/ webhosting.  Such a domain name is not very convenient for potential visitors, so webmasters may want to consider redirecting these types of URLs to other versions of free domain names.

The second type of free domain name is a first level domain name that contains an extension that is not as popular in the Internet world.  Examples are the types of free domain names offered by Dot.tk or Free Domain.co.  The extensions offered from these companies are .tk and .co.nr, respectively.  These are far from a .com or a .net, but they are not as cumbersome to use as a third level domain name.  The main key is going to be making sure the initial domain name is short and easy to remember, so potential visitors won’t be as offset by the unusual extension.

Finally, there are free domain names with extensions that are more commonly used such as .com or .org.  To find these a person has to do some sleuthing.  Sometimes individuals will offer them for free, since they were about to expire anyway.  A person can try to find these situations through message boards dedicated to webmasters.  Other times companies will offer these types of free domain names because they are getting free ad space.  What happens is every time the free domain name is used, a pop-up ad will show up on the person’s website.  This is how the free domain name company gets their revenue. 

In conclusion, free domain names can be an excellent alternative for someone needing domains for several websites.  The best ones are those in which a person can get a first level domain, though a third level domain name is better than nothing.  To sign up for a free domain name, one can search for free domain name companies on the Internet.