When it comes to getting the most traffic to your site, having the best domain name is a vital piece of the puzzle. Many people assume that there are no good domains names left. While the shortest domains like cats.com, cars.com and homes.com have been long since claimed, there are still some gems available that can help you to enjoy a broader audience and greater Web presence.
Find an Expired Domain
Every day, people buy domains with the hope of creating sites around them and using them to generate income. While this method works for some, many of these domain owners will simply never use them and allow them to expire. This is where you can swoop in and get a deal. You can usually snap up expired domains for less than $20 each, and there are many great ones available. Sometimes the owners simply forget to renew their ownership and you can often find short domain names. Most domain hosting sites offer auctions where you can bid on expired domains and snatch them up before they go back on the market.
Make Up a Word
When in doubt, make up your own word. Sites like Toggl, Venmo and Trivago take combinations of letters and get creative. The sky is the limit for these domains. The word “Google,” meant nothing in 1985, but is now a household name. You simply need to know how to market your domain name to make it just as successful as short word domains. Your domain name can even be an acronym, another option that will make it easier for you to get a catchy name if your first choice is taken.
Choose a New Extension
Think beyond dot com. Now you can choose from a variety of extensions, making the new world of domains wide open. If baby.com is taken, try baby.nyc. The new extensions include catchy descriptors like .rocks, .guru, .club or .today. The old standbys—dot org and dot biz still have a range of short domains available. You are no longer limited to just dot com when it comes to domain names.
Barter and Negotiate
If there is a domain name that you really want, simply contact the domain’s owner and work out a deal. If the price is right, you may be able to get the name you want. In a lot of cases, the owner is simply not doing anything with the domain. They may own it simply for the purpose of selling it later, which makes it a good deal for you. Make an offer on their domain and see if they will bite. If they bought it cheap, they may be willing to let it go for cheap as well.
Name an Event
When something newsworthy happens, register the domain name immediately and start to capitalize off of the publicity. Pop culture events happen all the time, so keep your eyes open for the next big thing that can mean a profitable domain name.
The best domain names are still out there. All you have to do is look.
Aubrey Moulton is a writer for Nethosting.com. In her spare time, she loves to go hiking on local Utah trails and spend time reading.