Knowing the value of an internet domain name is crucial in today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s business industry. Altough there is no exact formula to appraise a domain, there are a group of things to consider before putting a value to a domain. A majority of people will base their immediate appraisal on TLD extension, word length and keyword popularity but won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really consider backlinks, brandability or emerging trends part of the equation. There are a few factors that a person must be aware of before they can feel they have thoroughly assessed the domain and attach a valid appraisal amount. The first thing a person can do to is recognize that there are many subtle components that need to be assembled and viewed as a whole to get a comprehensive perspective on the domain. It seems every domainer has their own method used to appraise a domain so I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve listed a few factors that I feel are necessary in being considered before a domain can be appraised.<\/p>\n
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TLD Extension<\/p>\n
TLD or Top-Level Domain is the ending extension attached to a domain such as . com, . net or . org. The . com extension is considered the most sought after even though there are other TLD\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s that are gaining huge popularity and acceptance. CC\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s or Country Codes are also seeing their fair share of registrations.<\/p>\n
Name Length<\/p>\n
Now that all the 2, 3 and 4 letter . com\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s have been registered, the letter count on a domain is fast becoming a huge factor in a domain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s worth. The desire for a short domain is at an all time high and values are steadily climbing due to the limited supply of shorter length domains. Seems shorter names are easier to remember and with that a value increase.<\/p>\n
Characters, Numbers and Hyphens<\/p>\n
Hyphens integrated between letters are often viewed as separators between keywords. Although there is much dispute whether or not the hyphens negatively impact a domain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s search engine optimization, there is considerable preference that a domain not include anything extra in it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s name. Number digits are beginning to see their popularity rise and can be included with relevant keywords or letters to make a great domain.<\/p>\n
Keyword Popularity<\/p>\n
Marketable search terms and keyword popularity are extremely relevant in appraising a domain name. The frequency of a given search term helps to indicate the brandability or popularity of the keyword. Generic word domains, such as flowers. com or poker. com are the strongest in their keyword popularity genre.<\/p>\n
Traffic and Revenue<\/p>\n
Traffic or visitors to a particular domain is one of the most important factors to consider when appraising a domain. More traffic usually means more revenue due to pay-per-click income and possible advertising opportunities, therefore increasing the value of the domain.<\/p>\n
Brandability and Trends<\/p>\n
Any domain that is easily memorable, short and non-descript is considered brandable and therefore increases it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s value. It would be easier for a person to remember TVrepair. com instead of the longer fix-my-broken-television. com . Not only is the first choice shorter and has better word flow but also there is less of a chance of someone incorrectly typing in the URL. Also keep tuned in to current trends that may seem to increase an otherwise meaningless domain into a treasure. An example is when Apple Computers began to incorporate the letter i into their products descriptions, such as iPhone, iPod and iLife.<\/p>\n
Automated Domain Appraisals<\/p>\n
This is a tricky one. Although I feel automated domain appraisal systems such as Estibot are helpful in assisting to appraise a domain, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel they should be the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153end all\u00e2\u20ac\u009d decision used to obtain a domain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s value. If used more as a reference tool, they can be one of the greatest resources that help determine an appraisal value. Any script\/applications can have some bugs, especially ones with complex algorithms as Estibot. Make automated domain appraisals one of the tools to find an appraisal, not the only tool.<\/p>\n
Future Potential Interest and Overall Appeal<\/p>\n
As time goes by, new words, trends and fads explode onto the scene, and with each new word or trend created, a domain is born. Stay up with current events and become a regular visitor to news aggregate sites, such as Digg and domain industry specific DNHour to stay on the cusp of emerging potential interests.<\/p>\n
Backlinks<\/p>\n
I like to keep my eye on the number and quality of backlinks to evaluate an domain appraisal. While tons of irrelevant backlinks might negatively effect a domain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s search engine optimization, it can still be a positive thing for a domain names\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 value. With more and more domains being \u00e2\u20ac\u0153parked\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, the links tend to lean towards relevant backlinks and therefore less likely to be bogged down in the SEO nightmare of page rank. And, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hard to argue that backlinks don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t increase traffic.<\/p>\n
Relevance, Region Specific and other Fuzzy Logic<\/p>\n
As said earlier, there is no exact formula to appraise a domain name, and therefore the not-so-exact elements must come into play. An example would be that veteran domainers tend to skew their entire method of appraising when it comes to country specific or region specific domain names. Different factors are incorporated to determine non-English domain word values and domainers across the globe are becoming better in detecting future potential interests in foreign markets. Another example is the continuously growing popularity of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153long-string domaining\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, or stringing multiple words or keywords to achieve a brandable and memorable domain name. TacoBell has ThinkOutsideTheBun. com and Amazon has the domain BuyABook. com. By definition, these would not be very valuable but that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s when the fuzzy logic creeps in. A domain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s value can be perceived in multiple ways. <\/p>\n
Have your Domain Appraised<\/a> at the recommended Domain Appraisal King<\/a><\/p>\n