February 10, 2008
By this point in the Build a Niche Store Empire in 12 Weeks series, you should have at least a basic idea of the niche market you have decided to focus on for your first store. Now that you have those thoughts in place… you have to have a domain (myniche.com) name for your site to reside.
Build a Niche Store works on the premise that you have a FREE Commission Junction (www.cj.com) account. Through that free account, you are able to sign up for the eBay affiliate program, which is by the way, VERY lucrative and popular! BANS includes a code in every lead you deliver to deliver to eBay and when the visitor buys anything within the next 7 days, you earn money. If it was a NEW eBay user who did not have an account, you get an extra $25 if they DO buy something within 30 days!
Some people have had a hard time getting approved by eBay as an affiliate through CJ, and guess what one of things they need to see is… you got it, a Domain Name! Someone will say, a domain name is not required for CJ… guess what, you are applying for an rss feed, which needs to be displayed on a website, it may not be required, but it surely doesn’t hurt! :-) There are a few other factors, but we will discuss those in the next post… BEFORE you buy the Build a Niche Store script.
So - How can you find that PERFECT domain name?
There are many tools on the web for finding the best domain name. Name Spinners, Domain Name companies that will find the best name or Brand, for your site etc. I am only going to recommend a few places in this post and they are all free!
When you register your domain, you do so through what is called a Domain Registrar. In a nutshell, they are the people who will keep track of the records associated with your domain. Kind of like the phone company to your home phone number. They keep ownership records, hosting records, history of the name etc… This is done to keep one common file in place that everyone else can look to for information. When you type in mydomain .com into a browser, it looks first at who is the registrar, then takes the info they have and does the rest! There are several out there… but I prefer to use GoDaddy for all my domain registrations. Signing up is FREE and you only pay when you register a domain at GoDaddy.
Step 1 - Setup your Free GoDaddy Account or choose a different registrar of your choice.
After you have confirmed your GoDaddy account, you are at the point that you can start searching for a domain name. Why set it up first? Some of the places I am going to refer to in this post are places you can buy existing domains which may already be indexed. If you already have the account setup, the seller can transfer it to you easily!
Now that you have you account, where do you look for a domain? I ALWAYS start at our favorite friend, domains for sale at eBay! It can be fairly confusing looking through the list of domains… and I have found one specific buyer that I go to often for the all important, Indexed Domains! The seller is: eBooks411, and they have MANY domains that are not only perfect for BANS sites, many have already Build a Niche Stores on them and are indexed! Now, you have to weigh the pros and cons of buying a site before you shell out $25 or $50 for a domain name (BANS is NOT Included on his domains) when you can get a new one for $10.00! If you see one with a pagerank of 2 or higher… Jump on it!
Another place I often visit is the Domain Name Forum (www.dnforum.com) Inside the forums, there are ALWAYS users selling off 1+ year old domains just so they dont have to register them and lose the money! Meaning, you can get a great domain alot of the time for $5.00 plus your new registration fee of $10.00/year.
I know I said I visit these places to look, but more times than not… my domains are built using the keyword research tools we discussed in the Niche Research post, google adwords sandbox , wordtracker, wordze, and ANY other keyword tool you come across!
Tip for Building Effective Domain Names
Using Wordtracker (Free or paid) - type a short form of your niche into the search tool, in the case of this niche, Hybrid Golf Equipment, I am going to type hybrid golf and hybrid club. In most cases, the top 4-10 HIGHEST VOLUME searches will yield all the info you need. Your list may be much longer than mine, I shortened it for simplification.
At this point, if you use excel, paste your list into the first and second column so both are identical. Highlight the cells in the first column with data in them… and from the top menu, choose “Edit>Replace>” in the box, just press your space-bar one time in the replace what section and click go. Your first list will now look like:
Back to excel and the second column. Edit>Replace> and in the replace WITH box, place a hyphen. Press OK and you list will be:
After you have both lists, head back to GoDaddy and login. After you have logged in, choose “Domains>Bulk Register” from the main green bar menu. In the resulting page there will be a large text box… copy and paste your word lists into the box.
Choose the boxes for both .com AND .net . While some say the extension is the most important thing for a website, it is NOT for a Build a Niche Store, and .net will be fine! Enter the access code into the box and press GO!
What you are doing is taking the HIGHEST VOLUME phrases your keyword research tool told you people are looking for and developing a domain name catering to their needs! Pretty cool huh? If GoDaddy comes back and tells you none are available, paste your list into the box a second time, but now insert the word “Buy” in front of all of them! :-) You should have a list that resembles:
Once you find the name that sounds best to you, add it to your cart and buy it up! Here are a few noteworthy things to remember about buying domain names.
There is another option when registering domains… you can make your personal information private! Some people prefer to be private with all of their domains. Myself personally, I don’t care. I have seen it posted on several forums that if your info is private, nobody (Like a brand or trademark owner) can get it. Don’t believe that… If someone wants your info, it is only a registered letter away! :-) All private registration does is slow down the process by a few days and make the registrar a few extra dollars.
Another GREAT consideration is trademark violations.
Trademark and Namesake Risks
Plain and simple… if you use a company or product “Namesake or Trademark” in your domain name, you do so with the risk of losing it! I registered a trademarked site several months ago and put up a BANS site. The site actually does extremely well for such a short amount of time in the public, but I do realize that one day, I may get a letter from them asking nicely to remove it. If you even use a company name in your domain name, do so knowing that it may need to come down one day… (Good page to read)
Bad Domain Name: BuyVictoriaSecret .com
Good Domain Name: BuyDesignerLingerie .com
The Designer Lingerie name does nto impose on the trademark and you can sell the crap out of the VS line on the website, as long as you are not representing yourself as the actual company, which the first name may imply.
The BIGGEST tip I can offer - don’t just buy domains to have them… you will end up like me with 650 domain names and not enough time in the first year to get them all monetized! Buy only what you can use in the shortest amount of time! That being said… if you stumble upon a 3-letter .com name, I will pay an extra $10 if you can register it for me at the regular price! :-)
Thats all there is to it! If you have a tip on how you register your domains, please share it below! Oh yeah… you are probably wondering the domains I registered for this first example of Hybrid Golf Clubs… well, I broke my own rule and got 3 of them. Mostly as a test…
Popularity: 28% [?]
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29 Responses to “Build a Niche Store Empire Series in 12 Weeks - Finding the Right Domain”
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[…] your Niche Researching your Niche Part 1 Researching your Niche Market Part 2 Registering a Domain for your first Niche Store Signing up for various affiliate accounts you will need for […]
Mark,
Good stuff! Cool excel trick. You will need to add a few extra 0’s to that ten bucks if I find a 3-letter!!
NOTE TO ALL:
I use the code (pch-3) to get my domains at GoDaddy for 6.95.
I wish I was getting the commish off this.
You enter the code at check-out and they re-calculate
Mark,
How do you check page rank of a domain?
Curt
BANS on!
@ Curt -
Regarding domain PR etc, I use a toolbar called SEOQuake (http://www.seoquake.com/) and turn it on and off as I search for previously owned domains.
It shows the generic PR, backlinks in Google, Yahoo, MSN, Delicous etc, as well as whois info and other infomaion all in one toolbar!
Mark
Wow,
Lots of info to digest.
the trouble I’m having is staying focused on one thing as I go. I get into searching a niche, and it is very easy to get distracted . So many things going on as you research, ads,etc. This ads to the information overload.
How do you stay focused on 1 thing at a time.
Len
one more thing.
I use both Go Daddy and netfirms
http://www.netfirms.com costs 5.95 to register.
Len
I use retail me not ( http://www.retailmenot.com/view/godaddy.com ) there are many coupon codes for godaddy I use the OYH3 code and get domains for 6.95 also. There are many stores with coupon codes you can research and see, it is free.
I always thought that you registered the main category for your
niche instead of the niche itself and then on your website target
the niche.
In other words if your main category was golf and the niche was
Hybrid Golf Clubs your website would have the name of Golf
Online Store or something catchy and then target the niche in
the website.
No wonder my stores aren’t doing well. I used the main category
for the name of my store instead of a niche product under the
main category.
Phil
Netfirms charges $5.95, but that’s only for up to five new registrations and only for the first year. The next year the price jumps to $9.95 (as stated on their web site). Godaddy is the same. $6.95 is the ‘intro’ price, then it goes up about $2 the next year. If anyone has over 100 domain names (like Mark and I), then it will be worthwhile to get a Godaddy domain reseller account and charge yourself the minimum allowed price for domains and renewals. Then you can let your friends register domains through your reseller account and save them some money too! :-)
-Dorian
PS: Great idea for this site. Any chance you offer an ‘accelerated’ version. I’m too anxious to wait 12 weeks! :-P
@ Phil R.
You actually bring up a good point!! Once you have decided on your niche, your research will dictate the focus on your domain name.
In this case, Hybrid Golf has enough categories, or hybrid golf related terms, that it is capable of supporting its own niche site.
If the site was to be focused on Hybrid Golf Irons, it may not have enough cumulative searches and demand to support the niche on its own, which would dictate my going with Hybrid Golf, and using Irons as a subcategory.
(Note: I have not researched fully yet, so hybrid irons may in fact be a good niche)
Len…I too have a tough time focusing on one task! You’re not alone on that!…especially if you have multiple stores.
Len - Try living with Mark - his mind goes about a million miles a minute (as well as mine). Together, we are a whirlwind! Staying focused is very hard to do and I think it goes along with most everyone here - people who are always looking for new and better ways to make some money! In the whole scheme of things, over active minds are so much better than being sedentary. One day, we will all be millionaires!
I think if we slow down just a bit and really digest everything Mark is talking about here - as well as others input - we can figure out a more structured approach to putting up these sites and reaping the benefits.
Now, back to being focused - let me know when you figure that out - will ya?
Great post.
With the decreasing amounts of URL’s that are still available I was forced to buy floormatsandcarpets.com for one of my BANS sites. I have a cookie cutter template that I wanted to try out that is trying to make the transition from my site to eBay as flawless as possible.
I am still working on that site as I just put it up for the content and wanted to get it out as fast as possible. So far So good!
I chose this domain name based on a shopping experience with one of my other BANS sites. I bought a pack for a podcast show we are doing and checked out the sellers last few sales. It turns out that after contacting the seller he sells TONS of these floor mats through eBay. Light bulbs were springing up everywhere.
On another note .. no matter what your domain name turns out to be you can always use SUB Domains which has great weight with search engines. And Hostgator lets you create as many SUB Domains as your little heart desires.
As much as I already know about the internet and SEO and all that jazz I am still learning … always learning … and want to say thanks for the information with the BANS! It’s all making for a GREAT outline to a real nice business plan and future income hands free!!
Very Excited …
Ernie
I’ve been looking into the previously-owned domain name area just to get some age on my domain that will help boost rankings. I have to say that this so far has been disappointing. In checking out some domains for sale, they show up as zero ranked and many are a year or less old! Including some offered for sale by ebooks411 on ebay - and he has the nerve to as $499 for these domains!!
So where are all the ranked domains with backlinks for sale? I’ve looked at quite a few sites with domains for sale, and I’m better off buying a new name for less than $10.
I have to agree with the folks having a hard time staying focused. I’ve got several BANS sites up, some still in progress, but it’s hard to keep the nose to the grindstone and just do one thing at a time until its done… :-)
Alice
Hi Alice -
I wish it were an easy game, most of the time it is just about being in the right place at the right time. I use http://www.dnforum.com more than anything for domains, but do visit eBay just as often!
To find a deal on either place, you just have to be there at the right time, when the domain is about to let go!
Another good example of finding the right domain would be our carolinacloseout.com domain. We REALLY wanted carolinacloseoutS.com as well and the current owner was not really doing much with it! It only took 1 email to buy it for $25… and the domain was active for several years!
Mark
I have a problem with staying focused also. I can dink around for days and weeks and months at a time…”going to do something” and just spacing it off day after day. But, when I remember to do this…and I’ve been making myself do it daily recently…is Make A List!
I made a list of check points for building bans stores when following along with Mark’s first series. I typed it into a notepad file, and I print it off when creating or fixing up one of my older stores. That way, I don’t forget something like adding the robots.txt file. I also make a daily hand written list. Things I want to get done that day, and yes sometimes “Laundry” is on it (it is today!). I’m always over-confident about how much I can accomplish in one day, so anything that doesn’t get finished today will go on tomorrow’s list. You don’t need anything fancy for this list. I use the backs of the pages I have printed out that I no longer need, envelopes that junk mail came in, whatever is handy and can be thrown away after I don’t need that particular list. (Besides, I’m cheap and like to totally use up stuff!).
HTH
:-)
Adrienne
I like your methodology for finding domain names. I had a heck of a time finding a name for the above website that had not been taken already.
I’m a little hesitant to purchase a domain through someone other than Hostgator, because I don’t really know how to point the name to the service; and they will do it for me. However, they cost too much and I would rather buy through someone else if I can find out how to do just that.
Thanks, Mark for having this series. It’s what I need to find my way through this process. This is a help. I wish I had known about it when you were getting folks to sign on for the core group, because I would have put my bid in.
Lionmom100
@Lionmom100
Godaddy asks you during checkout if you want to direct to a different DNS server. Just enter the two addresses and your done. It’s that easy! Now go out there and save yourself some money! You can do it!
BANS on!
Curt
I wanted to answer Alice’s question when she asks where to find older domains.
I almost always buy older domains. They are more expensive, but they perform pretty well.
I use as service which I talk about on my Bans Review post on my blog: http://www.suenosdeluz.net/2007/12/22/bans-review/
It is how I find the sites (there are almost 30,000 deleting domains every week). I then use a service called “Pool” to purchase them. They cost $60 which includes the first year of registration.
So, with a good niche, buying a site first registered in 2000, the sites tend to start off with a bang. I have just gotten into BANS and am following along with your blog instruction. I am learning a lot so far.
Thanks again,
Bill
Firstly - thanks so much for providing all of this amazing information - I just signed up for BANS and this guide is invaluable!
Secondly - sorry to anyone who’s read this post on the BANS forum - I just wanted more advice from people reading this series!
Okay - here goes. I am having trouble choosing my domain name. I’ve found what I think is a killer niche (IMHO), but am doing my head in trying to choose between two domain names. The niche itself is the name of an animal that has all sorts of wonderful items for sale on it on eBay, but is not categorized (under the collectibles > animals - plus it has way more items than this one category).
So - the dilemma is this. The name of the animal is obviously the most searched for term, with great results in both the singular and the plural in wordtracker. There is not a huge amount of competition - it’s basically right up there in the sweet spot. This is also supported in HammerTap’s auction research tool - again, great results on eBay with high prices for many, many items. I have one keyword phrase near the top of my wordtracker results which is “animals for sale” (with the name of the specific animal in there, obviously). I’ve checked on GoDaddy and can get:
http://www.animals-for-sale.com or
http://www.theanimalshop.com
I really like the second one because it will pick up both singular and plural hits, plus it doesn’t make it sounds like it’s a petshop - which I think the first one does. However, the first one is an actual keyword phrase.
Should I get both and point one to the other as a redirect?
Please help as my head will fall off soon…… :shock:
Thanks so much in advance for any help or advice you can give.
Marilla
Marilla -
Thanks for the kind words about the series… it is surely to be a help as you go through developing several sites!
I know exactly how you feel about which route to take, been there myself! I would buy both domains and actually put very similar sites on each. Make them different enough to avoid a duplicate content issue, but if ti is a good niche, you will do fine with both!
Also - I clicked on both of your domains and they are both already reserved from what I can see.
Mark
The domains are not actually as typed - where you see “animal” there is the actual creature I’m basing my niche on. That confused people in the BANS forum too. Doh! Thanks, Mark. I’m off to buy my domains…
Thank you Mark for your generous help!
Your tutorials are so wonderful!
I have a question about domain names. Is it ok to buy a name that is different from a taken one by one letter. For example …..books.com
if somebody owns ……book.com, or vice versa ?
Thanks!
@ Zal -
!! Absolutely !! I have lost several domains in the past by not registering a plural! I will likely lose several more…
That being said, if you do a whois on the domain and find it is registered by Mark Hansen or Hansen Interactive, by internet law, you have to let me grab it first! :-)
(j/k)
yea, I’ll be watching you now :-)
Mark, what do you recommend for checking domain names ?
I’ve been using instantdomainserch for the last few weeks.
Shows as you type, superfast. Before that I was using Verizon’s.
Which one is the safest ? They all steal good ideas.
thanks
Thanks a million for the tip on Godaddy, Curt. Although there are cheaper domain registrars, I love Godaddy’s support. They are nice even when I call and ask really stupid questions…..
I just saved $7.00+ on 2 sites!
Thanks again…
Dianna
Hiya
I am following this12 week build and empire course. It is fantastic thankyou for helping us.At the research stage at the moment. I have just discovered a niche that I think might be worth going after. Using Micro Niche Finder I have discovered a phrase that has a forecast of 50.000 searchs a month but only handful of sites targetting the exact phrase. The phrase is available as a domain name.
Is this the kind of thing that I am looking for?
Would it be wise to snap up this domain name?
Thanks very much for your help.
@ Paul -
If you have a 50k search term with little BANS competition, that is great!! You do however want to look at a few more factors before jumping on it…
TeraPeak sales data - check sell through rate.
If your keyword tool has a search KEI or competition search, I would check that as well. Even though there are 50,000 searches, if there are 1,000,000 pages being targeted by others, it will still be a challenging niche.
All being said… with volume like that, I would likely jump it!! :-)
Mark
Thanks Mark for your swift help and advice.
I have jumped in and bought the name for 2 years. For the price, if it a wrong decision it doesn’t matter much.
There is a strength of competition button in Micro Niche Finder and that tells me that it is a good proposition too.
Thanks again for running this series for us, I have had BANS since Nov 07 but just jumped in and set up some sites, with no pre building work and hoped for the best. As you would expect the results and returns have been poor.
I am sure that with your expert assistance things will get better.
Cheerio for now