The very first thing that you would need to create your website is buying a domain name and hosting package. While getting your desired hosting package isn’t an issue, sometimes you may find it difficult to buy your desired domain name. For instance, how can you buy a domain name that is already been purchased by another person or business? It may be challenging to buy such domain names and many times the buyer may not be willing to sell it. It presents a challenging situation and there are multiple aspects to consider before making any final decision. In this guide we are going to list some of the main factors to consider while buying such domains:
Decide if you need domain name or complete website
Some people love to buy a domain name and hosting package, create their website, upload the relevant content, and updating I on a timely basis when needed. However, not everyone has the patience to wait until the result pour in. Such clients can purchase the entire running website of the desired niches including domain name and hosting. It is a quicker approach but needs you to invest more care as such websites are transferred to you and if there is any legal liability involved you would be the one to face it. Moreover, the functionality and design attributes of the site likes themes and extensions may or may not be included in the deal. So it is best to confirm these things with the seller before you proceed with the deal.
The best ways to buy premium domain name
You can either find the taken domain name in the domain marketplaces or you may approach the domain one privately and request them to sell the domain name.
For contacting the owner you can either check the email address on the website and send them the mail or you can also contact them via the contact form. Another way to get their email address is to check it in domain whoistool
Besides there are different domain marketplaces where you can buy your desired domain name that has been taken. One of the most trusted sites is domain.com
All you have to do is to visits the site and search for the name that you wish to buy. If it has already been taken then it will inform you about the same through a message. In many cases such domain name is available at premium prices.
If you think that the domain price is too high for you to buy it then you can check the same domain on other marketplaces and see if you can get the same domain name at a lower price. This method doesn’t always work and you may not find that name on other sites which shows that the some is not available for sale.
Don’t buy same domain name with different extension
One of the natural methods employed by people to overcome these challenges to buy the same domain with a different extension. It seems to be a great option. However, it can hurt your branding.
The first thing is that the domain name has already been purchased and the owner may have done some branding around it. So, it will dilute your brand identity. If the owner has already done good branding then people may think that you are duplicating their brand. It affects the brand credibility.
Check trademark status of the domain name
It is also possible that the domain name is a registered trademark of a business that is already running in which case it can bring legal hassles that can affect your business continuity. To confirm that you can check the US trademark database.
One more thing to keep in mind is that along with registering the same site with the trademark domain name, you cannot use the part of the domain name that is registered trademark.
Always be open to other options
One thing to keep in mind is that buying premium domain name could be an expensive affair and many times it is not rationally justified to invest a significant amount to buy them, especially for the start-ups or small business owners. Did you know that some premium names can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars?
Moreover, you don’t only have to buy a domain name but may also need to invest extra in branding activities if that name belongs to another business. Building rapport with the targeted audience and consumers becomes all the more challenging. In most of the cases, there is no point in making your entrepreneurial journey complicated by going through all these unnecessary hassles and stress.
An easy way is to buy another domain name that is relevant for your industry, represents your branding objectives, and is available at realistic rates. So, it is always advisable to keep your options open and be prepared to go for another name. However, in some cases, it does make a sense to pay a reasonable premium price to get the domain name. For instance, if you are in a domain business and wish to resell a domain with high potential and ready clients then you can carefully weigh the important business aspects like cost, potential profits, resale possibilities, etc. and then buy premium domain names.
Check domain name’s history
The domain name may have been associated with the same website (s) in the past you can check this by visiting Wayback machine, here you can also find the contact info of past owners to reach them of r further details. Avoid buying the domain names that had been associated with spammy malicious or gambling websites as they can acutely harm your digital reputation. Such domain names also expose you to the risk of Google Penalties and may even land you into the legal soup.
Visit WaybackMachine to check if the domain name had earlier been associated with websites having malicious or spammy content. If the history is not clear or you wish to get additional details then you can also contact the domain owners whose information is also available on Wayback Machine.
The domain names with a troubled history can acutely hurt your digital reputation. They can also expose your site to Google penalties and may even land you into legal troubles. Avoid buying such domain names at any cost.
Be careful while assessing the domain name’s worth
Just like the real estate it is very difficult if not downright impossible for the beginners to determine the real worth of the domain name. You may end up paying an unreasonable amount for an average domain name and if you are lucky then you may buy a high potential domain name at throwaway prices. The sellers are free to set any price and change it anytime. As a buyer you have to use your discretion while determining the worth and relevance of the domain name.
A few tools may help you in determining the worth of premium domain names. While they cannot be called the ultimate tools to base your buying decision, these tools give you clear insights making it easier for you to take the final decision.
· DOMAININDEX.com
· Estibot.com
· Valuate.com
Conclusion
Buying domain names may get challenging if the desired domain name has already been purchased. In that case you should be ready to invest significantly higher amounts to buy domain name. Besides, there are various other aspects to be considered. In this guide we presented some of the best tips on how to buy premium domain names like a pro.