A Domain Name Gold Rush…
Is where fools rush away their gold for domain names.
Hello, and welcome to scratchpad! This is my completely irregular, unreliably scheduled column on whatever streams through my head. We used to call this silliness, but on the web today it’s valued as “transparency.” 
Seriously though, I do believe in transparency, so here’s some food for thought:
1 – Last year, I spent hundreds of dollars on domain names. I’m letting many of them drop this year. Why? 2 reasons.
- Focus: You can’t be successful by doing a million projects at once.
- Trademark issues: I was a little aggressive in buying some domain names. While I was not quite squatting, the domains would probably be taken away if I ranked them and turned them into any kind of commercially successful sites. Oops!
2 – Focusing on providing great value can be a superior way to accumulating gold, as opposed to domain name speculation and praying for a greater fool to show up. Here are some great items of value I’ve found online:
Local Search Ranking Factors | Google & Yahoo Local SEO Best Practices – 2009
- RescueTime Solo: Free Time Management Software | RescueTime
10 Questions to Ask a New Link Marketing Client | Wiep.net
Wordstream keyword management software
Getting started with landing page management – Post-Click Marketing Blog
3 landing page management metrics – Post-Click Marketing Blog
36 landing page management secrets for post-click marketing – Post-Click Marketing Blog
For Every Optimization, There’s a Pyramid, So Get Started | FutureNow’s GrokDotCom
Dilbert Teaches Reputation Management
Turn your stories into profits | The Total Package
The Daily Beatings Will Continue Until Response Improves | The Total Package
userfly — Web usability testing made easy.
The Link Builder’s Guide To Analyzing SERP Dominators For Link Opportunities
Setting up a New WordPress Blog for SEO | Internet Business Pro by Joe Perez
Hiding Content in Your RSS Feed
4 Video Optimization Experts Dish Killer Tips » aimClear Search Marketing Blog
Six Habits of Highly Effective PPC Managers
Aaron Bradley has had his own SEO blog for about 7 months now, though I just found out recently. Add his rss to your readers – you won’t regret it!
And if you liked this post, add my feed to your reader!
I noticed you listed USerfly in your list of ‘great items of value’. Another one you should check out is Loop11 (www.loop11.com). THis is another great tool for usability testing.
Reply
Gabriel Goldenberg Reply:
July 14th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
It looks interesting, but I’m not sure they’re all that different from a decent web analytics tool. Can you show me where they add value that a decent analytics tool couldn’t?
Reply
Comment by Shaun Webber — July 14, 2009 @ 2:22 am
Hey Gab,
I totally agree with the focus issue. Working with small businesses always seems to present other opportunities. The other half of the issue for me is passion. They go hand in hand.
Btw. I like this style of post a lot!
Reply
Gabriel Goldenberg Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
hey Bob,
Yeah, there are millions of opportunities. Honestly, people who say the domain name game is finished and you can’t make money in it – I see people giving away opportunities, daily. (Not talking about domain name gold/land rushes though. More in the generic space.)
What do you mean by this style of post? I’d love to be able to replicate that
.
Reply
Bob Potter Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
2 Points…
1) Your thoughts were short and to the point. Not a lot of meat, but…transparent.
2) I love links.
2.5) For clarity sake, I like your regular, educational type posts as well.
Reply
Comment by Bob Potter — July 16, 2009 @ 1:00 am