The idea of domain flipping is a bit of a hot topic. For some, domain flipping seems like a fast track to a six-figure salary. For others, the idea of domain flipping is considered to be taking unfair advantage of internet users who are trying to find the perfect domain for their website (think cybersquatting).\u00a0<\/p>\n
Regardless of your thoughts on the subject, I\u2019ll outline some useful information to help you on your way to making some money. On top of this, we will look specifically at the .BOND domain and use it to show how you can make some serious cash from the comfort of your home (or coffee shop if you\u2019re like me and find working from home too distracting).<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve spent some time around cars, or you\u2019re a big fan of HGTV like I am, then there\u2019s a good chance that you know of or have even been someone who has bought a clunker with the hope of fixing it up to turn a profit; domain flipping is a lot like that. However, instead of buying a clunker or fixer-upper, you buy an old domain that hasn\u2019t been registered with the hope of selling it to a future bidder.<\/p>\n
If you think that this could be your fast track to quitting your day job, don\u2019t get too ahead of yourself. You\u2019ll find a lot of domain flipping guides online that taut domain flipping as a quick job, but in reality, those precious domain names could take months (even years) to sell. But, if you\u2019re patient and do your research, then there is some serious money in this game.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For example, the domain \u201cCars.com\u201d allegedly sold for almost $900 million, so you can see that people are ready to pay top dollar for their desired domains.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you do a little research on what kinds of domain names are valuable, you\u2019ll quickly notice that the top-priced domain names are usually short and consist of one or two words.\u00a0 For example, Insurance.com sold for $35 million in 2010.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the defining characteristics of a valuable domain name:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Length<\/b>: The shorter, the better (most of the time). Domain names that are three to four letters long are naturally valuable because there aren\u2019t many more three-letter names for .COM and .NET domains left. There are still a few options for three to four character domains with various extensions, but they move fast. This is why they tend to be so valuable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
(also think about how common three-character company names are. This adds value as well)<\/p>\n
Authority\/Age<\/b>: Much like fine wine, old domain names tend to increase in value with age. A good domain that has been around for a decent amount of time has probably racked up a ton of backlinks, which makes it perform better in SEO.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Old age + backlinks + good name = $$$<\/p>\n
Brandability<\/b>: Look back at the first characteristic in this list and notice that I said \u201cmost of the time\u201d when it came to three to four-character domain names. When it comes to domain name value, the ability to make the name brandable is imperative to the payout. A three-character domain like \u201clol.com\u201d is brandable, while something like \u201c8j@.com\u201d probably won\u2019t ever be branded. So, when you\u2019re looking for domain names, no matter the character length, try to pick the ones with the best brand potential.<\/p>\n
Extensions<\/b>: .COM names are almost always the most valuable, but there are plenty of other extensions that can bring in some cash. We\u2019ll come back to this point in just a minute.<\/p>\nStart Flipping Domains<\/h3>\n
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