RSS feedThe most obvious thing you would do when starting a new blog is to register a new domain name that serves both as a powerful brand, and a permanent address on the web. But here’s the problem; all the good domain names are taken!
This is due to several factors:
- Domain "Squatters" - People / companies who register and hold domain names for years, with the hope of cashing in a few years later when the value for the domains are high.
- Abandoned Sites - Someone registered a domain name and had the good intentions of setting up a website, but never quite got to it.
- Brand Equity - Sometimes a person would register all domains names that sound alike to protect his brand. That includes all .net, .org, .info and other variants
All single word domains have probably been registered years ago. Catchy two-word domains are hard to come by unless you get lucky - so the next best option would be 3-word domains. But hold on..
Just because a domain name has been registered, it does not mean that you can’t get your hands on it. Let me show you how I got some great domain names using not-so-secret but severely overlooked methods that are easy and works most of the time.
GoDaddy’s "Back Order" Domains
Sometimes I get excited when I find a domain name, and register it without thinking twice. One year later when it’s time to renew my domain, I may decide to let it go as by then I’d probably have accumulated a lot of domains from this rather bad habit 
And guess what - there are a lot of others who do the same thing! Every day thousands of good, catchy domains expire.
GoDaddy allows you to "back order" domains, which basically means "order now, get it later". Each order gets you a "credit" which lasts for one year and can be transferred to other domains. GoDaddy will attempt to secure your domain automatically, and they will inform you when it’s successful.
When you backorder a domain name, the moment the previous owner decides to let it go you’re the most likely person to get it.
For example lets say the domain name ProfitBlogger.com expires one month from now. If you backorder this domain and I don’t renew it when time’s up, you get the domain. If I do renew it however, you get to apply the "credit" to other domain names that you want to get.
The trick to using this method is to determine the expiry date of a domain, and the only tool you need to use is WhoIs.sc - make sure the domain name has less than a year to go. Once you’ve backordered a domain, no one else will be able to do it via GoDaddy so that’s a bit reassuring!
Some domain names I’ve secured with back orders:
- PLRBlogger.com - $18.99
- BlogSecret.com - $18.99
I also have several active backorders for domain names expiring within the next 6 months.
Buy Deleted Domain Names
When a domain expires and it not backordered by someone, it becomes a deleted domain. You can find thousands of such domains at DeletedDomains.com. This site used to be free, but now you have to pay XX a year to subscribe to their service. When you do you’ll be able to wade through thousands of domains deleted in the past 24 hours up to a year ago.
Use their search function and subscribe to alerts based on keywords you want in your domain. You have to be quick, or the good domains usually get bought by squatters.
GoDaddy’s Domain Name Aftermarket
Domain squatters sometimes decide it’s time to cash in, and they start looking for buyers. GoDaddy’s Domain Name Aftermarket (TDNAM) is where you’ll find a lot of these people selling off rather good domains for pretty cheap. They do it through three methods:
- Buy Now - The owner has already listed a selling price. Meet it and the domain is yours.
- Offer /Counter Offer - The seller has a suggested price. Make and offer and he can counter or accept your offer.
- Highest Bidder - Bid for the domain name. If you’re the highest bidder, you get it.
Although it requires you to search and browse through many crappy domains, you do get to find gems in here. The trick is to use the search feature properly, and also add desired domains to your "Watch List" to monitor price changes and bids.
Some of the domain names I’ve secured with from TDNAM:
- IncomeAutomated.com - $10
- ProfitResponse.com - $10
- PLRSecret.com - $10
- AutopilotBlogger.com - $5
- AutoresponderProfit.com - $100
* To use TDNAM you have to subscribe to it, which costs $4.99 / year
Buy Domains From SitePoint
SitePoint.com is another place you can buy domains. With this site however negotiations are strictly between you and the owner, with no third-party help. Domain owners usually buy a listing here and go to great lengths to convince you that their domain is worth the price.
You can buy domains with no traffic, or a little bit of traffic if it has been used and promote before. You can also buy domain names with the entire website.
Make An Offer They Can’t Refuse, Via Sedo
Sedo.com is quite like GoDaddy’s TDNAM, but you’ll find really good domains here and they usually also cost a lot too.
Even if a domain is not for sale on Sedo, you can still benefit from the site. They have a feature where they help you to negotiate the purchase of domain names from the current owner. You remain anonymous until the sale is completed.
You make an offer for the domain, and Sedo conveys that to the domain owner. He can then counter your offer, accept it or reject it without further negotiation. Start low but not too low, and counter offer as much as possible till both parties are satisfied with the price. If you start off with a ridiculous price you’ll get no response, so be realistic. Some domains are worth a lot of money, and the owner probably knows it
They also send you a "domain appraisal" report as part of the service.
Domains I’ve got from Sedo:
- BlogProfit.com - $700
- ProfitBlogger.com - $1,800
