As a domain registrar, we’re often asked what makes for a “good” domain name. In general, the best domains are short, memorable, and provide some value in Search Engine Optimization (SEO). A small subset of all possible domain names fit that bill—called Premium domains—and are priced higher as a result. An even smaller subset of names, which we call Platinum domains, are some of the most valuable and sought after.
Many people invest in Premium and Platinum domains, expecting to be able to sell them to another party for a profit. There has been no shortage of high-profile domain sales over the years. In 2001, for instance, the Hotels.com domain was sold for $11 million. While that seems like a steep price, the domain was and still is absolutely central to the brand, and likely contributed to the company being acquired for $1.1 billion, just a couple of years later.
Aside from the disparity in value between Premiums and Platinums, the actual process of purchasing the domains also differs slightly. While Premium domains can be registered much like standard domains—search for a name on the website, add it to your cart and check out—Platinum domains do not have a listed price. Instead, when you come across a Platinum domain on our site, you are prompted to “make an offer” to purchase it. A representative will contact you regarding your offer, provide some background information on the domain, and begin negotiating on the price.
.Com domains aren’t the only ones seeing big offers. Despite being just a couple of years old, new generic TLDs are gaining traction in the primary and secondary markets. Domain names with extensions such as.LIVE and .LTD have recently sold for six figures in the last few weeks. More such sales seem likely as end-users and customers become more aware of new domains.
Enom has access to many short, memorable domains in new gTLDs. To give you an idea of the types of domains that fall into the Platinum category, here are just a few examples still available for purchase at the time of this writing:
- .ATTORNEY
- Tax.ATTORNEY, Bankruptcy.ATTORNEY, DWI.ATTORNEY, NewYork.ATTORNEY
- .FORSALE
- Cars.FORSALE, Home.FORSALE, House.FORSALE, Property.FORSALE
- .LAWYER
- Criminal.LAWYER, DUI.LAWYER, California.LAWYER, Immigration.LAWYER
- .LIVE
- Watch.LIVE, A.LIVE, Football.LIVE, News.LIVE, Chat.LIVE
- Watch.LIVE, A.LIVE, Football.LIVE, News.LIVE, Chat.LIVE
- .MARKET
- Super.MARKET, Stock.MARKET, Money.MARKET, World.MARKET
- .NEWS
- Latest.NEWS, World.NEWS, Tech.NEWS, Live.NEWS, Daily.NEWS, Global.NEWS
- .VIDEO
- Live.VIDEO, Streaming.VIDEO, Free.VIDEO, Exercise.VIDEO
As you can tell from these examples, Platinum domains tend to be highly descriptive and easy to understand and remember for end-users. Like Hotels.com, they are ready-made to have strong brands built around their names and can make a big splash at the national or global scale.
Ultimately, we’re interested in building awareness for new gTLDs, and helping end-users find the right domain name. What that means is, if you have a great idea for using a Platinum domain name—and are prepared to develop it into a web property that people will see and use—we’re willing to take that into account when negotiating a price.
We’re always open to hearing what you have to say about domains we’re offering, whether they’re standard, Premium, or Platinum. Search for a Platinum name now and make us an offer, or contact the registry directly at premiumsales@rightside.co so representatives can work with you to find the perfect domains.