Complete Newbie Guide to Becoming a Domainer

47 Responses to “Complete Newbie Guide to Becoming a Domainer”

1. Kris says:

   February 26, 2023 at 4:47 AM

   Hi:

   Can you create an updated article for this topic for 2023?

   Thanks,

   Reply
2. lmnabdel says:

   February 10, 2019 at 1:45 AM

   Im a newbie in domaining and seriously this article is full of great informations.

   Thank you.

   Reply
3. Russell Pittock says:

   October 13, 2018 at 9:44 PM

   Some good advice and interesting points covered for someone who is about to “dip their toe in the water”. Many thanks.

   Reply
4. Alex says:

   December 3, 2016 at 2:50 PM

   Hi,
   when you purchase a domain to resell what are the steps that have to be done with registering it. I’m confused on that end. Doesn’t the person you are selling to need to register it themselves?

   Reply
   1. Michael Cyger says:

      December 4, 2016 at 11:37 AM

      Hi Alex,

      When you purchase a domain name, you then have the right to resell that domain name to someone else. In the process of selling it, you transfer ownership of the domain name to the buyer — just as it was transferred to you.

      There are many fundamentals that you need to understand before you will be successful in doing this. If you want to short-circuit the learning process, you can take DNAcademy.com. Sign up for the DomainSherpa newsletter for a discount.

      Otherwise, watch every show you can here on DomainSherpa. It will take you longer, you’ll need to figure out which parts are still applicable today, the proper order of concepts, etc. If you have to learn by the “school of hard knocks” then this is the place to go, but you need to learn more before you invest a penny in domain names.

      Good luck,
      Michael

      Reply
5. Julio Maysonet says:

   November 8, 2016 at 3:52 PM

   Thank you for the great blog post.

   One thing that is missing from this article is domain name forums. It’s also a great place to learn, talk to other domainers and sell domain names as well.

   Reply
6. Ruben says:

   April 10, 2015 at 4:50 AM

   Hello!

   Step 6 is crucial!
   Thanks for this post!

   Reply
7. Dreighen says:

   May 3, 2012 at 2:11 AM

   I’m a newbie domainer, well soon to be. What I would like to know more about is about how I set up my domain investment company, and those steps. Do Domainers usually go LLC? Get business loans? Or do they just start with their own capital and buy small?

   Love the interviews on here btw, great site!

   Reply
8. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

   March 15, 2011 at 5:23 AM

   @Prosper,

   Estibot is not listed as number #2 – it’s step #4. The steps are not ranked in order of importance. People can skip steps and ignore advice, picking and choosing what they want. I like to hear a dozen places you recommend. I have used more than a dozen appraisal tools. My list of 12 are below

   NameBoy
   WebsiteOutlook
   7Zoom
   WebDetails
   Estibot
   URLAppraisal
   Appraise.Epik
   Valuate
   Swift Appraisal
   Sedo Price suggestion
   Cube Stat
   Swift Appraisal
   Go Daddy Express Appraisal

   What do I think is the best appraisal system? instinct. Every value is too high or low. People who have experience can make buying and selling decisions, End-users will pay high amounts. I know several that will claim they paid too much for a domain. The market dictates the price – sales and the niche. You can sell a domain for whatever another will pay.

   As I mentioned in a past post, the most popular blogs have mentioned Estibot. They tend to price some of their domains near the estimates.

   Interesting how a few of you are criticizing the article when another blog prepared a story on valuate. He mentioned the same thing about setting your own values.

   https://www.elliotsblog.com/taking-valuate-com-for-a-test-drive-7664

   Estibot does have good keyword metric tools. You can also use Google to check the monthly searches and exact searches.

   I assure you another popular blog even wrote an article on why they prefer Estibot metrics. I suppose 14% of the domainers who voted Estibot as their favorite domain tool are unreliable. This data is as recent as 4 weeks ago.

   Reply
9. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

   March 15, 2011 at 4:24 AM

   @Joe,

   The problem is that many new domainers get into the trend domains. Several blogs influence them to buy these domains. I purchased some quality keyword resume domains back in October. I sold two of them three months later to cover the cost of my inventory four times over. Why wait 5 years? I can flip domains now.

   The same results were produced with job domains, taxi domains, and movie domains. I’m sure my education domains will be next. I have several domains that are getting type-in traffic. These are keyword service and product domains. I will develop these domains. One domain is getting 3,000 unique per month. I purchased this generic domain while watching a show in July. I get clicks on this domain every day. It’s in a popular niche.

   Some have the same mentality with attending college. They will try to work for 5 years to save for college because they refuse to get loans. After 5 years, they change their mind to attend college. Life changes. Waiting to purchase domains will cause many to miss out on the good domains. There are always others looking for the same domains. New domainers need to build an inventory to sell. It’s like opening a new story with no inventory. They’ll never succeed.

   You can’t run a domain business without domains. I have written many blogs on telling people what to buy. I even post my WhyPark revenue every month. People will then know what visitors are clicking on.

   Your formula is good to slowly ease into the industry. However, a person that wants immediate results can deliver them with buying domains in a few niches. Passive domaining will delay results. People do have to make some mistakes to succeed. Once you learn, you will retain that knowledge. New domainers can avoid buying many questionable domains with purchasing specific domains.

   Even experts don’t always give the best advice. They may glance over a list and say a domainer has nothing good. But then, a domainer can go out and make many sales. It really depends on the person. Do they want immediate results? Or do they want to wait 4-5 years to take a gamble?

   Registering many decent domains in various niches will produce results. When a dozen domains begin to perform, you then can add more content to build on that traffic. Finding buyers in the first few months is better than waiting the last few months.

   By the time the 60 day grace period ends, unless one is selling to another members within the same registrar, a domainer can make a sale. It might not be easy for them to sell a domain. but at least they gain the practical experience.

   Thanks for sharing your buying and selling tips.

   JAG

   Reply
10. Joe says:

    March 15, 2011 at 2:48 AM

    A huge problem with starters is they often spend notable amounts of money buying worthless domains. This is a two-step guide I always recommend to starters asking me:

    1) Don’t buy each and every domain you can think of. Instead, everytime you like a domain, write it down on a list. When your list contains 10-15 of them, you will choose the best 2-3 and secure them.

    2) While you do your research and acquire your domains with my rule above, try to resell a fraction of them on domain forums in order to fund your new purchases with money from domaining AND to test the marketability of your domains. If you haven’t managed to sell any by the time you bought 10-15 of them, stop acquiring new ones and try to focus on whether there’s something wrong with them (posting your questions on domain forums is a good idea).

    I can assure these two simple rules will make new domain investors save much money and expand their knowledge fast.

    Reply
11. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 11:00 PM

    I think appraisal systems provide people with information. You have to determine the value. You can sell a domain for whatever you think another will pay. I can tell you that a top domain who has money will not pay top dollars for a top keyword domain worth a ton.

    I can tell you that a resume company spending $10,000 a year on advertising will not pay $200 a piece for 3 keyword domains they depend on to operate. However, another resume company with knowledge will purchase a site because they understand the value. A job developer will purchase specific job domains because also realize the value.

    Appraisal systems are tools. You can ask 10 times, 20 times, or even 100 times more or less. It doesn’t matter the value. DNJournal sales demonstrate people will pay high amounts. They will reject high amounts. Valuable domains will sit around on sites with no buyers. It’s all about the demand and whether the domain will make them revenue.

    I talked to many past buyers. They will wonder how I found them. Many will say they paid too much or didn’t know when to stop in an auction. These same people will be frugal if you don’t have what they want. It’s all about owning the right domains.

    The best appraisal tool is your instinct. There are many people in forums and on domain blogs that will try to talk like they’re a scientist. Newbies need basic information so they can take the next step. Appraisal systems are only a tool. Even your favorite blog owners will base a price on a past sale. They will use domains that are far more valuable as an indicator. It’s like comparing homes.com to homesales.com. Or mortgage.com to mymortgage.com. They use the generic domain sales to set high prices on their domains.

    Maybe we should develop a tool to detect how many times people mention Estibot on your favorite blogs. You’ll be surprised. It’s common.

    Reply
12. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 10:40 PM

    New Step 1: Visit DnForum.com or NamePros.com

    It’s initiation time. You have to learn to take criticism. Expect people to make comments and ridicule your domains and you. 

    Step 2: Take a swim over to a popular domain blog

    Domain blog owners will treat you nice. They’ll answer all your questions. However, a month or two later they will make comments and treat you like you’re in kidgergarten because they assume you ask too many questions. ***These are exact situations, not made up.   

    Step 3: Visit a domain registrar to invest money  

    Register hundreds of domains. It’s doesn’t matter if they’re tm, or whatever. Buy a local street name, a long tailed domain, or even a 3d domain. Spend tons of money. Learn from your mistakes. *** some newbies on domain blogs    

    Step 4: Apply for auctions 

    Submit domains and get rejected. Complain that your domains are of quality. Get discouraged. *** many complaining on blogs about auction rejections.   

    Step 5: Visit a web developing inspired blog 

    Use Estibot to appraise your domains. Drop every domain under $100. **(worst advice ever). I own 15 domains I will never drop under that value. Even a handful that have no appraisal value. 

    Step 6: Send emails to end-users

    Write an end-user to purchase your domains. End-user responds. “Why should I purchase your domain?”” It’s worth $300 on an appraisal system.” Rejected. 

    Steps are steps. There is no right order. DNJournal is a good step. Nobody tells a person to believe they can sell domains for those amounts. I’ll contact any person to buy. I’ll never back down. I can reply back to any request.  

    I can tell a domainer what metrics mean, how to find site tags for keywords, where to find a stat counter to monitor the exact traffic, and what is the best development site to use to build a domain for free. New domainers  need steps. They will ask questions. 

    If you can prove results, then I think such advice is credible. People are complaining because they have a grudge against a platform, or two. When I used CraigsList to sell a few domains, I know how to separate the leads from the scam prospects. 

    What works for another will not for one person. A new domainer shouldn’t cold call a business to offer a domain until they learn about domains. Companies will reject them the moment they don’t have enough information to support the need to buy their domains. They’ll be lucky to even receive a request to buy or to negotiate. 

    Every guide is different. The only problem I see is people complaining about Domaining and Estibot. Would an inexperienced people do well in a forum on a subject they’re still learning? 

    Should they go to a newbie forum on DNForum, NamePros, a popular domain blog, and or read past articles on domains representing a pyramid scheme? Better yet, watch YouTube videos on domains.  

    The best way to learn domains is with personal experiences. You can hire a domain consultant if youre willing to pay $150-300 a hour. 

    The truth is the best way to become successful is to find 3-5 niches you know. Put all your work into developing the sites. Hire a write on elance to write cheap articles. Build links on those domains. Sign up for affiliates. 

    When you join the military, will you learn to march the first night? No. You’ll probably step all over people. Everything is a learning game. 

    Will a new domainer register a domain, and then sell it for $10,000 in 60 days? Probably not, but anything is possible. Look at Afternic.

    Thanks for the feedback. If you disapprove of the steps, then that’s your opinion. 

     

     
          

     

        
        

    Reply
13. BullS says:

    March 14, 2011 at 9:51 PM

    @Mike— since there is no reliable one, why don’t you create one……? There is a market for this feature.

    Now go back to work….

    Reply
14. Jason says:

    March 14, 2011 at 9:50 PM

    @Prosper,

    The order of the steps are not based on popularity. People will complain, bit they don’t have any recommendations. I can appraise a domain without any appraisal tools. I can use instinct, knowledge and some metrics. In my opinion, Sedo’s price suggestion tool is ineffective.

    I’m not conveying to people this is the perfect guide. I even mentioned you have to determine an appraisals value. Interesting how many of the blogs you all read will use Estibot as a standard, but I mention the first two and you’re bashing the article.

    I can take criticism. I’m immune to it. i never said Estibot is the domain industry’s number #1 too. Epik has an appraisal tool that uses the same formula, but domains are aporaised 3-10 rimes more. ResumeService.com once appraised on 7Zoom for $80. That domain is easily worth $30,000. So is Frank Schilling wrong to sell the domain for $28,000?

    What about all the most popular blogs selling domains for 6 figures. Domain newbies don’t have to use all the steps. I didn’t mention in the summary the guide is the only one to follow. Should I lead newbies to NameBoy, which $40 domains are worth $8,000? What about Sedo’s price suggestion tool appraising many domains for $600-$10000+. I dropped all those domains.

    The problem is people don’t know. They oppose something because they dislike a company and or a website. I can tell you that BlackFriday.net is a 6 figure domain. Frank Schilling know that because he purchased BlackFridaySales.com for $90k and pointed it to the .net. However, Estibot appraises the site for $300/500. I guarantee you he wouldn’t sell that domain for even $75,000.

    This is not my first article. I have 3 prior that were published on this site. I sense that people oppose the Domaining and Estibot steps. That’s fine. I didn’t put an asterik that you have to accept them. I never mentioned in the abstract you must follow these steps. Furthermore, I don’t see the reason people are opposing the article.

    It’s like; let newbies fail so they give up. Soon enough, I will show sample letters that closed deals. I never claimed these guide to be the only way. I wrote an article about Coupon Cactus, Craig’s List and many other websites. Are they ineffective too? I doubt it. Everyone can oppose the article or the steps. People write what worked for them. Maybe you have a different success story. The steps are not ranked in order of popularity.

    I recently read a DN Forum post on people salivating over mojo.com. Even people who knew better that this domain would never sell for $500 or even $2000. The domain is easily worth 6
    figures. It didn’t stop people on that forum from trying to get the domain or to complain after they figured out it was a sham. What if a domain newbie sent a payment to this person?

    These are the people who claim to be experts. if you don’t like domaining, estibot, and other sites, then skip the steps. The people who seen to have a problem are not newbies. Thanks for you feedback.

    Reply
15. Michael Cyger says:

    March 14, 2011 at 9:03 PM

    @Prosper: Instead of Estibot for learning how to start valuing domain names, what would you recommend instead?

    Reply
16. prosper says:

    March 14, 2011 at 8:58 PM

    What a terrible decision to allow this type of guest post! Estibot as the #2 spot to go to if you are new????? Come on. There are a dozen other places I would recommend before estibot.

    Reply
17. BullS says:

    March 14, 2011 at 7:13 PM

    @jason

    There is no way you put a value of a website.

    According to the BS-o-meter, my BullS is worth Billion rupee

    Reply
18. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 4:56 PM

    Keep in mind that our articles depend on a good editor. We provide the goods, they deliver the service. DomainSherpa.com may be worth $35 on Estibot, but websiteoutlook.com and webdetail.org appraise the domain at 200 times more with Alexa rank and other factors such as backlinks.

    We all know that 4Chan.org is worth thousands of times more than $370. As you gain experience, you can determine which domains are good and why some sell at high prices. You probably wonder why SuperTomato.com sold for $15,000 when it has a $380 value. Apparently, a super tomato is good for the heart, accord to research studies.

    Many will pay more for domains worth less because they have a plan. There are other people that will be frugal, even if they plan to build a company using the domain. Hard work pays off in the end. An end-user will pay far more than a domainer to acquire a domain. Thanks.

    Reply
19. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 4:29 PM

    @Steve,

    Thanks for the comment. Following blogs are great. I followed a dozen blogs for a year. Since I gained valuable experience, I usually provide good feedback. I don’t ask any questions because I know where to find the answers.

    I think some oppose the domaining mention. I only started there because the newsletter is a valuable tool. Once fans find their favorite blogs, they usually will type-in the address, bookmark the site, or subscribe to an rss feed or use another option.

    I can write this guide using many different approaches. Every person will have different ideas and opinions. I could recommend building sites, but I lack web developing skills myself. I depend on WhyPark to build my domains. I tried to write a simple article with enough information to ease a new domainer into the industry. There are plenty of different strategies.

    Thanks for your feedback.

    JAG

    Reply
20. Steve says:

    March 14, 2011 at 3:55 PM

    There are a ton of great social media domainers I have seen out there and suggest following some. Just following blogs for a year minimum before entering I believe was a good route. #3 is my favorite spot, #5 is the sweet spot & #1 is where to build knowledge.

    Reply
21. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 1:15 PM

    @Mike,

    I disagree with you. Why not share results that work instead of depending on others? Domaining was listed because I use their newsletter. Should I begin the article with step 1, purchase 300 bad domains so people can laugh at you when you ask if they’re worth any money on a domain blog. People can be cruel.

    I see many new domainers offering to sell their domains, only to receive criticism and be laughed at. While these people are creating conflict, there are actual domains you can buy and get results right away. You might not like Domaining, but I do.

    I’ll continue to mention websites without having any influence from others. I’ll mention them a thousand times. If you think the article lacks depth, then that’s you opinion. Why read a book on domain flipping, or drop domains worth less than $100. I own 15 domains that are worth $0, but earn money on WhyPark. I prefer to write about what works. I can’t afford to wait 5 years for results when I can produce now.

    I never had any success on Afternic. I never use Moniker because they reject domains from their auctions. I assure you that I included Domaining at the top because (in my opinion) the domaining newsletter is helpful for a new domainer.

    You might challenge this article because of the first step, but then you enjoyed the other content. There will be always be people that disagree. The luxury of writing is that you can’t please everyone, but you can help a few to become successful.

    I know one Hollywood writer that attended my university. People will complain on imdb that this writer is Steven Spielberg’s puppet and he’s a mediocre writer that doesn’t deserve success, even though he has written 7 films that have grossed above $100 million.

    You may disagree with this article, but I’m sure you will find future articles that meet your standards. I write articles to communicate basic steps. Otherwise, I would leave out the account setup and all the other content.

    What I’m sensing is that you dislike Domaining.com. If I left out Domaining.com, would you still have challenged the article? No company or individual is influencing me to promote them.

    When I do write about WhyPark, I’ll be losing out on many referrals. I know a ton about WhyPark. I have been using the platform for a year. I have direct contact with a rep that answers all my questions. I know that I can’t use the referral link. I accept that decision to write unbiased articles.

    I don’t think this article lacks depth. I’m not writing this article to communicate to an advanced domain investor. It’s basic steps for a new domainer. I can write this article using 50 different strategies and viewpoints. I won’t write a advanced domain guide because there will always be know-it-all domainers that oppose it. I think results speak volumes. If something works, then why not tell others? People would rather keep the information top secret to prolong their success.

    Thanks for your opinion and feedback.

    JAG

    Reply
22. BullS says:

    March 14, 2011 at 12:52 PM

    Now all of you have already passed the Beginners test, next week is the Advanced Guide for domainers—

    opps…domainers aka fools

    Reply
23. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 12:35 PM

    When I write articles here, I give up the right to use referral links. I agreed that in order to write unbiased articles, I would have to avoid using links. I believe Domaining.com is important because they have good information. They have a section for domain consultants.

    While Sedo frustrate me at times, I also have had success there. I purchase all my domains at GoDaddy because they make it easy and have good customer service. I can easily write a guide replacing the companies above with other companies. However, I would rather show the steps that work.

    I can tell you that the DnJournal motivated me to ask more for a domain. I ended up making a sale for several times more than I anticipated. This domain is probably worth 100-500 times more to the company – it’s their top service. If I used an appraisal system, I would sold the domain for far less, even knowing a few others wanted this domain.

    In my opinion, Afternic sales are overpriced. Why not take advantage of the website to make big sales too?

    If I wrote this article on my blog, I would have banners and links. Most domain blogs outside of this blog use so many banners, that my computer begins to slow down. These writers usually share their individual results.

    I’m sure experienced domainers will disagree with the guide, but then others will find success in using it. If we used most opinions, the guide would become a 400 page book. Thanks.

    JAG

    Reply
24. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 12:11 PM

    @Joe,

    We can add the forum as an update, or as a step. I appreciate the forum mention. Thanks again.

    Reply
25. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    @Joe,

    Thanks. Forums and blogs are good for beginners. I would have listed forums, but I rarely visit forums. I know forums have sections dedicated to newbies. Domainers who continue to ask questions are the ones that visit many forums and blogs.

    You can verify their backlnks on yahoo and on iwhois.com. Whenever a person becomes expert, they have to be willing to answer questions – even if they come from the same people. Domainers who are persistent and patient enough will deliver results.

    Many websites and businesses are unsuccessful, so they close down. I own two former business domains – one resume and a cover letter company.

    The cover letter domain is a Google Page Rank #1 and is definitely a quality domain. The owner never had a good business plan. He asked too much on Go Daddy for the domain. It expire and then went to auction. I won it with one bid. I assure you this domain will deliver a big sale in the next 1-2 years.

    Forums are good. I don’t use them. I’m writing more for a person who wants to ease into the industry, instead of directing them to a forum where they will spend many hours a day and forget they have a life outside of domains.

    Another good article topic could cover, “How to avoid getting addicted to domains.” or “How to avoid domain addiction”. You can easily buy too many domains on every niche. Before you know it, you purchased 500 domains in a month and you don’t know where the time went. That seems to be common at the beginning.

    The guide is basic steps to ease a new domainer into the industry. There can be additional parts to the guide. It’s a big topic.

    Thanks for feedback.

    JAG

    Reply
26. Joe says:

    March 14, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    @Jason Allen Goodlin

    Agreed. Guides can be written in so many ways, but since the article’s title starts with “complete guide…”, I just wrote because I thought it wasn’t complete without including domain forums. That’s all.

    Reply
27. Michael Cyger says:

    March 14, 2011 at 11:54 AM

    @Mike: Point well taken regarding perception.

    DomainSherpa.com does not request or require promotion for the websites or companies we profile in articles. Period. Just want to make that clear in case anyone is wondering.

    Reply
28. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 11:45 AM

    Typo: I meant ResumeServices.com.

    Reply
29. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    @Joe,

    A guide to becoming a domainer can be written a million different ways. Guides written on how to make money online, how to become a leader, how to learn business, how to write a resume, how to become successful attending online college, and others are written hundreds of different ways.

    @Ral,

    Signing up for the domaining newsletter is a good step. A newbie can receive a daily newsletter to find out which domain articles lead the list. I could begin step 1 with visit DN Journal to find a list of the most overpriced domain sales so you can make money too.

    However, I have enough respect to push aside my opinion. I could also start the guide off with telling a newbie to buy 300 bad domains on GoDaddy, and then figure out you made a mistake later.

    A good domainer can demonstrate how well they learned the domain industry with the domains they renew. Buying domains is easy. Renewing domains takes much more work. You have to compare results, look at long-term and short-term value, and know exactly what you’re doing to avoid losing money.

    For example, you can make 300 bad purchases, but find that 5 domains can wash away that mistake. In the next year, you may only renew 10-15 domains from the list of 295. Your mistake helped you to learn which domains deserve to be renewed and which domains are good.

    People would criticize another for purchasing domains in a certain niche. They don’t know that 2 sales 3 months later can earn back 4 times what was spent on acquiring the entire portfolio. Many will buy a domain for results down the road. Why wait? Short-term gains produce long-term results.

    I believe beginning with the domaining newsletter is unbiased. Even though Sedo frustrates me at times, I still produced results on their platform. You meet buyers that will buy more in the future. Sedo deserves a mention on the list.

    Domaining keeps a domainer up-to-date on industry news such as which domain blogs are publishing. That’s important to avoid making registrations such as TM and other risky purchases. The domaining newsletter lists domain blogs that write articles on the subject.

    The domain investor who was smart enough to buy ipo.com on GoDaddy’s Auction for $38,000 made a nice flip for $500K. Another purchased ResumeServies.com for less than $10k. Big different from $28k spent on the singular version. I found a domain at auction for $12. I know this domain will produce a significant sale with patience.

    A guide is written to reflect individual results that can work.

    Thanks for reading.

    Reply
30. Joe says:

    March 14, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    @Jason Allen Goodlin

    Thanks for your reply. I’m talking about domain name forums being a great place for starters because this has been my personal experience. Differently from blogs, people can ask questions in a direct way on forums. Obviously they could leave replies to blog post, but IMO it’s not the same thing. And after a year or two, if someone keeps asking the same basic questions on a forum, well, you can’t blame the place or even that member: it just means that domain investing isn’t for him/her. After all, just like any business or social activity, you can develop great skills for one but totally suck at another.

    Reply
31. Mike says:

    March 14, 2011 at 11:17 AM

    @Michael –

    Thanks for your answer.

    I agree with you in wanting to provide information to all levels — I think that’s a fantastic goal! It’s not the target audience of this article I take issue with, but the lack of depth and thought.

    With regard to the listing, whether its being free was solicited or not, I think you need to be a bit more careful. I have no problems with you accepting advertising, free services, anything. I do think it’s a problem, though, if you are going to claim to be beyond industry influence, wave that flag as a major differentiation, and then accept this type of quid pro quo (because, like it or not, that’s what it is — do you think Domaining.com would have given you the listing without its prominent mention in the article?).

    If you really want to claim the high road and continue to insist that advertising dollars do not influence content, I think that declining all such offers is only the way you will be able convince your readers of that. Whatever the motivation, perception is every bit as important. I cannot be a discerning reader without questioning such arrangements, and I now have to question the arrangement between DomainSherpa and every service mentioned in this piece.

    Reply
32. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 11:15 AM

    @Bulls

    Thanks. Many experienced domainers overlook the benefits of common courtesy and respect. If a domainer can gain the trust of elite domainers, they will produce results.

    A new stock trader that is thrown on the a trading floor without a guide would be lost and stressed. With domains, you have time to fix mistakes to make better decisions. There is plenty of information on the web. Every person finds successful differently.

    Thanks for reading.

    JAG

    Reply
33. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 11:06 AM

    @Ral,

    It’s your opinion. The guide is unbiased.

    Francois is one of the rare domainer industry pros that will take the time to help another. Can’t say that for many other domainers that never answer e-mails, criticize domainers without getting the facts straight, and will make comments toward one to get a laugh. These domainers will not spend a nickel on a domain.

    You can separate the newbies from the pros, as well as from the talkers with invisible results. People used to mention that you can’t buy domainers for the value. You have to learn to buy. They would never tell others how to buy. Most domain blogs will never tell newbies how to buy domains or what they think is good. A newbie can learn about the industry without having to spend two seconds on a domain forum. There is life outside of domains.

    I see many people spending their days and nights on a 3D discussion. It’s better to invest time in becoming successful to lead others down the right path. Every guide is different. I can write 50 guides on the same subject.

    In any case, thanks for the humor and for reading.

    JAG

    Reply
34. BullS says:

    March 14, 2011 at 11:02 AM

    Folks..Please be nice to Mr.Michael Cyber….

    Remember the days when you first started out??

    Time is always the solution to most problems.

    Reply
35. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

    March 14, 2011 at 10:50 AM

    @Joe,

    If a new domainer visits a forum without having any basic knowledge, they usually ask many questions. Most of the time, they will keep asking questions. Many established domainers will answer some questions, but then they will start to be inconsiderate and begin making comments toward the domainer.

    What if the same domainers keep asking questions after a year or two? Many of these domainers could speed up the learning curve. There are many discussions that take up time. They have little to do with domain names. Domainers assume purchasing any 3D domain will make them rich. They think reverse order domain are worth thousands. How can a $50 domain sell for $2000. Why do I need a domaining newsletter? Why do I need to find a niche?

    It’s like going to college. When you walk into an interview with a degree, some experience, and confidence, you get results. If the interviewee keeps asking the interviewer questions, then it demonstrates that they’re not prepared to perform.

    Many forums can put people on the wrong track. In my opinion, a domainer should invest time into learning about the industry. I managed to produce results. This article is only a guide. I can write many guides for new domainers. It really depends on their goals. In my experience, I would rather be equipped with information to take part in discussions than to be the one asking many basic questions.

    I can teach a person with no Internet experience about domains in one day. They will avoid making mistakes that will cost them time and money. I stayed up many nights, constantly visiting domain blogs, forums, read articles, wrote blog posts, and developed sales strategies. I also lost time to complete primary tasks. Surely enough, you will hear a lot of criticism from others who don’t believe in domains. However, I found several niches that enabled me to do well.

    Whereas, forums are good for newbies, most of the time newbies will be asking questions and experts will be answering them.There’s nothing wrong with asking questions. Many questions are good, but then some will keep asking why a certain domain is worth this amount, and another is not. Why would you want this domain over another? Estibot says this. This domain is worth $0. Experts will answer questions. I will drop this domain because a domainer said it’s worth less than $100. More questions will come because new domainers discover domains every day.

    You may enjoy forums. I think they’re good for domainers. I don’t use DN Forum or Name Pros. Many new domainers will make many bad purchases, get disappointed, and leave the industry. What if you can share with them basic information to speed up the learning curve? It is quite possible they will succeed. I don’t lose anything giving away information. I have my own buying and selling technique that works for me.

    Thanks for reading.

    Reply
36. Michael Cyger says:

    March 14, 2011 at 10:47 AM

    @Mike: Thanks for your feedback. DomainSherpa.com will publish articles intended for all experience levels, from complete newbie to advanced domainer making million$ per year. As such, probably about once per week you will see an article geared toward new comers to the domain name industry. I hope it doesn’t deter you from visiting.

    DomainSherpa.com does pay to have our RSS feed included on Domaining.com, just like every other blog. Today’s sponsored listing, however, was provided free to charge by Domaining.com. It was not solicited nor arranged prior to our publishing this article, as our editorial standards would not permit such an occurrence.

    Reply
37. Mike says:

    March 14, 2011 at 10:40 AM

    @Michael –

    I’ve enjoyed your site very much so far; but, respectfully, will challenge this article as being far too shallow — it’s a very abrupt change in standards, and I wouldn’t click too many times once I started expecting this type of article.

    I also want to challenge you on whether this post’s $100 sponsored listing at Domaining.com was paid in cash and by you — I may be wrong, but I don’t recall having seen DomainSherpa sponsored listings before, and you can easily see how Domaining’s prominence within the article would make the listing suspect.

    Still, wishing you very good fortune with this project.

    Reply
38. Joe says:

    March 14, 2011 at 10:00 AM

    @Michael

    There are several domain name forums but they’re all different. For example, I find NamePros is usually more suitable for starters than DNForum because it’s free, but you’ll find experienced members on both (many domain investors have accounts on both boards, including me). Another option is DomainState, which has a smaller user base but it’s still a valid forum. I can also assure you that there are so many experienced members being willing to help people become more knowledgeable about domains and very rarely complain about newbies asking silly questions or making them waste their time. This is because one thing all forums have in common is the spirit of sharing experience (all boards have even sections dedicated to newbies).

    Reply
39. Michael Cyger says:

    March 14, 2011 at 9:33 AM

    @BullS: Thanks. It’s kind of bad form to recommend yourself in a list published on your own site. :) But thanks.

    @Joe: Discussion forums are an important aspect of learning. Good point. What domain name discussion forums do you think are best for newbie domainers? Where can they go to ask questions without the worry of being flamed by more advanced domainers who feel they’re wasting their time?

    @Ral: I did not write the article, but as the publisher of DomainSherpa.com I can assure you that there was no trade or compensation for putting domaining.com at the top of the list (or any of the recommended resources on the list, for that matter).

    Reply
40. Ral says:

    March 14, 2011 at 7:04 AM

    What a.bunch of paid poop. What did you trade with Francois for making him king of domains?

    Reply
41. Joe says:

    March 14, 2011 at 3:13 AM

    Why not reading and posting on domain forums? I believe that’s a major part of the guide to becoming a domainer. Domain forums are the only place where you’re not only a passive reader but you can also actively participate by asking questions to experienced domainers.

    Reply
42. BullS says:

    March 13, 2011 at 10:49 PM

    #10 Make https://domainsherpa.com the Homepage!!!!

    Make https://domainsherpa.com the Homepage!!!!
    Make https://domainsherpa.com the Homepage!!!!
    Make https://domainsherpa.com the Homepage!!!!
    Make https://domainsherpa.com the Homepage!!!!
    Make https://domainsherpa.com the Homepage!!!!

    Reply
    1. Namari says:

       June 26, 2011 at 10:43 PM

       Your actrile was excellent and erudite.

       Reply
       1. Jason Allen Goodlin says:

          June 28, 2011 at 12:10 AM

          @Namari,

          Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate your support. Thanks again.

          JAG

          Reply