DomainSherpa.com

Most entertaining & informative are two interviews, one with Ron Jackson, and the other with Mark Ostrofsky. Ron is the editor of DN Journal (the popular domain industry trade magazine), and Mark is the domain pioneer who sold Business.com for multi-millions during the early years of the internet’s explosive proliferation.

In the DomainSherpa interview, Ron Jackson discusses his domain name portfolio and his interest in the .US domain space. Following Neustar’s public release of the .US extension in 2002, Ron used various strategies to secure nice quality domain names like Reno.US, GreenBay.US, and three-letter domains like AFI.US. Ron shared having hundreds of three-letter .US domains in his portfolio, many of which would be ideal fits for a wide variety of US-based companies.

In the Ostrofsky interview on DomainSherpa, Mark informed viewers of his recent release of a new book he authored entitled Get Rich Click!. Mark also spoke of his affinity for .BIZ domains and his belief that the .BIZ domain space is significantly undervalued. I share this sentiment, and have held that the internet’s official Business (.BIZ) web address is stealthily expanding year after year. dotBIZ presently has 2,254,284 worldwide registrations.

Also quite thought-provoking & informative on the DomainSherpa site are interviews with Andrew Allemann of DomainNameWire and Elliot Silver of ElliotsBlog.com. Both domain investors offer their unique experiences and views on domain investing and website development.

My only criticism of the DomainSherpa site is the inclusion of a guest article which references Estibot, an automated domain appraisal device which has been criticized for producing distorted, unreliable domain valuations based on limited, simplistic metrics. Unfortunately, the guest writer article fails to emphasize the illegitimacy of automated appraisals, particularly in regard to premium domain names. Since DomainSherpa aspires to be an authoritative domain information site, any endorsement of Estibot detracts from the site’s credibility and integrity.

That being said, I very much like what DomainSherpa is offering. Michael Cyger is personable and an excellent interviewer. I encourage all to check out the site and to enjoy his interviews with domain industry veterans.

For more on domain investing, negotiation, and domain appraisal, read:

• Domain Appraisal Myth
• Domain Name Negotiation
• Domain Seller Considerations

Menius Enterprises

Chemical dependency is a prevalent illness in American society and many of us have encountered it in one form or another, either directly or indirectly. Methadone is a very specific medication-assisted treatment approach used to help those suffering with an opiate dependency.

In recent years, methadone treatment clinics have steadily emerged across the USA as more individuals found themselves trying to cope with opiate withdrawal and the disruption to their lives that addiction brings. Methadone.US aims to reduce the stigma associated with methadone and to provide some basic information on the many benefits of methadone treatment programs.

The Methadone.US domain name is an ideal generic web address particularly for U.S. based residents, families, professionals, and treatment centers. As is typically the case, the time required to develop a comprehensive web portal is hard work. Writing and refining custom content (carefully screened for accuracy and relevance) can become very time consuming. But the effort is worthwhile when the end product provides a valuable service.

Taking a great domain and constructing something of value on that domain (where nothing existed previously) is a gratifying endeavor. Content generation is more art than science and is best approached with a quality, over quantity, focus. This has been a chief consideration in the authoring of Methadone.US.

The site is still under construction, but is taking a definite shape and form. It will eventually be monetized through paid directory listings and direct advertising. But for now is incorporating Google adsense feeds, many of which are an excellent match to the content provided on the website. In terms of easy access and the marketing of a new site, starting with a logical, premium domain name is always a big help.

.US remains one of the premier web spaces for United States focused websites. While obviously appropriate for American companies & businesses, .US is often identified by foreign internet users as a default web address for the U.S. due to the popularity of two letter country codes in other parts of the world such as .cn for China or .ca for Canada.

A key selling feature of .US is its instant familiarity to American internet users, its uniquely American identity, and the ability to utilize a high-quality .US domain name as opposed to settling for an awkwardly long .com domain name alternative (see graphic above).

The dotUS logo change is good timing going into 2011, and would appear to follow the recent logic that dictated the .BIZ logo redesign and associated tagline “Better Name. Better Results.”

An article was published recently which spoke to the importance of exact match domains and their correlation with high rankings in search engines. Obviously, exact match domains mirror what the consumer is searching for and therein lies superior value.

Exact match domains also rule direct navigation. In examining last month’s traffic sources for PremiumDomains.US, the direct traffic percentage was quite revealing. An impressive 59.85% of the site’s visitors came from users typing the domain into their browser address field. As noted in the graphic above, search engines accounted for only 9.85% of visitors finding the site. Links from other sites accounted for approximately 30% of the sites traffic.

“Premium Domains” is a strong search term for those preparing to buy top quality domains for their business or for investment purposes. Having a domain name which perfectly matches a user’s query creates not only an instant identification for the consumer, but boosts consumer confidence, and creates a logical connection between their input and your output.

California.biz is a marque premium domain from the Menius Enterprises portfolio. California.biz’s monthly direct navigation traffic is currently running around 31%. This is likely lower than the corresponding .com equivalent, but the key point here is that pure generic domain names have no match in direct navigation. And even more importantly, premium generic domains have no equal when it comes to global branding and for launching high-profile websites with which consumers can instantly identify. In other words, “The name says it all.” And that … is the business of domains.

As an investor and developer of the .US web space, PremiumDomains.US have assembled a portfolio of high-quality domains in America’s official web address. Below are a few nice .US domain names covering a range of industries and interests.

As a side note, for those who do not know, Neustar provide a zip code service whereby a user can type any zip code ending in .US such as www.90210.us. This service works across the entire United States and typically produces a page of local information associated with the zip code area that was searched.

The JoeMiller.US logo makes good use of the traditional red, white, and blue colors common to the American flag. The .US logo is prominently displayed in almost all of Joe’s campaign materials (signs, t-shirts, automobiles, website) and implies the appropriate “American” association for which .US was intended.

I have seen Joe interviewed on both CNBC and CNN in the past two days. The CNN piece in particular displayed the .US logo prominently. This type of exposure is excellent for raising the .US profile in America.

As a side note, some state governments use the .gov web address while many utilize .US. A few examples of state senate sites include:

• www.senate.state.tx.us (Texas Senate)
• www.senate.state.pa.us (Pennsylvania Senate)
• www.state.ar.us/senate/ (Arkansas Senate)

Personally, I do not feel this is the case. My position is that .com and .US will co-exist very well alongside one another. Both domains offer excellent alternatives to U.S. based corporations and individual internet users looking for a recognizable web address.

I enjoy seeing American companies embrace their .US domain name. An up and coming player in the security and surveillance market is Charlotte-based Iverify.US Inc. They are located at www.iverify.us and have already established themselves as a technology leader and fast rising local company.

Iverify.US have been covered by the Charlotte Business Journal on several occasions with the most recent article ranking Iverify as #5 on the local Charlotte Fast 50 companies. Iverify offer unrivaled in-store monitoring and 24/7 interactivity such that they can communicate instantly with both store personnel and customers.

So effective is their technology at reducing shoplifting and other store crimes that they have been awarded expanded contracts with a number of chain retail stores and private corporations. The company bought, and now occupy, a 40,000 square foot building where 185 employees work in three 8-hour shifts to provide constant video and audio surveillance monitoring for their customers.

Once again, quality American businesses utilizing the .US web address in the manner for which it was intended.

PremiumDomains.biz

In October of 2009, I had proposed the question for reader consideration as to what Insurance.com might fetch given that it is the ultimate premium, generic domain name for the entire insurance industry. We have the answer to that question. Exactly $35.6 million.

Quinstreet have purchased Insurance.com in what appears to be a total buyout of the domain name and related assets. This puts Quinstreet at the center of the insurance world. They have effectively bought their way into an industry that is both necessary and highly lucrative. To Quinstreet’s credit, they appear to have keen insight as to the value of a generic domain name and its power to connect with consumers.

Now I will propose another question. What would Insurance.US sell for in the open market? We now know that Insurance.com is well out of reach and has been snatched up permanently for over $30 million. This places Insurance.US front and center as one of the best domain names available for the United States insurance market.

In response to price cuts, tax incentives, and great mortgage rates, buyers are going after high end residential real estate. Pamela Liebman, CEO of The Corcoran Group, is quoted as saying that positive, market-friendly conditions are motivating buyers.

In May through June of this year, Manhattan residential real estate logged 3600 sales. This was a 47% increase in property sales over the same time period in 2009.

The article identified oversized, three bedroom apartments as one of the hottest items on the Manhattan real estate market.

Liebman, of Corcoran, was also quoted by NY Daily News as reporting that bidding wars had returned to the New York City marketplace. Aggressive buyers drove up bidding as Manhattan real estate inventory began to move … with more than 50% of Corcoran agents getting caught in the middle of a price war.

Premium domain names of interest, include:

• NewYorkCity.biz
• Condos.biz
• Manhattan.mobi
• ManhattanRealEstate.US
• ManhattanApartments.US
• ManhattanCondos.US

The company cover 183 destinations in 98 countries, have 417 aircraft, and conduct 1700 flights daily. That’s quite an active airline. Air France, including affiliates, employ 74,320 people.

They have done an excellent job of utilizing various country codes from around the globe, and have secured nearly all of the world’s country code web addresses for their brand. In addition to offering direct ticket sales on their site for international flights, Air France provide for the booking of hotel accomodations as well.

Interestingly, the AirFrance.biz website acts as a company portal, in conjunction with Royal Dutch Airlines, for travel agents affiliated with the two companies. Another .biz domain name, AFKL.biz (Air France/KLM), delivers agents to the same portal.

John Scholz’s website is located on Scholz.US and showcases an incomparable & beautiful portfolio of luxury estates which John has created in his impressive architectural career. Below is a picture of Uptown Court in Surrey, England coined by MSNBC as “The Most Expensive Home For Sale In The World”.

John’s stunning home creations have been viewed around the globe including countries such as the United States, Canada, The Middle East, Eastern & Western Europe, and the Carribean.

I have been an advocate, supporter, investor, and developer of .US premium domain names for 8 years. It is fulfilling to see the dotUS web address utilized by entrepreneurs, artists, and professionals from across America. John is certainly a mega talent in the world of luxury home design. Pairing his superb talent, reputation, and name with the .US web address makes for another great business + domain name combination.

dotUS … the official country code of the United States

I happened up on a great business example of domain name coverage using both .US and .com web addresses. DWI and DUI are terms well known in the legal profession, and stand for “driving while impaired” and “driving under the influence”, respectively. DWI is sometimes alternatively referred to as “driving while intoxicated”.

DWI.US and DUI.US are owned by the Houston-based legal outfit of Scheiner Law Group P.C. Either domain name typed into the browser resolves to the Scheiner Law Group website which is very well done and pleasing to the eye. Both domains are short, highly descriptive of the services offered, and certainly fit well with the .US (United States) country code domain.

Similarly, DWI.com and DUI.com are both registered to a Paul Dunham who is using these top domains to offer an online directory of DWI and DUI legal specialists across the United States. Again, within a particular tld space, you have one company reaching customers by registering all of the relevant keywords for a particular area of interest.

You sometimes see this in real estate as well in which a single realty company will register their city location ending in homes, real estate, and condos. Good idea!

Bottom line: Use quality, descriptive domain names to reach customers searching online, and to strengthen one’s internet presence & credibility.

• Legal domain names for sale
• Real Estate domain names for sale
• Geo domain names for sale

Neustar appear to be growing their services and raising their own profile. Their domain name registry services have been a leading product for years although Neustar are now offering web performance and risk management services too.

Forbes’ survey of the fastest growing tech firms in America placed Neustar in the Top 25 in 2009. To make the list, companies had to meet certain revenue and sales gains milestones. Neustar trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol: NSR.

My favorite .US premium domain names are United States cities. Geo domains are such good fits for the extension and provide lots of website development angles. Two cities I worked on last year were Charlotte .US and Detroit.US, both leading cities in their respective states and also with good national recognition ranking in America’s top 20 cities for population.

Proponents of internet gambling claim government hypocrisy in that states sponsor lotteries which bring in hundreds of millions of dollars. Some states profit from gambling on horse racing while also hosting gambling casinos that bring in enormous amounts of money and which financially benefit the local economy.

Another notable .INFO sale via Sedo this past week was coupons.info which went for an impressive $17,600. Relationship.net was purchased at Snapnames for $12,950.

Neustar, who manage the .US domain space, posted an announcement on their website that they are seeking to release one and two character .US domain names. Neustar did something similar last year with the .BIZ (Business) top level domain which resulted in a number of five figure sales.

• Related domain names of interest: InternetGambling.biz
• And in the dating, relationship area: InternetDating.US

The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Philadelphia Daily News have both gone under, and are being offered up in a private auction held in New York City. Executives of Revlon are making a bid for the Philadelphia papers along with creditors and a Canadian investment firm.

Fox News reported that the two papers had accumulated $390 million in debt by February 2009 forcing the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The Philadelphia papers employ more than 4000 people in the area.

One has to wonder if the outcome would have been much different had the Philadelphia papers acquired and transitioned their companies to something like Philadelphia.com or Philadelphia.US. Boulevards New Media own Philadelphia.com, and Kraft Foods own Philadelphia.US. The missing ingredient is a premium city domain name.

Update 4/29/10: Bloomberg report that the auction concluded with both Philadelphia newspapers being acquired for $139 million by a group of lenders that included Angelo Gordon & Co. and a Credit Suisse Group AG unit. The sale must still be approved by a U.S. bankruptcy judge. The new owners have committed to preserving employees’ jobs.