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Web Domains: Tools To Use, Articles To Read
June 28th, 2007 in Developer's Toolbox | 60 Comments
A thought-out domain name can save you a lot of time and bring you a lot of traffic. Search engines love topic-related domain names and they seem to be an important aspect which is being used to evaluate web-pages. Besides, if you have a popular web-site with enviable reputation, you might be willing to make sure that your visitors don’t get to some surprising web-sites mistyping your site’s URL.
An overview of related resources is therefore both useful, handy and time-saving. Apart from that: apparently, domain names handling can also be a successful business, you just need to know what trends are coming and which terms will be important in the future.
Let’s take a look at essential, hand-picked domain-related tools, articles and resources we’ve found in the Web during our research.
Search for Domain Names
- Picky Domains
The community helps to select optimal domain names. - Make Words
A generator for Domain names - Nameboy
Finds free domain names combining two or more keywords.
- Dyyo
Searches for domain names with max. 4 or 5 characters. There are still some interesting options available; however, there are no free domains with three characters any more. - Domain Hack Search Utility
Finds domains, which are the combination of exotic TLDs, directories und subdomains. For instance, http://smashin.gm/agazine/ (can be registered as a Gambian domain) - StuckDomains
Finds expired CNO-Domains.
- Word Mixer
Mixes several words together, combining them to create new terms. Ideal for creative domain names. - Rhymezone
Finds terms similar to English words. Once the domain you’ve chosen is already taken, you can use this tool to generate similar words. - Domains Bot
Looking for similar names.
Articles and Information
- Statistics about Domain Names
Numbers and domain-related information. - How To Get Started As A Domainer
An extensive introduction for everyone who’d like to make business with domain names. Here are 28 tips, tools, techniques and financing options to get you started on your way to successful domaining. - How to get in business with domains?
About MySpace’s founder Richard Rosenblatt and his future business strategy. “His Companies Have Sold for Over $1.3 Billion: Can Demand Media’s Richard Rosenblatt Do It Again with Domains?” - Establishing a Domain Portfolio
Let’s get you started on establishing a domain portfolio that will secure your brand and generate revenue. - The Directory of Domain Parking Services
Domain parking directory. - What’s in a name? A lot if it’s your domain
An article about Cybersquatting, registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad-faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else. - Every good domain is taken. Here’s why
Kevin Ham built a $300 million web company in Vancouver you’ve probably never heard of. - 10 Tips for investing in Domain names
An article by Mark Fulton - Top 4 Lies Domainers Tell Themselves
About Type-in traffic - How Madison Avenue let down Corporate America and how both failed
The real world of domains. - Masters of their Domains
Forget condos and strip malls. Domain names, the real estate of the Web, have been delivering far greater returns. How some of the savviest speculators on the Net are making millions from their URL portfolios. - How to Snatch an Expiring Domain
This article will explain the domain expiration process and what you need to do in order to use it to your advantage. An article by Mike Davidson. - 10 things you MUST know before you register a domain name with anyone
The essentials and basics of domain registering. - Only 30% Of Top Domains Sold In 2006 Actually In Use
The most expensive domains registered in 2006 and what they’ve become in 2007. - Mysterious Domain Names with Ads
Keep it generic and keep it in .COM. Making money with Domain Names.
Domain Tools
- Dot-o-mator
A powerful word-mixer. You can enter up to 15 words in each prefix/suffix column, then combine them into a big list of potential names. Then check them all at once to see if any are still available. - DomainTools
Over a dozen of Tools, e.g. Domain Spy, Name Server Spy, Reverse IP Search, Whois and Typo Generator. The registration is required.
- AllWhois
Whois domain name search & lookup. - DNSstuff
DNS tools, DNS hosting tests, WHOIS, traceroute, ping and other network and domain name tools. - dnScoop
Estimating Domain Name Value, History, Stats Tool and Forums. - Reverse IP DNS Domain Check Tool
Finds domains that share server with you; such domains have the same IP.
Domain-related Forums and Communities
- Domain State
- DN Forum
- Acorndomains
- NamePros
- IDN Forum
(a forum for international domain names)
Domain-related Magazines and Weblogs
- DN Journal
The Domain Industry News Magazine. - Domain Tools Blog
- Daily Domainer
- Seven Mile
Domains category in in Frank Schillings’ popular Weblog. - Domain Editorial
- Domainers Gazette
- Names@Work
Antony Van Couverings Webblog - Rick Schwartz’ Weblog
Domain King’s thoughts on domains, traffic, closing more sales and just plain old business and marketing 101. - Whizzbang
Domain name optimisation blog by Michael Gilmour. - Ambler
News Blog - The Key
Paul Sloans Blog
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Chip (June 28th, 2007, 7:15 pm)
Another fantastic article! I will be bookmarking this one.
Martin (June 28th, 2007, 7:20 pm)
I think someone should translate this into english.
c.urdaneta (June 28th, 2007, 7:22 pm)
Auf englisch bitte, lese ich nicht innen Deutschen! :D
Tim Nash (June 28th, 2007, 7:24 pm)
Did someone forget to do the translation ;)
Interesting links though
anty (June 28th, 2007, 7:27 pm)
Somebody pressed the “Publish”-Button instead of the save button I guess ;)
lizzardS (June 28th, 2007, 7:37 pm)
I like my Smashing in English!
andy (June 28th, 2007, 7:44 pm)
if only i spoke german
Famous Photos (June 28th, 2007, 7:44 pm)
what the…
Henrik Pejer (June 28th, 2007, 7:50 pm)
Nein nein mehr will ich nicht, aber ich lerne deutch!
Or that was about all I remember from german-class back in the 7th grade…
I’d really like an english translation, if one is available, all the other articles you have here are really… SMASHING (pun intended)!
RobertP (June 28th, 2007, 7:52 pm)
It’s better in english… :)
Kuswanto (June 28th, 2007, 8:06 pm)
is this smashing magazine website?
I thought i click the wrong link on my RSS reader.
Please translate it to english.
Michael Thompson (June 28th, 2007, 8:09 pm)
I say keep it in German. It’s about time we English-speakers got off of our lazy (vocal) assess and learned a few more languages.
Vitaly Friedman & Sven Lennartz (June 28th, 2007, 8:45 pm)
@anty: you are absolutely right. :) Sorry for inconvenience!
Daniel (June 28th, 2007, 9:00 pm)
Hehe, the RSS feed was making no sense
Kira (June 28th, 2007, 9:41 pm)
I’ve also written a little domain naming tool, Link [www.dotomator.com], that lets you create potential names out of different word combinations. (You can enter your own prefix/suffix lists, or use one of the predefined lists.) Then check to see if any of them are available.
I originally wrote it to help me come up with a new name for a web venture, and was tired of trying to check dozens of different name combinations manually. :)
Matze (June 28th, 2007, 10:17 pm)
very nice list, we have link it in our website
InsideWH.com (June 28th, 2007, 11:16 pm)
Here is my Link [insidewh.com] for your list. Exclusively blogging on topics related to Web Hosting Industry. Thanks for the article and list of resources, very useful.
mitchell (June 28th, 2007, 11:37 pm)
i think Link [pcnames.com] is a pretty good tool that was left off the list.
Mark Fulton (June 28th, 2007, 11:43 pm)
Hello, I very much appreciate you linking to my article “10 Tips for Investing in Domain Names.”
If you would be so kind as to add “DotSauce.com - Domain News Magazine” to your list of domain-related magazines and blogs. Thanks!
John Banet (June 29th, 2007, 2:15 am)
We also use Link [www.123finder.com] for domain hunting. It has several domain dictionaries to browse from.
bradical (June 29th, 2007, 5:24 am)
For all of you Web 2.0 junkies, I really like: Link [www.ajaxwhois.com] for all of my domain searching and WHOIS needs.
gene (June 29th, 2007, 6:20 am)
I wish I was smart enough to buy good names few years back.
Now it seems like all the decent names are taken. You have programs running through millions of names searching for anything worth taking. Good luck.
I guess people must be clever and try to pick something like del.icio.us. Thank you for the links.
Steven Newman (June 29th, 2007, 6:51 am)
If you own any good generic names, I would be interested in buying them or you can attempt to make money off them through ads. I find this company the best one.
Link [www.parked.com]
Alex (June 29th, 2007, 8:43 am)
I swear you guys follow me or are recording my every move.
This is about the 7th time that I have needed information on something specific and you guys post an article on EXACTLY what i am looking for that same day… it’s really weird actually, i’m not just blowing smoke up your asses… it really is sort of freaky.
shashi arya (June 29th, 2007, 2:25 pm)
Again a gr8 list…… i dont bookmark a particular article posted here instead i bookmark SmashingMagazine! every article posted here is worth and useful. Thanks to SmashingMagazine TEAM.
Andreas (June 29th, 2007, 6:50 pm)
Does anyone know about a free PHP script for domain lookup (CNO, de, info). I would like to use it on my homepage. Thanks in advance :-)
Phil from Loreauville (June 29th, 2007, 8:42 pm)
Call me slow, but I’m just now starting to see what a good domain name will do for you. Too many people want a name that’s “cool” or means something only to them. But the average computer user doesn’t care about “coolness” or sentiments. Heck. half the time they can’t even remember a certain domain name. They want simplicity. Type in something short and sweet, get results.
Thank you Smashing, just keep turning us on to all this good stuff that’s out there.
Hakukoneoptimointia (June 30th, 2007, 5:38 am)
Thanks for a great post. Is there some tool that can help finding old domains. I would like to be able to find domains registered for example in 2000 and then try to find someone who sells the domain…
mark joe (July 1st, 2007, 12:58 am)
wordpress landing sites plugin give user what they want, very useful seo plugin for wp, increasing your pageview here it is Link [theundersigned.net]
Vitaly Friedman & Sven Lennartz (July 1st, 2007, 9:41 pm)
@Alex,
well, Alex, I guarantee that we don’t observe you and your activities. ;) However, I am a web-developer as well, so we might have some similar needs, you know. :) After the basic principle behind each and every one of the articles published here on Smashing is their practical value. I know I’ll be coming back to this article once I need information about Domain names, so I don’t have to bookmark dozens of other sources out there. That’s the idea. And that’s what we try to achieve - make yours and our life easier.
Clickmojo (July 3rd, 2007, 6:42 pm)
Worth mentioning is Estibot which is probably the most accurate automated Link [www.estibot.com] system to date.
Justin Allen (July 11th, 2007, 1:38 pm)
Im surprised you didnt mention domain sales comparables as important for research…
I recommend checking out our site - NameBio.com
Thanks,
Justin
Todd (July 12th, 2007, 8:51 pm)
talking dynamics has a how to guide for Link [www.talkingdynamics.com]
Criação de Sites (August 2nd, 2007, 6:43 am)
Very insterest!
I using system to search domain disponible for my clients using ajax.
Michael Gilmour (August 9th, 2007, 8:46 am)
Hi,
I was wondering if you could check for any links to the typepad version of whizzbangsblog.com as I’m going to be closing that down. I have now launched whizzbangsblog.com as a Joomla website….which has been a LOT of fun!
Cheers!
Michael
Blogging Magazin (December 12th, 2007, 3:43 am)
I really like the links to the name generators. Thank you — nice source of inspiration.
Fredrick (December 25th, 2007, 3:20 am)
You have nice list here, I would to add Link [www.tdvr.com] that is a nice site where you can compare price of a lot LLLL recent sales.
Jeff (May 27th, 2008, 7:41 am)
If you are interested in Indian domain names, there is a forum dedicated to discussing them at INForum.in