Domain Names - Six Golden Rules for Generic Domain Names

You don't have to be rocket scientist to see just how one domain name is worth millions and another one similar could be worth next to nothing. Let's take for example two similar domain names like Beds.com and , which are virtually the same but Beds.com is a goldmine whereas Bedsx.com probably loses money.

If you have already made the decision that you want to buy a domain then you will just have to read these 6 golden rules if you want your domain investment to reap benefits. There are a variety of ways to buy domains but with a bit of investigation you could end up with a big buck winning domain name when you decide to sell.

1. Keyword volume: This is an estimate of how many searches the word or phrase has, which is an indication of it?s popularity. For example, according to Google, the phrase "Hawaii Singles" has 2400 searches a month. If you were bidding on HawaiiSingles.com, you would also want to check Keyword Discovery and/or WordTracker for additional data. You'll never get more than an indication since each tool measures differently. However, it's a safe bet if people are searching for a phrase there will be some natural traffic and SEO potential, and if there's no volume, there will be little or none.

2. Commonality: Uniqueness is not the only success factor in a great domain and if you think for a moment, domains are really all of one category. The best words to chose for a domain name are words that are always on the tip of our tongue and everybody else's. Word order and plurals are also important factors to take into consideration when choosing a domain name, for example - bank, banked, banks. SportCars.com for example won't be worth as much as SportsCars.com. Basically it ranks as a losing domain if you compare it to RunningShoes.com. If you try a couple of domain checks on Google you will find that ShoesRunning.com isn't even there.

3. True type-in traffic: This information can be difficult to get, but it never hurts to ask, especially when the sale is private and you aren't under stressful time constraints. You specifically want to know how much type-in traffic the name gets, not including visitors who are referred from search engines and links, both of which are unreliable in the long term.

4. Length: A further important consideration is the domain length. Short domain names will get better results because they are a lot easier to remember and spell and would convert into loads more traffic. Branding domains with takinf these important factors into account will increase drastically the domain name value which is great news if later sell your domain.

5. Prior use: If the domain has a past life, and was acquired through a drop service or from an expired list, you want to know about it. Forget perceived positives like search engine ranking and PR since those will likely disappear after the name is in your hands. Instead, delve into the name's dark side. Was it ever used for spamming? Is it banned from Google's index? Did it previously contain questionable content? Overcoming these negatives can be more work than you bargained for, even with an otherwise great name.

6. End user development potential: Domain names have a certain flexibility that will develop them into major money winning sites and after having read this guide, it is down to you to make the decision on whether the domain words will help you hit the jackpot. Read more to find out more domain investing tips that will put you just way ahead of the rest.