Good Domain Names Still Available

Believe it or not, there are still some great domain names available for the taking. You would think that some large computer and/or extremely bored nerd would have gobbled up every bit of Web real estate, but our studies show that you can still snag a snazzy URL if you follow these tips:

Make It Personal, or Not

When choosing domain name for affiliate marketing purposes, you can make it personal to increase your chances of the domain name still being available. For instance, you are much more likely to score Jen4PhoneAdvice.com than a less specific URL with "phone" as its keyword.

However, you have to be careful with making your domain too reliant on your name or personality. The ideal affiliate marketing business can run without respect to who is running it.

If that's the kind of business you want, choose a domain name that is not overly personalized. Geography can provide clues for usable names. For instance, SanJacintoPlumbers.com might be a good (i.e. available and decent) domain name for a local plumber in San Jacinto, California.

It's all about matching your business model to your business name. If it's a personal website, such as a blog, you want something personal. If not, then not so much.

Scarcity Is a Resource

When you're sitting there trying to think of the best domain name for your new website, worrying if there are any good names left out there, it can feel like dating in your late 30s: the pickings are slim, the chances of catching a venereal disease on the other hand quite high.

But seriously now, what we're really trying to say is that scarcity creates value. Certainly this is the case when you think about the best available domain names.

Because obvious domain names are all taken, you are forced to brainstorm more creative domain names; in the process, you may find that your idea for your affiliate marketing business actually changes and evolves, as you are looking for domain names.
This can give birth to some excellent creativity on your part.

You Can Buy Domain Names, Too

Don’t forget, too, that you can purchase domain names from other people and companies.

You can even look up the Google Page Rank of existing domain names to see if they have any search engine value built up in them, maybe the current owner will even give you some of that content with the name to sweeten the deal. (Just make sure you write up a proper Bill of Sale to identify what exactly is being bought, to eliminate any confusion for the seller.)

There are always people looking to liquidate non-performing assets and if you really think about it, most domain names are non-performing, or performing at a sub-standard level. So you should not have too much trouble finding someone who wants to sell.

Realize that you don't have to pay what they are asking, though. Either use an auction site that facilitates a market price sale, or negotiate directly with the domain name owner to get the best deal that you can. Ask for the price that you want or other favorable terms.

And never assume that just because a domain name is taken, you can't get it if you want it bad enough. Especially with non-prime domain names that have SEO value (for example, your main keyword is in the URL), you may find that buying a domain name can be a bargain.

A bargain that is easily achievable, no less.