Hail damaged vehicles and domain names have one distinct connection: they'll sell really cheap when various conditions damage their physical integrity. With an anticipated shellacking of more domains, websites and link directories than previous updates, Penguin and Panda loathers will have one incredible plus working for them - a potential domain name fire sale once the dreaded algorithmic updates ensue. If you've mulled over purchasing used websites for redevelopment, perhaps the facts below will help curb any misleading purchases before their due time.
.COM Glory Days Will Be Numbered
SEO strategists are beginning to realize what many speculated for several years: relevance matters more when searching specific products or services than how much your domain cost. If your $12,000 .COM doesn't play well with your content, the domain becomes useless; previous untold secrets of search engine disbarment will also negate your .COM. What's important today revolves around a trifecta of relevance ‘statues' set forth by Google: accurate (and not watered down) content, social interest and unabated interaction with your audience. Period.
Since many domains are purchased based off old backlinks, ‘perceived' demand and what single ‘keyword loaded' domains could accomplish for ranks, their value will slowly diminish over time, making way for newer trends.
Businesses Huddle Locally
Irrespective to international sales figures, businesses must have local branding. Perhaps your next big investor, buyer or product innovation will be cultivated from across the street. Factually speaking, this means that domains which target business names, combined with content which clearly identifies their offerings, will produce much richer search value than internationally targeted ideologies. Because of localized SEO, and the efforts Bing takes in making searches more exacting, generalized domain names will lose their worth, making way for savvy domainers salvaging through Penguin's wreckage to ‘fix and flip' TLD's. Localization has been unraveling across America for nearly 5 years now, and is quite stout.
Marketing Unmarketable Goods
Domainers must concentrate on purchasing undamaged, marketable domains which have some future development potential. Ask anyone why they're sitting on ‘premium' domain names, and the answers will vary. However, badger the same people to lower their domain name prices, and you'll receive adverse responses since society still believes current domain markets will revert back to .COM Gold Rush years, nearly 10 years down the tubes already. Keep in mind, fellow domainers:
- Your domain is only worth what someone is willing to pay;
- Domains have more than ‘intrinsic' name value to consider;
- Potential marketing costs will significantly lower domain asking prices.
Sale Of The Century
Whether amply prepared or left hanging, domain names will fly off the aftermarket shelves quickly. Many will drop well below their asking prices since backlinking laws will change, domain expectations will heighten and 1000's of new TLD's will dominate in 2014. Believing LLL, LLLL or keyword rich domain will have exponential worth will mislead sellers. When your bazillion dollar domain hits the bargain bin, or becomes relatively useless, perhaps finally the notion strategists like myself have predicted all year will be realized: Panda, Penguin and Bing really only require relevance to make the search stratosphere simpler for beginner or novice searchers to quickly meet their needs - and your domain isn't providing that simplicity, hence the massive post-Panda fire sale I, for one, will await.
Roger Klawinksi is a freelance writer and domainer who sells his domains at Afternic.com, a domain auction marketplace.
