Monetizing Your Domains

As a newbie Domainer, you may be confused by some of the basic terms we experienced Domainers take for granted. So, we are going to provide some additional explanations here before you read on and charge into the breach.

Domains and Domain Names

The Internet consists of millions of interconnected nodes, or points where server computers reside, serving up web pages and other content. Each one of these locations has a unique address known as an "IP Address" that looks something like: "64.233.167.99". These numeric addresses are great for computers to reference each other, but are very difficult for us humans to remember or relate to, as they are meaningless to us. So, the concept of "Domain Names" was developed. Domain Names look something like: "www .YourName.com" (or more commonly now: "YourName.com", the "www ", although still used, has become unnecessary). All Domain Names are unique across the entire Internet. Each unique Domain Name can then be "mapped", or directed to, the server at the appropriate IP Address by specialized servers called: Domain Name Servers (DNS) spread across the Internet.

The Domain Name also specifies the "Domain" under which a complete web site resides on the Internet. So, the Domain Name: "YourName.com" is also the "Domain" at which that web site exists on the Internet.

Domain Names come in several flavors, or TLD s - the last part of the Domain Name (after the last "."). The most common TLD , ".com", we have already mentioned. .com, which stands for "commercial", has become the most popular because it is the most well known by the public. So, it is now being used by many kinds of sites, not just commercial businesses. The next two most popular (because they were defined first along with ".com") are: ".net" for "network" and ".org" for "organization" (e.g.: charitable organization, clubs, associations, etc.).

New TLDs are added periodically. Some of the more interesting recent additions are: ".biz" for businesses, ".info" for information, ".mobi" for mobile devices, and ".name" for people's names. The definition of Domain Names is controlled by: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). For a complete list of all the current TLDs, check out: www.icann.org/registries/listing.html.

There are also special "County Code Top-Level Domains", ccTLDs, such as: ".ar" for Argentina, ".ca" for Canada, ".us" for United States, ".uk" for United Kingdom, etc. For a complete list, go to: www.iana.org/root-whois.

Anyone can think up their own Domain Names (but NOT the TLDs, they are defined by ICANN), but to ensure they are not already assigned, they must be registered with any one of several "Registrars".

Registrars

"Registrars" are on-line companies that have been entrusted to register Domain Names for individuals and businesses. One of the first things they will do when you try to register your Domain Name, is ensure that it is not already taken (registered by someone else). If the name you have chosen is taken, you must go back to the drawing board, and pick another one. In the event your chosen name is not available, some registrars have a process that will suggest alternative names.

Once it is confirmed that your chosen Domain Name is unique, the registration can proceed. There is a small fee, usually $5.00 to $20.00 per year, to register a Domain Name. You can register for more than one year (usually 2-10), but that would not be prudent if you are new to the business, or are unsure of the future for the Domain Names.

Various additional services may be provided by some Registrars with each Domain Name registration (e.g.: email accounts, minimal hosting accounts, etc.). Once registration is completed, you own the world-wide rights to that unique name on the Internet for the registration period. When the registration period expires, you have the option to renew your registration (for another fee), or let it expire.

Registrars are also responsible for pointing their DNS s for your Domain Name to the proper IP Address of your web site server, or to a parked domain . Some Registrars give you complete control of modifying your DNS entry to point to your web site server, with others you must request changes.

For our current list of Registrars, check out: Table 1.a: Domain Registrars Comparison.

URL

A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a very explicit address on the Internet which constists of two to three delimited parts:

a document or content type (e.g.: "http ://" or "ftp ://", or "file ://"),

a domain (e.g.: "YourName.com/"),

and a page or file name (e.g.: "index.html ").

So, a complete, explicit URL would look like: "http://YourName.com/index.html". This would point you to the "Home Page" of the web site "Your Domain.com". By convention the "index.html" file is the "Home Page" of any web site. And, if that site's Webmaster followed the standard convention, you would also arrive at the "Home Page" by simply typing "YourName.com" into your web browser.

HTML

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the "language" or syntax that all web pages are written in. Although all web pages are actually coded in simple text, there is a very specific pre-defined syntax, or format, of that text required for your Web Browser to properly interpret and display the pages. It is far beyond the scope of this eBook to explain the details of HTML. As a Domainer, however, it would be very handy for you to have at least a basic knowledge of HTML. Check "Chapter 5 Research & Learn", using the menu at the left, for more information and reference materials and books on this and many other topics.

Hosting

"Hosting" or "Web Hosting" is a service provided by most Registrars and Hosting companies (obviously) whereby they provide the server computer where your web site (that is the HTML and other files such as images that comprise your site) resides (is hosted) and from which your web pages are delivered (served) to your viewers. If you decide to develop a web site for your Domain Name, you will need this service. This will cost anywhere from $5.00 to hundreds of dollars per month, depending on the services you need for your site, the amount of disk storage required to hold your entire site, and the amount of traffic (sometimes called bandwidth) your site requires.

Parked Domain

If you are not ready to develop a full web site for your Domain Name, or you are not interested in web site development and just plan on being a domain parker, you will not need a Hosting service, but just a "Parking Service". This is simply a "place keeper" for your Domain to point to, and is one of the main methods Domainers use to monetize (earn money from) their Domains.

Most Registrars will provide you with free "Parking Service" when you register your Domain Names with them. However, the catch is they will keep any revenue derived from ads they place on these "free" parked domains. So, if you are interested in earning money from the domain parking of your Domain Names (after all, that is what this guide is all about!), then you will need a "Parking Service".

Parking Service

A "Parking Service" is an on-line company that specializes in allowing you to point your Domains Names to their servers which will serve up "Landing Pages" with advertising on them, for which the advertisers will pay when their particular ad is clicked (usually only a few cents per click - but it adds up over thousands of clicks). The "Parking Service" hosts the "Landing Pages", serves them to the viewers over the Internet, and keeps track of all the statistics, including the earnings from all the advertisers. Then, usually monthly, they share a percentage of that revenue with the owners of the Domain Names.

For a Domainer, using a "Parking Service" for their Domain Names is the easiest, but not necessarily the most profitable, means of monetizing their Domain Names.

Landing Page

This is the web page upon which a viewer will "land" when your domain is parked, either at your Registrar or a "Parking Service". Most often the design and content of this "Landing Page" is under full control of the "Parking Service", but there are exceptions. Some "Parking Service" give you a choice of designs for your "Landing Page", and still others provide more extensive customizations (see "Chapter 3.2 Parking Services", using the menu at the left).

"Landing Pages" monetize your domains because they have affiliate ads on them that provide revenue to the "Parking Service", who share a percentage with you.

Summary

To summarize, you participate in the domain business as a Domainer to monetize your domains by the following steps:

Acquiring Domain Names by registering them with a Registrar.
Other methods of acquiring Domain Names are covered later in this guide.

You choose to develop your Domains into web sites which may earn money in many different ways.
Various methods and tools for developing web sites are covered later in this guide.

If you develop web sites, you need a hosting company to serve them up.

You choose to monetize your Domain Names by parking them with one or more of the many available Parking Services. Details on the various Parking Services and optimizing techniques are covered later in this guide.
Another means of making money from your Domain Names is selling them at a profit. There are various ways to sell Domain Names and many companies which offer services to help. More details on selling Domain Names are covered later in this guide.

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