10 Things I am Thankful for in the Domain Industry

Thanksgiving in winding down for us, and I would be remiss if I didn’t take a few moments to give thanks. I’ve made a full-time living for 12+ years (anniversary is this week) solely from domain names, and I am very thankful for some of the people, tools, and businesses in the domain industry.

Here are 10 things I am thankful for today:

Check for Brand Match Twitter Handles

According to an article in The Verge yesterday, “Twitter will remove inactive accounts and free up usernames in December.” The article goes on to say that the account removal process will be gradual and take time, so not all previously inactive Twitter accounts will become available on the first possible date. I think this is something domain investors should keep an eye on with respect to their own domain names.

BlackFriday.com Sale Price Revealed

Black Friday, which occurs one week from today, has become the largest in-store shopping day of the year in the United States. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving (November 29th this year), and many people around the country participate by doing their Christmas and holiday shopping on this day that is known for its special Black Friday sales and deals. There are countless websites that promote Black Friday and offer information about where to find good deals.

#StartAnArgumentIn4Words: Domain Name Edition

The hashtag #StartAnArgumentIn4Words has been trending on Twitter. GoDaddy’s Joe Styler posted a domain name related tweet with the hashtag:

Here are a few ways I think you could start an argument with a domain investor in 4 words:

Domain Name Changes Can be Costly

I came across an article on Hacker News that discussed a major layoff at a logo and design company called Looka. According to the article, the company laid off 80% of its employees. The layoff followed a corporate rebranding, as the company changed its name from Logojoy to Looka. Interestingly, the Looka.com domain name was acquired via Sedo in September of 2018 for $65,150.

Apparently, the domain name change that went along with the rebrand was the culprit behind a major loss of traffic. Here’s an excerpt from the article found on BetaKit:

Video: Bhavin Turakhia on BBC’s CEO Secrets

Bhavin Turakhia and Div Turakhia are almost certainly the most financially successful people who are involved in the domain name industry. Billionaires from several successful businesses, including Directi, Media.net, Radix, and other companies, Bhavin and Div cut attended domain conferences and industry events before they hit it big.