I am beginning to develop another geographic domain name that I just acquired. I plan to announce the acquisition in a few days – once the transfer is final, but since the agreement is signed and the money is in escrow, I began to develop the name today. I am building a very simple and basic site, which will allow me to monetize it more easily using Adsense. While this isn’t going to generate substantial revenue, it will help protect the name from falling out of the Google algorithm.
Long story short,
Get Permission First
Lowell Project: Site Sponsorship
Just like professional sports teams allow corporate sponsorships of their stadiums and various elements of the stadium, Lowell.com will have many sections that can be sponsored by businesses in Lowell. By allowing local businesses to sponsor areas of Lowell.com, we are building great unique content while giving added value to visitors of the website.
There are many different areas that can be sponsored. By tailoring this to local business niches, we can generate revenue for Lowell.com while<!–more–> offering valuable brand marketing for the local businesses. These sponsors will be viewed as experts in the area they sponsor, which will help them attract visitors and hopefully convert them to paying customers.
There is more to read about this on the Lowell.com blog, and I hope you will check it out when you get an opportunity.
Lowell Project: Generating Incremental Revenue
While I expect the enhanced directory listings, homepage advertising, and affiliate deals will generate the majority of revenue for Lowell.com, it is important to think about ways to generate incremental revenue as well. Using a website like Cafe Press to produce various branded items, I can generate revenue and brand awareness. Whether I end up purchasing the majority of the products or if others decide to buy them as well, this is a great opportunity to encourage people to visit Lowell.com.
On my Lowell.com blog today, I discussed the revenue opportunities of creating an online gift shop, and I also discussed the legal ramifications of using the logo I revealed here not too long ago for commercial purposes. Please check out the Lowell.com blog for the full details.
"Burndown Value" of Generic Domain Name
When buying a domain name intended for development, you should determine the “burndown value” of the domain name. In the general sense, the “burndown value” is what the name is be worth once the previously developed website was/is removed. Although a developed website generally increases the burndown value, there are some instances where the burndown value may be affected by the website that existed before, or what the previous owner did with the domain name.
Manicure.com – "Nailing" Down the Final Steps of Development
DCA Ambassador of the Year award winners David and Michael Castello have quietly launched one of their company’s flagship domain names, Manicure.com. Although Manicure.com is still in its embryonic stage, the Castello Brothers are willing to peel back the curtains and allow domain investors and developers the rare opportunity to see the final stages of development of this great generic domain name. Once completed, Manicure.com will feature manicure tips, product information and much more.
The full and celebrated launch of Manicure.com is expected to be in about a month, but we will have an inside look at the final steps to developing this generic domain name into a fully functioning, multi-purpose website. David is willing to share daily updates with readers as the website continues to grow, creating a reference tool for other developers who may be facing the same struggles. I think this is a great opportunity for anyone who is going down the path of development and wants to see how the professionals do it.
Feel free to post comments or questions, and I am sure David or Michael will be happy to address them.
My Thoughts on Domain Development
While I think domain parking is a great option for domain names that haven’t been developed yet, I believe domain owners should begin making plans to develop their domain names soon. I wrote a guest post on Sahar’s Conceptualist Blog about why I think now is the time domain owners should develop their domain names.
Please check out my guest post when you have a few moments.