| Domain names are fast becoming an asset for | | | | industry experts at Entrepreneur Domains |
| thousands of worldwide investors and business | | | | provide online domain name appraisal |
| owners. A domain name is an easy way for | | | | services. There is a fee for the service but |
| people to locate a website on the Internet. | | | | it may be worth knowing a fair price when |
| For many corporations the names are becoming | | | | buying or selling a particular domain. As |
| a brand in their own right and can be traded | | | | with any investment, return on investment is |
| for additional value because of the brand | | | | an important consideration when trading |
| equity or goodwill they have built. | | | | domain names. |
| | | | |
| Some factors contribute to the value of a | | | | The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names |
| domain name before it is ever registered. | | | | and Numbers, (ICANN) located in California is |
| Some names are specific to certain types of | | | | responsible for governing the use of |
| organisation or geographic location. All are | | | | international domain name extensions, which |
| subject to the rules imposed by local | | | | are those with 3 letters or more, including |
| governing bodies concerning the legal | | | | .com, .org and .info. Some domain name |
| registration, purpose and disposal of domain | | | | extensions are further separated to be |
| names. This article will provide a starting | | | | country specific and are regulated by local |
| point to those who are interested in | | | | governing bodies. |
| purchasing a domain name. | | | | |
| | | | Australian domain names, such as .com.au are |
| When you choose a domain name you will also | | | | governed by the Australian Domain Name |
| register an extension, for example .com, .org | | | | Administrator, (AUda) and cannot legally be |
| or, .gov. A discussion of all possible domain | | | | traded in the same way as other domains. A |
| name extensions is beyond the scope of this | | | | .com.au name may only be transferred when a |
| article, however the most commonly used ones | | | | business is sold. For this reason, users |
| are worth referring to. The top-level domain | | | | cannot list a .com.au name or website for |
| name extension, .com, is usually the most | | | | sale on au. |
| valuable because it is considered to be a | | | | |
| "worldwide" commerce address and therefore | | | | Prior to purchasing any domain name, the |
| generates more traffic than a local name. | | | | buyer should always check that the person |
| With appropriate content a .com name is as | | | | selling the domain name is either an |
| applicable to Australia as it is to the | | | | accredited registrar or the legal owner of |
| United States. The .org extension is intended | | | | the domain name. To check legal ownership |
| for use by not for profit organisations and | | | | visit the WHOIS database for international |
| the .gov name is for Government departments. | | | | domain names, accessible from Entrepreneur |
| | | | Domains and the AUda WHOIS database for |
| There are cases when a country specific | | | | Australian domain names, which is accessible |
| domain name is more valuable to the user than | | | | from the AUda website. |
| a .com name. For example a pizza shop that | | | | |
| wants to offer deliveries Australia wide | | | | Finally, before purchasing any domain, the |
| would be wise to purchase a .com.au name, | | | | user should look at the date of registration |
| specifically intended for commercial use in | | | | by the current owner. If the date of |
| Australia. When a user searches a popular web | | | | registration is less than 60 days old the |
| search engine such as Google or Yahoo, they | | | | user should not buy the domain yet as it |
| may select a box to display results only from | | | | cannot be legally transferred during that |
| Australia. In this case the .com.au names | | | | time. The user should also ensure the domain |
| would be displayed but not the .com names. | | | | is not ready to expire or they could be |
| | | | facing additional charges to renew the name. |
| Domain name length and word count also | | | | |
| contribute to the value. Rule of thumb is | | | | This article is by no means an exhaustive |
| single word domain names are worth more. | | | | discussion of what to consider prior to |
| Shorter is better. Like everything there are | | | | purchasing a domain name. It does provide |
| exceptions to the rule. Consider the amount | | | | general guidelines to start trading domains |
| of people that might look up a celebrity name | | | | and websites. It is recommended that users |
| after viewing a news item. is likely to be as | | | | seek further information from their |
| valuable as although the latter is shorter. | | | | accredited registrar or the regulatory bodies |
| | | | discussed above. |
| In most cases hyphens or numbers can be used | | | | |
| as part of a registered name but these mostly | | | | Although this article is written in good |
| decrease the value. | | | | faith and is believed to be accurate, no such |
| | | | guarantee is made. No part of this article |
| If in doubt about the value of a domain name, | | | | should be taken as specific advice. |