Domainer's Gazette-Home

ok, Frank, whether you like it or not..

since Sahar is working hard at his logo, I thought I’d be fun to offer some alternative options for the ‘Seven Mile’ logo font.. there’s nothing wrong with what you’ve got, I’m just bored, and looking to kill some time.. and I have some logo software at my disposal..

I stuck with your existing color combos, just tossed in a few alt font options..

if you like any, let me know..

what you ya’ll think? You like what he has now? Or should he change?

I kinda like the first one..

I feel like Frankenstein right now..

The domain industry created me, and now I must be fed on a regular basis from domain name auctions.

When Frankenstein doesn’t get what he wants, he lashes out, and causes much disruption.

So, Frankenstein wants to know, Monte, we’re down to t-minus 9 days for the Moniker Domain Auction at Pubcon Vegas, and the master inventory list has yet to be posted..

it makes Frankenstein very very angry.

“Where my domain name list? Me want. Me need to analyze. Now!”

: )

(my other option was to become a strung out drug user domain buyer, needing my “fix”..I opted for Frankenstein.)

check out this pretty interesting hack case study I performed lazily, being the day after Thanksgiving…

Bodog.com

yes, they lost their original domain name in a well publicized lawsuit

but my question today was this: how negatively affected was the traffic to their business?

Did the domain name shift confuse users, and drive them away to competition? or drive them away permanently?

Not really, according to compete.com

check it out.

You can see the initial jump to domain name ‘newbodog.com’ after the fracas.

then, weeks later, they decided to settle on the domain name bodoglife.com as their mainstay.

Notice, traffic is right on track, trending upwards reflecting the college football and nfl seasons.

don’t think compete.com data is accurate? Well alexa mirrored the same results:

How about that for a loyal fan base?

Google even jump-stepped and quickly understood the change, even tossing several site links along the way:

Type-in traffic domaining and SEOmaining this is not, brand establishment-aining this is. Not sure I’ve ever seen a domain name, or business model, shift this drastically with relatively no downside on traffic loss.

bravo to Bodog, bravo…

I’m quite thankful this Thanksgiving 2007, I thought yesterday.

I’m thankful for the domaining industry as a whole, cause it’s where my obsession currently rests.

I’m thankful for Frank Schilling (whom I hope to meet one day), for opening up his war chest of knowledge, and helping new domainers understand the minutiae of the industry.

From an seo & site design front, I’m thankful for Jim’s blog, Aaron’s blog, and Andy’s blog, and the wealth of knowledge they dole out on a regular basis. Without those, I wouldn’t be here.

I’m thankful for Roger Barnette, who gave me my first dot com job back in ‘98, and started the snowball effect of my career.

And most importantly, I’m thankful for great friends and a loving family.

I’m thankful for my parents who let me wander after college, and always supported me in any endeavor I’ve pursued.

I’m thankful to have such a supportive, loving, and beautiful wife, who is hands down smarter than I am.

And I’m thankful for my brother & sister, who - with or without knowledge - gently pushed me to become the domainer & entrepreneur I am today.

An fyi to all, if you own a Treo 650 and bid on domain auctions at NameJet..

The Blazer mobile browser used on the Treo (at least on mine) disables Javascript as a default setting. Coincidentally, NameJet uses quite a bit of Javascript on their homepage and login page..

So if you’re “on the go” like I was yesterday, driving back from a mini-Thanksgiving down I-75 and bidding on domain names in the car passenger seat (Neil Patel, that was yours), be sure to jump into Options > Preferences > General and uncheck ‘Disable Javascript’. If it’s activated, you won’t be able to login and place bids..

and don’t bother calling NameJet for help or instructions.. they’ll incorrectly instruct you, as they did me, “NameJet does not currently work on the Treo 650″..

It’s 3:46 right now

I’m in an auction with you on Snapnames for the domain HamptonsWedding.com - and I want it, bad

really bad

Why? Cause there are a lot of very expensive weddings held in the Hamptons outside NYC.

I’m at the point in my domaining career where I’m attempting expand my portfolio from SEO domains into type-in traffic domains (which I’ll develop)

There are two minutes to go, and you want to know what? I’ve conceded defeat. And I’m livid.

Pissed.

Actually, a congratulatory livid and pissed.

I’m livid and pissed at myself, and congratulatory towards you cause - when it came down to it - you ponied up the cash. I didn’t.

It sold for $3,100.

I bid it to $3,000.

and I’m still shaking my head.

there were 3 people in the auction room. I thought I might catch you sleeping, since a lot of auction activity has moved over to NameJet.

I was wrong

You paused several times in the auction, once around $800 or so, then again around $1,700. Both times I thought I might have a chance. After you eventually outbid me, I tried raising the bid several hundred dollars to try and scare you off (which is a joke cause, I’m quite aware you’re the guy that owns the internet). When I did that, though, you’d simply follow my lead, and raise it several hundred more.

When it got to $2,500, I swung my best uppercut, and laid out the $3K offer. About a minute later, you leapfrogged me to $3,100.

My head sunk.

I smiled.

I shook my head.

And I quietly cursed to myself (sorry Mom) .

It hit me though. A quick realization. I’m officially at the point where I can’t self-fund my acquisitions anymore. There are simply too many domains I can acquire, and profitably operate, becoming available. Fantastic domains just like HamptonsWedding.com.

I need access to cash.

I need to seriously consider assembling some financial backers.

And explore fractional domain ownership.

I can’t all complain though. I was able to snatch up another wedding domain earlier today, HighlandsWedding.com (Highlands NC is kinda like the Mountain version of the Hamptons for folks in Atlanta - and they have *a lot* of weddings up there). And I didn’t even have to buy it from anyone, it was unregistered : )

Enjoy HamptonsWedding.com, though, Kevin.. you beat me fair and square.