The two most important skills that a domain investor traditionally requires are the ability to find quality domains to buy and the ability to sell domain names that you own for a profit. These are skills that can be easily developed, but there are three points that are often overlooked on the path to becoming a great domain name investor.
The three points are: security, legislation and building a reputation. Below, we shall expand on those points to see why these three should be considered when building your own domain investment business.
Security
After you’ve acquired a domain name, it will be transferred to your own account at a pre-determined registrar. You’ll modify the domain’s WHOIS details, change the nameservers and make sure that the name is ready for you to use in whichever way you want to. But is your domain secure?
Domain security is often overlooked, which can be permissible at first, but once you’ve built up a valuable portfolio, the risk of a domain being stolen increases. I know many three-letter .COM owners, for example, that have experienced numerous failed attempts to steal their domain(s).
There are several aspects to ensuring that your domains are secure. These include registrar account security and email security, both of which play an important part in securing your names.
We have published several articles about domain name security that may be of interest to you:
UDRPs and the ICA
Are you up to date with your knowledge of the ICANN system, the dangers of UDRPs and trademark law in relation to domain names? UDRP laws in particular should be something that all domain investors have some knowledge of.
There are, on average, over 2,000 UDRPs filed every year with WIPO and it’s unnerving to see that recently, generic one-word .COMs (such as zero.com and hug.com) are being targeted through UDRPs.
Unfortunately, UDRPs are a threat to domain name owners, which is why it’s best to know as much as possible about them. WIPO and ICANN have both produced guides to UDRPs that you will want to read. NamePros also has a complete section dedicated to legal issues.
One of the best resources that we have as domain investors is the ICA. The ICA fights for the rights of domainers, and is something that we should all be aware of. UDRP reforms in particular are something that the ICA are keen to help with, to change what they call the unpredictable system that currently exists.
Nat Cohen, domain investor and ICA board member was interviewed on NamePros recently about his views on UDRPs and the ICA in particular. If you are looking for more information on the ICA, they have an active blog.
Reputation, Connections and Networking
Reputation is key to becoming a successful investor. Connecting with other investors can open new opportunities, new avenues of investment and challenge your thought processes to help you become a better investor.
Forums, domain conferences and local meetups are all good examples of places to meet other domain investors. Events of all sizes are publicized on blogs and forums that cover domain names, and you may want to attend a couple of them! We have published a guide to connecting with other domain investors that you may find useful.
Regarding domaining conferences and meetups, we've heard nothing but good reports from across the globe. Earlier this year, we covered the first ever DNHouston networking event, and last year, our own @Edward Zeiden reported on the SoCal Domainers Meetup.
The domaining community is global, so there is no limit to where and when any networking event can take place. Networking can happen online or in person. As the largest community of domain investors, NamePros is an ideal place to start networking, with dedicated areas for networking, opportunities to participate in planned meetups and opportunities to discuss important topics with other investors via our blog.
There are several larger events in the domain industry calendar, including events in China, the USA and India. Recently we asked two attendees what it was like to attend China’s World Domain Conference, and after 2015’s THE Domain Conference in Florida, GoDaddy’s own Joe Styler wrote a detailed piece about why attending a domain conference can be beneficial.
The other major domain event of the industry calendar is NamesCon. NamePros have produced a number of videos showing highlights of NamesCon 2015 and 2016, which you’ll want to check out if you’ve never been to NamesCon before.
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Ultimately, I believe that knowledge is what makes a great domain investor. Building knowledge daily, and sharing with other investors can help your professional growth. The resources we've linked to above are some excellent examples of what you can do as an investor to improve yourself.
The three points are: security, legislation and building a reputation. Below, we shall expand on those points to see why these three should be considered when building your own domain investment business.
Security
After you’ve acquired a domain name, it will be transferred to your own account at a pre-determined registrar. You’ll modify the domain’s WHOIS details, change the nameservers and make sure that the name is ready for you to use in whichever way you want to. But is your domain secure?
Domain security is often overlooked, which can be permissible at first, but once you’ve built up a valuable portfolio, the risk of a domain being stolen increases. I know many three-letter .COM owners, for example, that have experienced numerous failed attempts to steal their domain(s).
There are several aspects to ensuring that your domains are secure. These include registrar account security and email security, both of which play an important part in securing your names.
We have published several articles about domain name security that may be of interest to you:
- How to Avoid Domain Theft, Part 1
- How to Avoid Domain Theft, Part 2
- Domain Theft Can Be Stopped, Here's How
- How Safe Are Your Domain Names?
UDRPs and the ICA
Are you up to date with your knowledge of the ICANN system, the dangers of UDRPs and trademark law in relation to domain names? UDRP laws in particular should be something that all domain investors have some knowledge of.
There are, on average, over 2,000 UDRPs filed every year with WIPO and it’s unnerving to see that recently, generic one-word .COMs (such as zero.com and hug.com) are being targeted through UDRPs.
Unfortunately, UDRPs are a threat to domain name owners, which is why it’s best to know as much as possible about them. WIPO and ICANN have both produced guides to UDRPs that you will want to read. NamePros also has a complete section dedicated to legal issues.
One of the best resources that we have as domain investors is the ICA. The ICA fights for the rights of domainers, and is something that we should all be aware of. UDRP reforms in particular are something that the ICA are keen to help with, to change what they call the unpredictable system that currently exists.
Nat Cohen, domain investor and ICA board member was interviewed on NamePros recently about his views on UDRPs and the ICA in particular. If you are looking for more information on the ICA, they have an active blog.
Reputation, Connections and Networking
Reputation is key to becoming a successful investor. Connecting with other investors can open new opportunities, new avenues of investment and challenge your thought processes to help you become a better investor.
Forums, domain conferences and local meetups are all good examples of places to meet other domain investors. Events of all sizes are publicized on blogs and forums that cover domain names, and you may want to attend a couple of them! We have published a guide to connecting with other domain investors that you may find useful.
Regarding domaining conferences and meetups, we've heard nothing but good reports from across the globe. Earlier this year, we covered the first ever DNHouston networking event, and last year, our own @Edward Zeiden reported on the SoCal Domainers Meetup.
The domaining community is global, so there is no limit to where and when any networking event can take place. Networking can happen online or in person. As the largest community of domain investors, NamePros is an ideal place to start networking, with dedicated areas for networking, opportunities to participate in planned meetups and opportunities to discuss important topics with other investors via our blog.
There are several larger events in the domain industry calendar, including events in China, the USA and India. Recently we asked two attendees what it was like to attend China’s World Domain Conference, and after 2015’s THE Domain Conference in Florida, GoDaddy’s own Joe Styler wrote a detailed piece about why attending a domain conference can be beneficial.
The other major domain event of the industry calendar is NamesCon. NamePros have produced a number of videos showing highlights of NamesCon 2015 and 2016, which you’ll want to check out if you’ve never been to NamesCon before.
--
Ultimately, I believe that knowledge is what makes a great domain investor. Building knowledge daily, and sharing with other investors can help your professional growth. The resources we've linked to above are some excellent examples of what you can do as an investor to improve yourself.
