Many folks are now getting into the internet “gold strike” or “real estate boom” of domain names.  Folks usually try to get lucrative domain names to buy and sell.  You may have already come across folks trying to sell you services or “insider knowledge” in this market.  What are you to think of this type of practice?

If you have green in your eyes when it comes to domain investing, you are probably going to be disappointed.  Yes, if you would have thought of this option in, say, 1985 – you would probably be a millionaire.  But now the game is very very different.  That’s because a lot of people are in the domain investing game.  Many top notch .com domains are already gone.  And it’s much like old real estate markets.  Unless something catastrophic happens, getting deals is all the numbers game.  You have to do lots of research, lots of buying, lots of selling, and lots of deal-making.  In other words, it’s a lot of work that requires dedication and resources.  Sorry to burst your bubble.

Now, let’s think of domain investing a little differently.  Most people seem to go into the domaineering or domaining arena looking to flip domain names.  I think that’s an accurate term.  They want to simply be the middle man with little to no work.  But you can also appreciate the value of a domain.  People will pay for good Google page rank, alexa rank, and traffic in a certain niche.  Yeah, I know, now you are thinking “But that takes work!” Stop whining, get real, and stop thinking get rich quick.  It’s usually a pipe dream anyway.  How could you do this without burning up a ton of time?  Well, now it’s time to get creative.  How about you farm out everything?  That includes design, implementation, etc.  Get a good domain name and build it from there.  Location, location, location.  Now you have a good domain name that you have rehabbed.  I know of several folks who do this full time.  Yes, it does require work, but they seem to think their freedom is worth it!

Get a plan and then register a domain name, get web hosting, and you are off.  Know of any other good nuances to the domaineering idea?  Let us know.

Now, back to domains.  The first thing you will need to do is actually look up your domain name.  You will be shocked to see just how many domain names are actually taken.  Just five years ago, this wasn’t the case.  Since that time, folks called domaineers have been buying up large amounts of domain names in the hopes of selling them to other people.  They are kind of like real estate speculators.

If you can’t find the name you want with the .com extension, we suggest other extensions that you could use.  We also suggest similar names you could use in its place.  You may be surprised to know that domain names are actually governed by an international body called ICANN.  ICANN “is responsible for the global coordination of the Internet’s system of unique identifiers. These include domain names (like .org, .museum and country codes like .UK), as well as the addresses used in a variety of Internet protocols. Computers use these identifiers to reach each other over the Internet. Careful management of these resources is vital to the Internet’s operation, so ICANN’s global stakeholders meet regularly to develop policies that ensure the Internet’s ongoing security and stability.”

So, we provide you with an easy (and cheap I may add!) way to register domains.

Read below for 3 How To’s on Domain Registration.

1. Make sure the domain name you are after isnt taken. Be ready with a backup plan. Either be prepared to settle for a .net or .org domain, or have another name in mind if you have your heart set on a .com. You can do a Who-Is search to see who owns a domain and for how long by following this link. Also, we can do domain lookups on loudsign. enter a domain name that u know is used, then you can click “click here for more info” and it will do a whois on that taken domain.

2. Support. Phone support is essential for you when you are using a domain registration service. Especially phone support. If the registrar you choose does not offer phone support, look elsewhere. This can and will save you possible headaches come renewal time.

3. Save Your Passwords and Login Info. This may seem simplistic, but many many people buy their domain and hosting, and don’t ever log back in to their account. If you dont have your information saved and secured, it can be an incredibly difficult experience to try.

Ok, so now you have the basic “How To’s” taken care of, but what are the “Must Do’s” that we have learned in the process that can give you the most bang for your buck?

1. Private Registration. If you registrar gives you the option, as Loudsign does, select a private registration. That way, your personal contact information will not be available on the WhoIs page we showed you before. This not only cuts down on spam, but also allows you to maintain a private identity if you are using a personal address. This option costs a little more, but is certainly worth every penny.

2. Find a good Registrar. We are obviously biased here at Loudsign about our proficiency when it comes to making the process of registering a domain simple, but if you still aren’t sure, check out our step by step process here.

3. Point your new domain to a Web server or “park” the domain. If you have not yet built a Web site, you should park the name with the registrar. If you have built a site, you must tell the registrar on which Web server the site is located.

We will also be having some question and answer session for exisiting customer on how to get the most from your hosting plans. And some announcements when Loudsign trots out a sharp new service or feature.

So get ready, we have lots to talk about!