Domain Name Blog

Today I will discuss a few things. First why did Google buy YouTube? We will analyse an article that has been published by CNNMoney. Second we will discuss a few domain terminologies: CTR

There is one question that has dominated the internet space ever since Google acquired YouTube two weeks ago. Why did Google buy a 19-month old internet site? Good question to ask any internet real estate specialist to answer you. According to the fortune editor David Kirkpatrick, Google acquired YouTube because of its belief in the staying power of conventional broadcast television and cable.

Google makes a lot of money online through advertising as evidenced by an increase in its third quarter earnings from a year ago which reflected on growth due to flourishing  sales of search engine related searches. Total revenue for the third quarter rose 70 percent to $2.69 billion, up from year-ago revenue of $1.58 billion. Google is indeed the search engine king.

Many writers recently pointed to the obvious opportunity for a Google-owned YouTube to profit from placing video ads next to the 100 million video streams that YouTube claims users view there each month. That is surely one reason Google can justify paying so much money, but a closely-related reason may be even more important.

IMO Google’s acquisition of YouTube might prove to be one of the best investments made ever by the company. It will be surely interested to see how the ROI turns out by it is certain that it is making good $$$ from contextual ads already through Google adsense. The full article by David Kirkpatrick can be found here.
Terminologies 

CTR: it is simply a ratio of clicks to the number of visitors to a website. Better definition still CTR refers to the number of clicks divided by number of impressions and generally not in terms of number of persons who clicked. This is an important difference because if one person clicks 10 times on the same advertisement instead of once then the CTR would increase in the earlier definition but would stay the same in term of later definition.

Some say that some domain names have greater value than others. There is no single week that the DNJournal will ever miss to report on domain sales at Sedo, Afternic among others. They have even gone as far as to say that a domain’s value does not just have to be judged from the parking revenue point of view alone. But I would still argue that parking revenue is a potential way of telling what is a generic domain’s value. Dan Warner the COO of Fabulous has elaborated more on branded and branded domains in this article. Domain names with little or no parking revenue at all have a teriffic branding potential. Capital market evaluators usually have difficulties in telling the exact value of a domain name if it doesn’t have any overture score. There are many tools out there to find the overture score of most of the major ccTLDs e.g. Eovt and OVTD. The concept of overture score is important and at the center of purchase and sale of revenue domains. A domain’s overture score with extension is a more practical way of assessing what could be the current market price for a domain. Overture score works under the principle that it able to provide one with the number of times a keyword is searched on the search engines. Overture score without extension is not reliable at all from experience as most domains that i have ever registered on this criteria rarely have they performed well.

I have one problem with parking revenue domains. A lot of domains have gone into waste down the drain as domainers park them earning measly monthly revenue. Think of search names like YouTube.com, Ebay.com and Amazon.com. We all know how much value these domain names have in the market currently because the owners have taken the huge step to develop and advertise them to develop both massive and reliant followers. There is a feeling that many domainers have that just any other name obtained at reg fee is worth several grands. I think this is an optical illusion for many domainers which is misleading. Domainers need to turn to the next niche on the internet which will be developing sites. Webmasters have been doing very well lately with contextual ads. I wont hesitate to mention my role model Shoemoney.com whose empire of sites on the internet mesmerizes me.

Google finally purchased YouTube for $1.65b. YouTube was founded by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, who were all early employees of PayPal. Subsequently the purchase has put to end speculation over the net over who was going to buy the company. Other media giants reported earlier to be interested in purchasing YouTube were Viacom, Yahoo and AOL. The next question might be who owns YouTube? To answer this question, you need to mention three young men who came up with the initial idea about the site. They are Chad, Karim and Steve.
Chad, Karim and Steve (YouTube Video)Chad studied studied at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Steve and Karim studied computer science together at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The domain name “YouTube.com” was activated on February 15, 2005, and the website was developed over the following months. The creators offered the public a preview of the site in May 2005, and six months later, YouTube made its official debut.

For more information, read here.

Ever wondered why some might be correct to say that the domain industry in 2006 has pushed into record high levels? Didn’t camp.com this past week sell for $150,000 at Sedo? What’s more, diamond.com in May sold for a whooping $7.5m! DnsBlogs today takes a critical look at some of the domain industry’s top notch players. Did you know that…

Sedo registered over $25m worth of domain sales in 2005

$4b was spent in advertising within the first quarter of 2006

Moniker and Pulse 360 were acquired this summer by Kanoodle (Seevast Corp)

Dan Warner owns Fabulous

Sedo has rolled out a new “better” parking system in late summer 2006

DNForum entered into a strategic domain management and acquisition partnership with iREIT

…

For more insight on the state of the industry and what happened in 2005 and at the beginning of 2006, read The State of the Industry: Insight From 20 Domain Experts On What Happened in 2005 and What’s Coming in 2006

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Today the blogosphere is awash with news that Google is in talks for acquisition of YouTube, reports the BusinessWeek. While each one of us have their own reasons to consider this not to be news, I would like to ask whether YouTube is really worth the estimated takeover price of $1.6bn. IMHO if Google buys YouTube for such a colossal figure, this is going to be a bit of a gamble with their money. The fact remains that YouTube has not until today implemented a culture of playing ads before videos are displayed. It is also a fact that YouTube receives upto 20m unique visitors per month. But my point of contention would be that a sudden change of the status quo by Google (if they indeed buy YouTube) video ads might drive away a substantial of visitors. There are other companies offering web video clips such as Grouper.com (bought recently by Sony for $650m), Gotuit.com (Gotuit Media) among others.
Google advocates for an entrepreneurial spirit for the devout at heart–publishers. From my experience with PPC providers, there nothing more difficult than monetizing video web content sites.

In the past YouTube has been linked to be involved in takeover talks with other web giant companies such as AOL (Time Warner), Viacom and Yahoo.
Just to give you an oversight into the video advertising dollars:

“The advertising dollars U.S. social networking sites collect is expected to grow from $280 million this year to $1.9 billion in 2010, according to estimates by research firm eMarketer”.

Have you ever wondered how many domain names Google owns? Currently Google owns 520 domain names. Their domain collection has been growing over the last couple years because of all of the companies they started and have bought. Some of these domain names are not in Google’s name, but in the company’s name that they purchased. If you see any domains missing or inaccuracies, feel free and leave a comment.

21150.com 3576.net 38389438.com 466453.com 7sou.com 95539.com adsbygoogle.com adsense.net adwords.com adwords.net adwords.org adwordselect.com adwordsexample.com adwordsgoogle.com adwordsselect.com adwords-select.com adwordsselect.net adwordsselect.org akwan.com allevil.org altos.us android.com answergoogle.com answer-google.com answersgoogle.com answers-google.com appliedsemantics.com appsem.com apsem.com arabgoogle.com arabicgoogle.com askgoogle.com atlantis9.org averitablebevy.com bakuhatsu.net bigcitysmallbank.com blogger.com blogspot.com bon-vivant.net book300.com canalportugal.info cashexperiment.com catalogsgoogle.com chinagoogle.com clinilab.net cobrasearch.com conversionuniversity.com crotales.com dbanks.org deja.com deja.net dejadiscussion.com dejadiscussions.com deja-discussions.com dejanews.com dejanews.net dejanews.org dejastinks.com dejastinks.net dejasucks.net dejatracker.com deja-tracker.com delsolpm.net divesfl.com dmarc.net dodgeball.com dontswitch.com e17.org earthender.com earthender.net earthrender.com earthrender.net earthstream.com earthviewer.com earthviewer.net earthviewer.org elgoog.com elgoog.net elgoog.org eperfumez.com e-perfumez.com expire.ws firehunt.com floralartbyamy.com foofle.com fourth-party.com fourthparty.net fourth-party.net fourthparty.org fourth-party.org fridata.net froogel.com froogle.com froogol.com frooogle.com g00gle.com gbrowser.com gbrowser.net gbrowser.org gcalendar.com gchat.biz gchat.us gdrive.com gethealed.org gewgle.com gewgol.com gg-center.net ggoogle.com ggooglers.net ggooglers.org ghut.org gigagoogle.com gigagoogle.net gigagoogle.org globalgamerscenter.net globalgamers-center.net globalgames-center.net gmail.com gmmgjd.net gmmgjd.org gmmgjdwap.com gmodule.com gmodules.com gngjd.com gogle.com gogole.com googel.com googil.com google.biz google.com google.info google.net google.org google.us google.ws google1.com google2.com google3.com google4mp3.com googleaccelerator.com googleaccess.com google-access.com googleadsense.com googleadservices.com googleadult.com googleadvancedsearch.com googleanalytic.com googleanalyticas.com googleanalytics.com google-analytics.com googleanswer.com google-answer.com googleanswers.com google-answers.com googlearabic.com googlearchive.com googlearchives.com googlearth.com googlebase.com googlebay.com googleblog.biz googleblog.com googleblog.info googleblog.net googleblog.org googleblows.com googleblows.net googleblows.org googlebot.com googlebox.biz googlebox.com googlebox.info googlebox.net googlebox.org googlebrowserbutton.com googlebrowserbuttons.com googlebucks.com googlebutton.com googlebutton.net googlebutton.org googlebuttons.com googlebuy.com googlebuy.info googlebuy.net googlebuy.org googlebuyers.com googlecache.com googlecalendar.net googlecatalog.com googlecatalogs.com googleclips.com googlecom.com google-compute.com googlecompute.com googlecompute.net googlecompute.org googlecomputers.com googlecomputing.com google-computing.com googledesktop.com google-desktop.com googledigital.info googledigital.net googledigital.org googledirectory.com googledirectory.net googledirectory.org googledoodle.com googledoodle.net googledoodle.org googlee.com googleearth.com googleearth.info googleearth.net googleearth.org googlefoundation.com googlefoundation.net googlefoundation.org googlegear.com googlegear.net googlegear.org googlegoods.com googlegroups.com googleguy.com googleimageads.com googleimages.com googleimagesearch.com google-inc.com googleinstantmessenger.com googleit.com googleit.net googleit.org googlejobs.com googlejobs.net googlejournals.com googlelabs.info googlelabs.net googlelabs.org googlelecture.com googlelibrary.com googlelibrary.info googlelibrary.net googlelibrary.org googlelocal.net googlelocal.org googlemagazines.com googlemagazines.info googlemagazines.net googlemagazines.org googlemail.biz googlemail.com googlemail.info googlemail.org googlemail.us googlemaps.com googlemaps.org googlemastercard.com googleme.com googlemicrofilm.com googlemicrofilm.info googlemicrofilm.net googlemicrofilm.org googlemotherfucker.com googlemovie.info googlemovie.net googlemovie.org googlemovies.info googlemovies.net googlemovies.org googlemusic.com googlenews.net googlenews.org googlenum.com googleoogle.com googleoogle.net googleoogle.org googlepage.org googlepapers.com googlepapers.info googlepapers.net googlepapers.org googleplex.com googleplex.org googleplus.com googleporn.com googleprint.biz googleprint.com googleprint.info googleprint.net googleprint.org googleprint.us googleproxy.com googlequiz.com googlequiz.net googlequiz.org googlereader.com google-reader.com googlereader.info google-reader.info googlereader.net google-reader.net googlereader.org google-reader.org googleregistrar.com googlesatellite.com googlesatellite.info googlesatellite.net googlesatellite.org googlescholar.com googlesearch.com googlesearch.net googleseek.com googlesex.com googlesex.info googleshopping.com googleshopping.net googleshopping.org googlesidebar.com googlesidebar.net googlesidebar.org googlesimplex.com googlesms.biz googlesms.info googlesms.net googlesms.org googlesms.us googlesponsoredlinks.com googlestore.com googlestuff.com google-stuff.com googlesucks.com googlesucks.net googlesucks.org googlesyndication.com googletalk.info googletalk.net googletalk.org googletoolbar.com googletv.com googletv.net googletv.org googlevideo.biz googlevillage.com googlewifi.info googlewifi.net googlewifi.org googlewireless.info googlewireless.net googlewireless.org googleworld.org googli.com googlie.com googlr.com goolge.com gooogle.com gotgoogle.com gppgle.com gppglr.com groupsgoogle.com gtalkr.com guugle.com guugle.org guyindia.com habsplanet.com ho.org howtobuyaweddingring.com igoogle.com igoogle.net igoogle.org infrareddesigns.com issamghanwi.com jamesallen.org janinaordmann.com janina-ordmann.com jenniferwanderer.com jennifer-wanderer.com jinjilake.net kaltix.com kaltix.net kaltix.org kangkang.biz karsanadolulisesi.com karsfenlisesi.com kazimierczuk.net kedrowski.com keyhole.com keyholecorp.com keyholecorp.net keyholecorp.org kimphotosoftware.com latiff.biz lifescapeinc.com loizzos.com lorcanmurray.com lrgx.com m4cs.net mainechaos.com margin15.com markfong.com measuremap.com measuremap.net measuremap.org minzhu.org mobilegoogle.info mobilegoogle.net mobilegoogle.org my-deja.com mydeja.net my-deja.net mydejanews.com my-dejanews.com mygoogle.com my-google.com mygoogle.net my-google.net mygoogle.org my-google.org mypicasa.com namingsolutions.com ngoogle.com nncc.info non-org.net numgoogle.com nwiz.biz ogogle.com oingo.com orcit.com orcut.com orkat.com orkut.biz orkut.com orkut.info orkut.org ozhorde.com pageadgooglesyndication.com philipdryan.com picasa.com picasa.net picasasoftware.com piccasa.net porngoogle.com pyra.com q8planet.com rapidrefocus.com renquan.org requesttimeoff.com richardsbrain.com seeabc.com seedandsaplings.com sellwood.net sergeybrin.com sergeybrin.net sergeybrin.org signacon.net silverflute.net simpel.org smartprogrammer.com smartprogrammer.net sobacka.com sumitbudhiraja.com sumutpos.com support-reverse-smileys.com syncraconstruction.com talageo.com talkcentral.org tampe.info tapata.net team7365.com telageo.com testgmacrfc.com thecarbonneaus.net thedinnerpartynetwork.com timeoffrequest.com timeoffrequests.com timphanmem.com tongwen.net tongwen.org toolbargoogle.com triple-sss.com tvsearch.com urchin.com urching.com urchinstats.com utlemming.org veritablebevy.com wapgmmgjd.com wapgoogle.com wappdapag.com webservicehost.com wherewas.com writely.com wwapgmmgjd.com wwwadwordsselect.com wwwadwords-select.com wwwgoogle.com wwwgooglecom.com wwwgoogleoogle.com wwwgooglesyndication.com wwwpicasa.com wwwpicassa.com wwwpicassa.net wwwpiccasa.com wwwpiccasa.net wwwpiccassa.com wwwpiccassa.net wwwwgoogle.com xjpop.com xn--yvonne-schrder-5pb.com xn--yvonneschrder-rmb.com xvid-x.org xzcz.com yourmailhost.net zipdash.com ziqing.net Updated Entries gdrive.com googledrive.com google.dk google.se google.co.nz google.ca google.cn google.com.pr google.com.ca google.com.ch google.fi google.co.in google.co.uk google.lv google.co.hu google.lk gmale.com google.com.au google.ru google.nl adwords.nl google.be adwords.be google.de gogle.de googel.de google.ro google.kz google.by googlelyrics.com goog1e.com google.no blogger.eu google.pl google.com.pl google.es google.pt google.com.br google.vc google.co.za google.tm google.com.my google.bg frooglegoogle.com google.co.jp google.ie google.co.ck google.com.mx googleshoppinglist.com googlereviews.com googlewishlist.com saturngoogle.com earthgoogle.com mercurygoogle.com venusgoogle.com marsgoogle.com jupitergoogle.com uranusgoogle.com neptunegoogle.com plutogoogle.com googlegalactic.com googlesolarsystem.com google.com.om google.fr google.mu google.com.ph google.com.jm googlemini.com.cn

Domainstate Forum has carried out a feature story in one of today’s posts about internationalized domain names (IDNs). IDNencyclopedia spoke to one domainer. The article entitled “the founding father” basically describes the fortunes of the domainer who saw the potential in IDNs and dived with headfirst into the Japanese domain industry market. The articled continues, Craig Nine a seo consultant and web developer who is living in Japan, has one of the strongest Japanese IDNs portfolio.

This underpins the underlying potential of IDNs many domainers dont seem to realize. One discouraging factor for domainers from IDNs could be the the mapping system otherwise known as punnycode. I would say that many domainers think that internet users are going to type say Japanese in puny code which is not true. Another challenge to domainers is the low SEO value associated with English domains targeted at the Japanese.

But the outlook of IDNs has remained generally positive ever since Nine began a forum known as IDNForums.com for a better understanding of the IDN market.

However, the article concludes by saying there is no future just for everyone with IDNs. Those domainers who are timid of writing in other language will find it hard to establish themselves within the IDNs market.

After reading this article, I have decided to join IDNForums to gain a better insight into the IDNs market and development.