Domain Resources

Summary Index

  1. Examples of Successful Startups who Started Without Exact Match .com Domains
  2. Examples of High-Value Domain Acquisitions
  3. Alternative Domain Extensions for Startups
  4. Creative Domain Naming Strategies
  5. Examples of Successful Domain Upgrades
  6. Startup Naming Best Practices
  7. Domain Name Marketplaces and Brokers
  8. Tools for Generating Startup Names
  9. Factors to Consider When Choosing a Startup Name
  10. Creative Domain Hacks
  11. Domain Name Trends
  12. Examples of Startups That Changed Their Names
  13. Domain Name Valuation Factors
  14. Strategies for Acquiring Premium Domains
  15. Notable Domain Name Disputes
  16. Domain Name Protection Strategies
  17. Examples of Creative Brand + Domain Combinations
  18. Domain Name Acquisition Case Studies
  19. Alternative Naming Conventions for Startups
  20. Domain Name Trends in Different Industries
  21. Examples of Successful Geographic Domain Names
  22. Domain Name Escrow Services
  23. Examples of Startups Using Non-Traditional TLDs
  24. Domain Name Investor Success Stories
  25. Domain Name Appraisal Tools
  26. Examples of Startups Using Exact-Match Domains
  27. Domain Name Legal Considerations
  28. Examples of Startup Pivots and Domain Changes
  29. Domain Name Aftermarket Platforms
  30. Domain Name Industry Events and Conferences

1. Examples of Successful Startups who Started Without Exact Match .com Domains

  • Dropbox: Started as getdropbox.com before acquiring dropbox.com
  • Square: Began with squareup.com before obtaining square.com
  • Stripe: Initially used stripe.io before securing stripe.com
  • Uber: Launched as ubercab.com before transitioning to uber.com
  • Trello: Uses trello.com but started with trello.io
  • Linktree: Uses linktr.ee
  • Product Hunt: Began with producthunt.co before acquiring producthunt.com

2. Examples of High-Value Domain Acquisitions

  • Voice.com: Sold for $30 million in 2019
  • Insurance.com: Sold for $35.6 million in 2010
  • VacationRentals.com: Acquired by HomeAway for $35 million in 2007

3. Alternative Domain Extensions for Startups

  • .io: Popular among tech startups (e.g., Sketch.io, Muzzle.io)
  • .ai: Favored by AI-focused companies (e.g., X.ai, 3. Alternative Domain Extensions for Startups4. Creative Domain Naming Strategies
    • Adding Descriptors: get[name].com, try[name].com, use[name].com
    • Using Prefixes/Suffixes: go[name].com, [name]app.com, [name]hq.com
    • Verb + Noun Combinations: joinhoney.com, sendgrid.com
    5. Examples of Successful Domain Upgrades
    • Twitter: Acquired twitter.com in 2006 after starting as twttr.com
    • Facebook: Purchased fb.com for $8.5 million in 2010 to complement facebook.com
    • Slack: Bought slack.com for $60,000 after initially using slack.co.uk
    • Twitter: Acquired twitter.com in 2006 after starting as twttr.com
    • Facebook: Purchased fb.com for $8.5 million in 2010 to complement facebook.com
    • Slack: Bought slack.com for $60,000 after initially using slack.co.uk
      • 6. Startup Naming Best Practices
      • Keep it short: Aim for 1-2 syllables (e.g., Zoom, Slack, Stripe)
      • Make it memorable: Use unique, catchy names (e.g., Etsy, Zillow, Snapchat)
      • Ensure it’s pronounceable: Avoid confusing spellings or pronunciations
      • Check for trademark conflicts: Conduct thorough research before committing to a name
      7. Domain Name Marketplaces and Brokers
      • Sedo: Large marketplace for buying and selling domains
      • GoDaddy Auctions: Platform for bidding on expired or premium domains
      • Afternic: Domain listing service with a vast inventory
      • Domain brokers: Professionals who can help negotiate domain acquisitions (e.g., DomainAgents, Guta)
      8. Tools for Generating Startup Names
      • Namelix: AI-powered business name generator
      • Shopify Business Name Generator: Free tool for brainstorming company names
      • Wordoid: Creates made-up words that sound natural
      • BustAName: Combines words to generate available domain names
      9. Factors to Consider When Choosing a Startup Name
      • Target audience: Ensure the name resonates with your ideal customers
      • Industry relevance: Consider how well the name fits your niche
      • Scalability: Choose a name that can grow with your business
      • Cultural sensitivity: Check for unintended meanings in other languages
      10. Creative Domain Hacks
      • del.icio.us: Early social bookmarking site (now delicious.com)
      • fli.kr: Photo-sharing site Flickr’s URL shortener
      • bit.ly: Popular URL shortening service
      • last.fm: Music streaming platform
      11. Domain Name Trends
      • Brandable names: Made-up words that sound like brands (e.g., Skype, Zynga)
      • Real words: Common words used in unexpected contexts (e.g., Apple, Amazon)
      • Compound words: Combining two or more words (e.g., Facebook, YouTube)
      • Misspellings: Intentionally altering word spellings (e.g., Tumblr, Flickr)
      12. Examples of Startups That Changed Their Names
      • Google: Originally called BackRub
      • PayPal: Started as Confinity
      • Amazon: Initially named Cadabra
      • Snapchat: First launched as Picaboo
      13. Domain Name Valuation Factors
      • Length: Shorter domains are generally more valuable
      • Memorability: Easy to spell and remember names command higher prices
      • Keyword relevance: Generic terms related to popular industries are costly
      • Brandability: Names that could represent various businesses are in demand
      14. Strategies for Acquiring Premium Domains
      • Lease-to-own: Pay for the domain in installments over time
      • Partial ownership: Buy a percentage of the domain and increase ownership gradually
      • Equity deal: Offer company shares in exchange for the domain
      • Deferred payment: Negotiate to pay a larger sum once your startup is more established
      15. Notable Domain Name Disputes
      • Nissan.com: Long-running dispute between Nissan Motors and a computer business
      • Microsoft.com: Originally owned by a Microsoft contractor before being transferred
      • Tesla.com: Acquired by Tesla Motors in 2016 after years of negotiations
      16. Domain Name Protection Strategies
      • Register variations: Secure common misspellings and alternative TLDs
      • Trademark registration: Protect your brand name legally
      • Domain privacy: Use WHOIS privacy protection to hide personal information
      • Monitor for infringement: Set up alerts for similar domain registrations
      17. Examples of Creative Brand + Domain Combinations
      • Gifs.com: Acquired by Giphy to redirect to giphy.com
      • Carrot.com: Owned by content marketing platform Carrot.io
      • Pocket.com: Redirects to getpocket.com (formerly Read It Later)
      • Buffer.com: Social media management tool that started as bufferapp.com
      18. Domain Name Acquisition Case Studies
      • Sumo.com: Purchased for $1.5 million by AppSumo
      • Candy.com: Acquired for $3 million by G&J Holdings
      • Sex.com: Sold for $13 million in 2010, one of the highest domain sales ever
      • Instagram.com: Purchased just before launch for a reported $100,000
      19. Alternative Naming Conventions for Startups
      • Numerical additions: Adding numbers to names (e.g., 37signals, 23andMe)
      • Abbreviations: Using initials or shortened forms (e.g., IBM, GE)
      • Portmanteaus: Blending two words (e.g., Pinterest, Microsoft)
      • Foreign words: Using words from other languages (e.g., Ubuntu, Sony)
      20. Domain Name Trends in Different Industries21. Examples of Successful Geographic Domain Names
      • London.com: Owned by a travel information company
      • Vegas.com: Popular travel booking site for Las Vegas
      • Berlin.de: Official website of the city of Berlin
      • NYC.com: New York City guide and information portal
      22. Domain Name Escrow Services
      • Escrow.com: Widely used for high-value domain transactions
      • Epik.com: Offers escrow services for domain purchases
      • DAN.com: Domain marketplace with built-in escrow
      • Dynadot.com: Domain registrar with escrow services
      23. Examples of Startups Using Non-Traditional TLDs
      • Insura.claims: Insurance claims management platform
      • Expa.design: Design agency website
      • Blossom.coffee: Coffee roaster and subscription service
      • Thrive.health: Digital health platform
      24. Domain Name Investor Success Stories
      • Mike Mann: Sold BuyDomains.com for $80 million in 2005
      • Frank Schilling: Built a portfolio of over 300,000 domains
      • Rick Schwartz: Known as the ‘Domain King,’ sold porno.com for $8.8 million
      • Yishi Shen: Acquired 114.com for $2.1 million in 2013
      25. Domain Name Appraisal Tools
      • Estibot: Provides automated domain valuations
      • GoDaddy Domain Value Appraisal: Free tool for estimating domain worth
      • Namebio: Database of past domain sales for comparison
      • Flippa: Marketplace with domain valuation feature
      26. Examples of Startups Using Exact-Match Domains
      • Apartments.com: Leading apartment rental marketplace
      • Hotels.com: Popular hotel booking platform
      • Cars.com: Automotive classifieds and information site
      • Shoes.com: Online shoe retailer
      27. Domain Name Legal Considerations
      • Cybersquatting: Registering domains in bad faith (e.g., typos of popular brands)
      • UDRP: Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy for resolving conflicts
      • Trademark infringement: Using domains that violate existing trademarks
      • Domain privacy: Protecting personal information in WHOIS records
      28. Examples of Startup Pivots and Domain Changes
      • Instagram: Started as Burbn, a location-based app, before pivoting to photo-sharing
      • Slack: Emerged from a failed gaming company called Tiny Speck
      • Pinterest: Originally named ‘Tote,’ focused on mobile shopping
      • Twitter: Began as a podcasting platform called Odeo
      29. Domain Name Aftermarket Platforms
      • NameJet: Specializes in expired and deleted domain auctions
      • DropCatch: Focuses on catching valuable dropping domains
      • ExpiredDomains.net: Free tool for finding expired and deleted domains
      • DomainAgents: Service for negotiating domain acquisitions
      30. Domain Name Industry Events and Conferences
      • NamesCon: Large domain industry conference held annually
      • ICANN Meetings: Global forums for discussing domain policy
      • Domain Invest: European domain investment conference
      • DomainingEurope: Annual gathering for the European domain community