Making Money from Parked Domains

Let me tell you a true story. A friend of my who likes to collect domain names was describing a few that he had acquired. While he has a wide range of domains in various categories, these particular domains were all related to web hosting.

Some of the domain names were similar to existing web hosting company names (or derivatives of web hosting company names). Others simply had 'hosting', 'host', or a related term in the domain itself.

So my friend and I were talking and he said something like, "Yeah, it's a shame ? if only I had the time to develop some content for some of these domains then I might make some money form them". It turns out that he had no content on any of the domains ? just parked pages, or no content at all. When I investigated the domains, it turned out that there was a small but steady traffic stream that visited these domains. Some simply typed in the domain, others apparently found the domain through a search engine that had categorized the parked page.

So I suggested the following to him ? why not use a service that will take the domain as is ? with no content whatsoever ? and suggest search options that generate revenue for each click? He took my advice, grudgingly I might add, and guess what? He made $50 the first month from just a few of his domains.

He was so excited that he asked what he might do to further increase his revenues from his domain names. I suggested that he use his parking pages (these can be customized with some hosts) to test banners from affiliate programs with the highest paying hosting companies. He placed only three banners at the top of his pages ? with a brief description of the company's product offerings taken straight from their web sites. This also proved to be a great success ? and his revenue stream increased.

My friend has since invested some time and energy in monetizing his other domains. He has either pointed the domains to a pay per click search engine, or listed affiliate links on almost every domain. This has turned a lackluster domain speculation business into a profit generating pay per click and affiliate business that requires almost no effort to maintain. Needless to say, my friend has taken my out to lunch a couple of times since then.

If you have parked domains and what to try getting paid for search results on those pages, check out this service offered by Sedo (there are others out there as well):

http://www.sedo.com/services/parking.php3

Good luck in transforming your parked domains into cold, hard cash!

About The Author

Derek Vaughan has been actively marketing on the Internet since 1995. Mr. Vaughan has marketed products at the Walt Disney Company as the online marketing manager of ecommerce for ESPN.com. Mr. Vaughan is also the founder of Cheap Hosting Directory - a web hosting review site. Mr. Vaughan holds degrees from both the Indiana University and Purdue University. He has also received a Master of Business Administration degree from the Owen School at Vanderbilt University. Cheap Hosting Directory - http://www.cheaphostingdirectory.com - is a part of TechPad Agency's network of web hosting portals.



Domain Name Registration and Privacy

The internet is a wonderful thing, except for a few... Read More

The Power of Domain Names in Marketing

Purchasing your own domain is inexpensive and very effective for... Read More

Domain Parking Explained

Domain names are being snapped up all the time so... Read More

Signing up for a Domain Name? Consider Private Registration

A plethora of websites exists to register a domain name.... Read More

A Winning Domain Name

The domain name is one of the most important decisions... Read More

What is Domain Name Backordering?

Domain names are the hottest net-real-estate on the internet. It's... Read More

Whats in a Domain Name?

You've decided to start up your own website. You've weighed... Read More

Selecting a Domain Name Registrar - How to Avoid Getting Burned

When it comes to registering your domain name you want... Read More

Domain Names

Domain names are relatively straightforward! Or at least that's the... Read More

Detagged Domains

What is a DETAGGED domain name? We get asked this... Read More

Domain Names - How to Choose, and Register One

What is a domain name?A domain name is the address... Read More

Virtual Airport

Aero Registrar Secura GmbH proposes to the IT departments of... Read More

Choosing a Domain Name - One of the First Stops for Your New Website

So, what is a domain name, or simply a domain?... Read More

How to avoid copyright infringment in your domain name

One of the most important aspects of choosing a domain... Read More

Good Domain Names Make Your Dreams Memorable

"What was the name of that website? It was good.... Read More

All-time Record of Domain Registrations

The number of registered domains has reached an all-time high... Read More

Got a Small Business? Choose the Right Domain Name

Choosing a domain name can be daunting. Research the subject... Read More

What is a Domain Name and Why Would I Want One?

In this article we will cover the basics of what... Read More

Domain Name Trademarks

As your Internet business grows, the value of your domain... Read More

Secrets of Expired Domain Name Traffic

One of the biggest challenges to a webmaster is how... Read More

Get Your Own Domain Name Or Die Online

Would you buy from someone with an "@yahoo.com" e-mail address?... Read More

Understand the Domain Name System

Ever wonder why DNS systems came into existence? Efficiency. Every... Read More

How to Choose the Right Domain Name for Your Company

As the editor of DomainNameWire.com, I'm frequently e-mailed by people... Read More

How To Really Profit from Domain Names

Have you heard about domain names that sold for over... Read More

Domain Names 101 - A Dummies Guide to Choosing Great Domain Names

When it comes to choosing your domain name, do not... Read More

If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

* Your email address:
* choes your language: