15 Most Valuable Domain Name Examples + Lessons Learned
There are more than 350 million registered domain names presently and thousands more get registered each day. In simpler terms, a domain name or web address is the URL that people type in the browser search bar to visit a website. During the early days of the Internet, you could snag a domain name for free. But things changed when a small Internet start-up — Netscape — went public on August 9, 1995, and was valued at nearly $3 billion by the end of the first trading day. What ensued is now often referred to as the dot-com bubble.
Domain names are now considered an important investment while building a brand rather than just an afterthought. While the pricing for domain names starts for as low as $15, a good domain name can be valued in millions of dollars, and can largely impact your brand value. In 2019, Voice.com was sold for $30 million and was reported as “the biggest publicly reported all-cash domain sale of all time,” by DNJournal.com. And, believe it or not, it’s still not the most expensive domain name ever! That title goes to Cars.com which was valued at $872 million in 2016.
I have put together a list of the most valuable domain names, to help you understand their characteristics, what makes them so valuable, and how you, too, can build a valuable domain name. Refer to this guide on domain names by WPBeginner to understand what domain names are and how they work.
15 most valuable domain name examples
The domain name — LasVegas.com — is currently touted as one of the biggest domain name sales, valued at $90 million. With an initial payment of $12 million, the purchase is expected to be completed by 2040. Based on the data collected by Wikipedia, NameBio, and DNJournal, here are the top 15 most valuable cash-based domain name sales publicly reported –
Apart from the publicized domain name sales, numerous high-profile domain sales are kept confidential. A few examples include –
1. Crypto.com
2. Bitcoin.com
3. Entrepreneurs.com
4. Stake.com
5. Hey.com
How to choose a domain name
Now that you know the most valuable domain names, here are few tips that can help you choose the perfect domain name –
Keep it short and simple
Like the best things in life, short and simple goes a long way while choosing a domain name. Shorter domain names with up to 10 characters, excluding the TLD, are easier to remember, type, say and share. It is also advised to avoid hyphens, underscores, or any sort of punctuation.
Make it memorable and brandable
Branding is an important aspect of long-term business success. To make a domain name brandable, it should be easy to pronounce, easy to memorize, trustworthy, and unique. For instance, Uber or Lyft (notice the smart word-play here?) are synonymous now with their services.
Go for .com TLD
Right from the emergence of the dot-com bubble, .com has endured all its evolutionary phases. It is the most dominant Top Level Domains (TLDs) extension and currently owns ~47% of all websites. With such dominance, always go for a .com domain.
Secure other TLDs as well
While dot-com is an obvious preference, it is also advisable to secure other prominent TLD extensions for your domain name. Read all about various types of domain extensions here. Securing TLDs like .co, .net, .org, .co.in, .co.uk, .biz or a ccTLD is a preventive measure. It stops you from losing your potential visitors who can go to an imposter site.
Be aware of copyright and trademarked terms
A copyright or trademark infringement can be catastrophic as it entangles you in legal battles and can drill a hole in your pocket. Ideally, before registering a domain name, run a basic google search on the name. Looking through the first, second, and third-page results will give you an idea if an existing business is already using the same name and is operational in a similar industry or geographical market. If you find anything, you would like to pick another domain name. You can also consult an attorney or a legal professional for further assurance.
Check the domain history
Every time you want to register a new domain name, it is worthwhile checking the domain history. Tools like Wayback Machine and Who.is let you look into the history of a domain name. Who.is helps you in two ways –
- You can check the current domain information, such as who the registrar or the owner is, etc.
- Its ‘History Report’ feature offers all the who.is data associated with a given domain name. This includes the domain’s history, the initial date of registration, change of ownership throughout the time, and more.
Being aware of a domain’s history to weed out any possible issues or concerns, and fix issues beforehand.
Set your domain to auto-renew
While registering a new domain, the general registration period ranges from 12 to 24 months, during which the domain is kept active. After the initial period, the domain name becomes inactive for some time, after finally going back to the pool of available domains, where anyone can register and buy it. By setting up auto-renewal for your domain name, you can secure your domain name for a longer period of time and increase its valuation.
Use a domain name generator
Choosing a domain name that fits all your criteria can be difficult. Rather than shaking your brain out, you can rely on domain name generator tools. These tools require just one keyword or keyphrase to come up with hundreds of suggestions along with the availability status so that you can register your preferred domain name right away. Here is a list of 16 domain name generators that can help you.
How to buy a domain name?
To buy and register a domain name, you have to pay an annual fee. However, to create a website, you need a website hosting account as well. Learn the difference between a domain name and web hosting here.
Domain registration services are offered by companies like Domain.com, Bluehost, GoDaddy, and more.
How to check your domain name’s worth?
Are you wondering what your domain name is worth? Check GoDaddy’s domain valuation tool to get an approximate idea of the resale value of your domain. Similarly, GoDaddy Auctions can help you find domain names that have a good resale value if you are planning to buy a domain just for reselling purposes.
FAQs
Do I need a domain name?
Yes. Every business should own a domain name to establish its online presence. Elements like domain name, website, and email address contribute to the business’s online identity and help it build credibility, increase brand awareness and protect trademarks and copyrights.
Can I buy more than one domain name?
Yes. Of course, you can buy as many domain names as you want.
Can I sell a domain name?
Yes, you can sell your domain name. Trading domain names is a multi-million dollar company, as illustrated by the most valuable domain name sales listed in the article above. Marketplace websites like GoDaddy, Sedo, and others let you list your domains for sale.
How do I own a domain name forever?
To own a domain name forever, you need to buy both the domain name and the web hosting services for as long as you want to own that domain.
What is a subdomain?
A subdomain is a subset, or a child domain, nested under the main domain. A popular example of a subdomain would be blog.example.com, for the main domain example.com. Once you register a domain, you can create subdomains for it.
Are domain names worth anything?
With the ever-increasing Internet diaspora, most of the domain names don’t amount to much. However, depending on several factors, good domains can easily be valued in millions of dollars.
What domain names sell best?
Domain name prices depend on a lot of factors, and singling out a certain niche or industry can be tricky. Usually, dot-com TLDs, short and category-defining domain names such as Insurance.com, Fund.com, Internet.com, and more are highly valued.
How much is Google’s domain worth?
While it’s safe to assume that Google.com must be worth billions of dollars, there is no official value assigned to the tech giant’s domain name. An interesting story involving the domain name, however, made rounds in 2015. A person named Sanmay Ved noticed that Google.com was available for purchase, and brought it for just $12. The transaction was canceled after a minute. The company offered Sanmay a reward of $6006.13 for finding out the bug and later doubled the amount.
Conclusion
Domain names have grown in value and importance along with time. Choosing a domain name carefully can help you with your brand value.
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