Domain Investing

There are a few different ways. One is to simply register a domain that’s memorable or brandable and sell it for a profit. This is called domain investing or domaining. 

You can also “park” a domain, — with services like CashParking —which means placing ads on your domain and earning a percentage of revenue from the sales of visits your site generates. There are companies you can work with to do all the hard work, from finding advertisers to making sure you get paid.  

Some people even lease their domain, use it to generate leads for businesses and more.

It’s easier than you might think. Just set up an account at a domain aftermarket – there are plenty to choose from, including GoDaddy Auctions. The larger the aftermarket, the more people who see your domain, which will (ideally) drive up the price.  

To create an account, you just need to provide confirmation that you own the domain you want to sell and answer a few other basic questions, like how you’d like to get paid when your domain sells. From there, it’s a lot like most online auctions where you create a listing and people bid on your domain name.

When you create an account or listing, you’ll be prompted to provide a payment method. That can be your direct deposit banking info, PayPal account or something else. If you have more than one option, you’ll be asked to pick your preferred method when you list your domain.  

Domain aftermarkets may list your domain in different channels to help you get more exposure (and more money), but most sales are paid out within six to 20 days. And if you have questions, you can always contact your aftermarket's support department.

That’s a great question. Every domain is unique – for example, there can only be one GoDaddy.com – but the value depends on how much someone wants it. Extremely popular domains have sold for millions of dollars. Here are the top-selling domains of all time, according to Wikipedia: 

• Insurance.com — $35,000,000 USD (2010)
• VacationRentals.com — $35,000,000 USD (2007)
• PrivateJet.com — $30,180,000 USD (2012)
• Internet.com — $18,000,000 USD (2009)
• 360.com — $17,000,000 USD (2015)

While there are no concrete rules, length can be a major factor. Shorter domains, because they are easier for potential visitors to remember, are generally worth a lot. If a domain is long and hard to remember (or hard to spell), it’s generally not as valuable. 

Another major piece of the puzzle is potential audience. If you have a domain that’s understood internationally (i.e. pizza.com), it’s more valuable because it has the potential to get visitors from all around the world. On the other hand, if you own SmallTownUSAPizza.com, your audience is much smaller – while it may be really valuable to the local pizza place, it has little value outside of that particular town. 

If you’re looking for insight and advice from people who have been there, the GoDaddy Community is a great resource. Read through existing conversations or post a question of your own and let experienced community members provide real-world answers.  

Of course, if you have a more technical question about your account or listings, you can always call our support or reach out to auctions@godaddy.com or service@afternic.com, depending on who you’re working with.