So how many internet users that have a blog or website have actually taken the steps to buy a domain name of their own? I would imagine the percentage is very, very small. The prevalence of “parasite” hosts makes purchasing a domain unnecessary for most users.
A parasite host is one that allows anybody and everybody to create a web presence on their server using a subdomain. Examples are Facebook and WordPress.com and Myspace. It is unbelievably simple with any of these services to create a blog or page to share who you are with the world and any other topic of your choosing, and they allow this for free.
If I created a page on Myspace, my url would look something like: mynickname.myspace.com That is an actual domain name, but one that I did not have to buy. I just receive it automatically.
Why is this important at all? Who cares? Well, if you’re a serious webmaster, you really have to buy a domain name of your own. You need this for credibility. But herein lies the dilema.
Despite all the millions of blogs and pages created on the free parasite hosts, many internet users still believe that all the good domains are already taken. It is said that greater than 30 million .com, .org, and .net names have already been registered. That’s a lot. And it is true if you access to a prominent registrar like GoDaddy seeking a simple little .com, you will likely learn it has already been reserved. But the internet is not as crowded as it may seem.
It is also true that thousands of previously registered domains — premium names — are allowed to expire and are made available again every single day. Anyone can buy a domain name from an expired list. The trick is discovering where to find these names and avoid paying bloated market values.
When you search for a simple little domain name on GoDaddy now, in addition to learning the name you want is already registered, you are furnished with a list of related premium names for premium prices. They’re fun to look at but rather pricey. There must be somewhere in cyberspace to find terrific names at terrific prices. But where?
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