Definition of “Expired Domain Name”
May 6th, 2009
SHORT ANSWER: An expired domain is a domain name that was once registered to an individual or a company whose registration has expired.
LONG ANSWER: Your domain name can be registered, or owned, by either you as an individual or by your business name. Once it’s registered to you or your company, it stays registered for one year. Once your domain is registered, each year you get to renew that registration. Domain name renewal costs anywhere from $5 to $15, depending on which domain name registrar you use.
Most domain name registrars give you the option of a multi-year renewal, which saves a few dollars and the headache of renewing every year. Multi-year renewals are a good idea if you have a domain name you are pretty certain you will want for the foreseeable future.
Even if you decide to let go of the website attached to the name, you can always use it for PPC and affiliate ads like the big guys do!
An expired domain is simply a domain name with an expired registration. If you don’t renew at the end of the year, that domain name becomes available for purchase by someone else.
Who would let a good domain name expire?
- Perhaps it wasn’t such a good domain name after all!
- Absentminded website owners who simply neglected to renew their domain names;
- Webmasters who got tied up in other ventures or interests;
- Webmasters who discontinued a site due to time constraints;
- Webmasters who ran out of money to continue to operate.
You should get several renewal notices from your domain name registrar for each domain name as it comes time to expire. Make sure you have a working email address on file with your registrar so you don’t miss a renewal notice!
When a domain name expires nowadays, domain name registrars assume control for up to 6 months afterwards before putting it back on the market. Your domain name registrar parks your old domain name because there might still be traffic to the site, traffic thta just might click on an ad. The page will be filled with PPC ads, all profits going to the registrar. Smart!
Here’s the rub: if you decide you want the name back after it’s expired and the registrar has assumed control of it, the registrar will charge you anywhere from $50 to $150 (those are the prices I’ve seen) to pull that domain name out of limbo and reinstate it to you! (This is a good indication of how much even a domain that didn’t get much traffic is worth!)
The lesson here is, if there is any chance you can use that domain name, make sure your email address is good so you don’t miss your renewal!
Tags: affiliate ads, domain name investing, domain name registrar, expired domain name, ppc, renewing a domain name
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