- Part 2: Creating Functioning Websites
Creating Functioning Websites
The most obvious way to develop your domain name is to create a functional website. This has three main purposes. First, when you have a functioning website and potential buyers search for your name, the result is an impressive site, not a blank page or an error message. It’s kind of like buying a home from a real estate agent. Have you ever noticed that he or she will build a fire in the fireplace, but some magazines on the coffee table, and hang shower curtains? When the home looks lived-in, you can better envision yourself moving there. A domain name is a home for a website, so if you can make that name looked live-in, you have a better chance of selling it at a higher price.
A second benefit to building a website at your domain name is that you’ll be driving traffic to and from your site. Of course, this means that your buyers will be able to see how popular the site could potentially be. Think about it—the first time anyone registered www.digg.com, they probably would not have been able to sell it for much money. The name is forgettable, spelled incorrectly, and is a bit ambiguous. Today, www.digg.com would sell for thousands of dollars, if not more, simply because it has great traffic.
The third reason to create a functioning website, of course, is to actually use the website for a business venture. When you sell a product, you can use the website to pull in customers. Say your day job is owning a home jewelry-making business. First, buy a domain name for yourself that you will keep and build your site. Later, if you buy www.MakeMeJewelry.com, you can develop a website there using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and include pictures of your jewelry. SEO is simply tricks to rank your website higher on Google and other search engines. Once customers find this site, have a “Buy my jewelry” button linked to your real site. You’ll be using your site to make money while you look for a buyer, and once you sell it, you won’t have to start from scratch with a new site for your own company.
