The Rick Schwartz Domain Name and Traffic Blog: RicksBlog.com – Home of The Domain King®

Morning Folks!!

I never did this before. But it has been several years since someone new in the domain industry has burst on the scene and made such an impact. I appreciate folks that try and further the domain business and understanding of domain names. Who reach out to new audiences to expand the pie.

2011-2012 will be remembered as the years in which we hit 'Critical Mass' with domain names. Long ride on the trail since 1995. But those covered wagons then are big businesses now. Things have changed in a dynamic way. Numbers get folks attention and in our world it is all about the numbers. We have watched a cottage industry blossom and take center stage.

His collection of interviews over the past year are a great treasure. If you want to learn about domaining from those that have done it, my first stop today would be DomainSherpa.com. Listen to what those with success say in common. So many use the same words. Why? Because it is tried and true and works when you follow meticulously. Everyone has a unique story. But the sub-story is what they all say in common. Pick those out and you are on your way.

Michael Cyger basically knew nothing about domain names but has managed to not only educate himself, but has helped many others to educate themselves by providing in depth interviews with a great variety of successful domainers. Interviews that will stand the test of time. Content that has great value.

So hats off to Micheal on a job well done and hopefully to continue for years to come.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

No, I am not blogging again. But as I said, I would chime in from time to time when I discovered something or had something to say etc.

A few weeks ago I discovered something very powerful and done by a company that was here before most knew what the Internet even was. I heard CNN.com long before I actually made it online.

One of my proudest sales was iReport.com to CNN. But guess what?? They no longer use that domain. Here is the iReport Link. See where it goes? Follow the leader and you will find the answers and no question CNN has been one of the earliest. If not the earliest.

Now this is not definitive. But I would like to ask them why they did this and what they have discovered along the way? If I were a betting man, I would bet that Sub-Domains are the future because you can focus on your brand and also have folks easily find what they want via a very easy system.

Now this is not some conclusion I just jumped to. I have believed this for over 15 years. But today, I have confirmation by an organization that has been a leader for a very long time. What does this really mean?

It is my very strong opinion that after companies investigate .whatever and all the confusion, expense, uncertainty and pitfalls associated with it, they will understand the power they already have with their sub-domains. I believe that .whatever got them thinking. But the longer they thought, the worse it looked. The more expensive it looked. The more overhead it would add. The more uncertainty. And more splintering of their traffic and brand. They would see what I see.

So I think http://iReport.cnn.com is so much easier and less confusing because folks already understand that navigation system. More powerful and universal than http://iReport.CNN. But maybe not. 6 of one, half dozen of another. The '.com' has a certain flow to it. But they will be a bell-weather either way.

They shelved a $750,000 domain for a reason. It may be what I said or maybe I got it 180 degrees backwards if they get .CNN and build on that. But either way, I have a definite answer and if wrong I know exactly why and how to adjust to the right one. Much better than being lost in a forest with no direction or no clues. I think CNN will be a leader in either direction and they will be who I look to for some of the answers to come. Whichever way it does go, the world will be about sub-domains either right of the dot or left of the dot.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz