Using Direct Linking to test niche
Submitted by Ryan on Fri, 05/30/2008 - 20:20.
Jeremy:
In this session you mentioned (though not a good long term strategy) that it is useful to secure a domain name and test a niche with a very simple landing page or mini-site.
Since it is not a good long term strategy - should we use two different domains when testing with a landing page; one for the long haul (if the niche is viable), and one for short testing purposes?
I question this because I assume Google won't forget a site url they don't like.
When I get into a new niche
When I get into a new niche I like to register 2 or more domains. I'll set aside a few of these domains for paid search and testing, and keep one in the vault in case the niche works out. The vault domain is the one I consider to be the most valuable/brandable. If the niche seems profitable I'll spend time cultivating the vault domain. I'll use the lessons learned from my other domains/campaigns to make the vault domain successful in both paid and natural search.
inactive domains...
Thanks for the reply and sharing your strategy.
I assume then that if the niche doesn't work out -- you write most of it off as business expense or loss? What do you do with the domains you are finished with--any back end profit from those?
Twitter.com/RyanHakes
I'm not very good at selling
I'm not very good at selling domains. I buy and hold more than I buy and sell. I have sold a few premium domains for ~$5,000, but I like to hold on to my domains - even if I don't have immediate development plans.