When we register domain names, we do so with an idea for a site in mind. Whether it is an exact match keyword domain, a call to action domain or a brandable domain that we can associate with a product or service, we always have a rough idea of what we want to do with it.
Alas, time, projects and the real world sometime get in the way, and we end up buying domains at a faster rate than we are able to develop them. So what options does that leave us with?
Domain Sales
Selling domains can be a very lucrative business, with premium .com domain names selling for many millions of dollars. Even here in the UK, values for .co.uk domain names of hundreds of thousands of pounds are not unheard of (see Domain Prices for real UK sales prices).
The big trouble about selling domains is that you may not hit the target price you are looking for. Many things can effect the price: the state of the economy, similar recent sales and even which companies work in the sector the domain name represents.
Domain leasing
Leasing a domain, assuming that both parties can agree on contractual terms is almost the perfect win-win situation for both buyer and seller. The initial monthly lease charge means that the domain owner receives a regular income, and the lessee gets the domain they want for a fair monthly payment. A built-in option to buy in the future will ensure that the domain owner can get a pay off, and the lessee doesn’t lose any goodwill in the domain name that they may have built up.
Domain Development
Obviously the best way to generate a recurring income from any domain name is to develop it into a full website. Such sites can be monetised using affiliate links and Ad Sense . Depending on the kind of site you build, the traffic levels and the amount of effort you put into the site, such a strategy can be very lucrative indeed.
We will continue to buy domains in order to develop, but will also start to list them on this site, to see if anyone is interested in buying them before we get around to developing them.