Top 20 Most Expensive Domain Name Sales Ever | Affliate Marketing
Imagine buying a brand new domain name for $10, then holding onto it for a few years and selling it for millions! The scenario is extremely unlikely, but it does happen. More often than not, the domain is sold for thousands, but the individual ROI on that initial $10 can be huge! Welcome to the world of domain name buying and selling.
Having been making money online since the mid-90s, I’m always kicking myself at the thought of being able to get my hands on some of the best generic domains back before they were registered. Oh, well 
I think it all ended up for the best so far anyway.
With the discussion of domain names and high-valued tech companies always in the news, the dream of selling a domain name for a ton of money isn’t that far off — especially if you know what to look for, or are currently sitting on a nice portfolio of domains. To help with this process, we’ve created an excellent reference guide that covers everything you need to know domain names, values, and registering some great ones of your own.
Most expensive domain names publicly reported
When it comes to looking up the most expensive domain names ever purchased, it’s an ongoing process. With more than 100,000+ new domains being registered daily, it’s a full-time job to keep the list of most active and highest-priced domain names updated. Thanks to GoDaddy, we don’t have to compile this type of information ourselves, as they are one of the largest domain registrars in the world today, and publicly post this data on their site.
At the same time, there are many different ways to list and sell domain names — both publicly, privately, and through domain brokers. GoDaddy also reports that most domain names sell for thousands of dollars when being purchased from someone else.
With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at the top 20 highest selling domains names to date — courtesy of GoDaddy.
- Insurance.com — $35.6 million
- VacationRentals.com — $35 million
- PrivateJet.com — $30.18 million
- Internet.com — $18 million
- 360.com — $17 million
- Insure.com — $16 million
- Fund.com — £9.99 million
- Sex.com — $13 million
- Hotels.com — $11 million
- Porn.com — $9.5 million
- Porno.com — $8,888,888
- Fb.com — $8.5 million
- Business.com — $7.5 million
- Diamond.com — $7.5 million
- Beer.com — $7 million
- iCloud.com — $6 million
- Israel.com — $5.88 million
- Casino.com — $5.5 million
- Slots.com — $5.5 million
- Toys.com — $5.1 million
The common theme across nearly all of these multi-million dollar domain sales is that they are super generic one-word domain names, that are also .com. The only two exceptions are VacationRentals.com and PrivateJet.com, which both sold for more than $30 million each! The fifth highest selling domain isn’t even a word at all — it’s a number (360.com)!
How to Pick a Great Domain Name
Obviously, the most expensive and valuable domain names are going to be one-word generics that are .com names. What’s also obvious, is that these type of names are no longer around and if you ever wanted to buy and sell domains for profit, you either need to get your hands on a great name, have an existing portfolio, or be really good at coming up with new names that people might want (which happens all the time).
Some simple tips to keep in mind when trying to pick a good domain name.
- Stick with the main TLDs of .com, .net, and .org
- Stay away from using dashes and numbers in domains
- The more generic the better, two words are better than three
- Make sure the domain is easy to remember and spell
- Don’t use numbers in place of letters/words (ie: “8” instead of “ate”)
- Always register your personal name if it’s available
By following these tips, you will have a much better chance at not only registering a great domain name for personal use, business, or for selling — but also making sure it’s the highest value possible.
Using Name Generators to Find New Names
There are two ways to register/buy a domain name. The first is to go through a broker or online site where a domain is already registered and up for sale. The other is going to a domain registrar and simply registering it for the first time. Heading to a site like NameCheap or GoDaddy and getting a new domain name for around $10 is ideal, but also very tough since nearly all the good names are already taken.
If this is the case, you might need to get a bit creative with your domain name, or coming up with a new name for your brand or business. For times like these, I recommend you take a look at these domain name generators. If you are looking for a unique name for blog, business, or products, check out these useful name generators as well.
Something else to keep in mind when registering a new domain name, is that if it’s available, it might not be that great after all. Always consider the domain name you are registering, and also follow the recommended tips that were pointed out above.
Why You Must Register Your Personal Name as a Domain
Your name is unique, and there is no one else in the world like you! However, there are probably hundreds (if not thousands) of other people that share the same name as you. With this in mind, there is a very good chance that someone has already registered your name as a domain if you haven’t secured it already.
Here are two steps everyone needs to follow right now:
- See if your personal name as a domain is available
(get a free domain name with a new hosting account) - If it is, register it! If not, register it as a .net or .org.
If you currently share the name with a famous celebrity, senator, or online marketer, it’s likely your name is already taken as a domain name and there is little chance you will be able to acquire it. This has happened to some of the world’s biggest celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and politicians — Justin Beiber (domain name site shown below), Bill Clinton, Johnny Depp, and many others.
Don’t miss out on registering your personal name as your domain name, as once it’s gone — it’s likely gone forever! If you currently have close friends and family, you might want to check for their names as well.
If your domain name is already taken, it’s not a complete dead end. Here are a few options you have:
- Use a domain name expiration service like NameJet or Pool
- Hire a domain broker to try and get the domain for you
- If there is a website, contact the domain owner
Want to get even more creative? Start registering the names of anyone else you know, or who might be an up and coming star, and keep them safe until they are famous and world renown!
Get a Free Domain Name with All Hosting Accounts
Now that you’ve seen some of the most expensive domain names in the world today, and why it’s so important to register your name as a domain, it’s time for you to take action.
We are currently partnered with Bluehost — one of the world’s most trusted and well-known hosting companies — and they are giving away a free domain name to all hosting sign-ups made through our blog. At the same time, users will also save 60% off their hosting plans, while getting a free SSL certificate, WordPress Install, and 24/7 support.
Click here to perform a free search for your domain name.
After setting up your new domain name and hosting account through the link above, be sure to shoot me an email. I’d love to provide you with full access to some of my best online training courses and video guides, valued at over $1997. I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
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