
In the business of the purchase and sale of Internet domain names, an expert opinion of the true worth of the domain name is always desired. But with so many appraisal services that charge arbitrarily to choose from, how does one obtain a genuine appraisal of the domain names they own? Techspirited has compiled a list of websites that use complex algorithms to generate trustworthy domain name appraisals instantly, free of charge.
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a database of all the names that are used to identify networks, servers, and hosts in place of the cumbersome alternative of referring to them by making use of their private IP addresses.
The allotment of domains to various users and organizations is overseen by various Internet domain registrars, who in turn are accredited by an organization known as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
There was a time when the Internet was nothing more than a medium of communication, a network of servers and computers, a portal to share information. Today, the Internet is much more than just this.
Some say that the Internet has the potential of being a superpower. Others equate it to a physical place where life-changing events occur. This is true, as we know from the success stories of a number of online businesses, where real people have made millions through online sales, trade, or service. If we imagine the Internet to be digital space, then domain names would be analogous digital real estate, the place from where businesses could be conducted.
Just like location is a prime attribute of real estate, a good domain name is a key contributor to a business’s success. That being said, domain names themselves need a quantifiable scale of reference on the basis of which their worth can be judged. This is where domain name appraisal comes in. Click here to take a look at the list of top free domain name appraisal sites.
• The purchase and sale of domain names itself is a thriving business. Many dealers purchase a handful of domain names, as a sort of “investment”, from domain registrars. A prospective website owner who wishes to publish his or her site under a pre-owned domain name can buy those rights from the owner/dealer. For someone looking to, say, publish a company website, his or her main concern would be acquiring that specific domain name.
• The market value of a particular domain name, for example, sample.com, depends on a number of factors, ranging from the keywords it contains, and therefore its search engine optimization (SEO), to something as simple as its length, or whether it is hyphenated or not. From the investor or dealer’s point of view, he or she would need to own those names that are lucrative, and would be in demand.
• Domain name appraisal, in general, is carried out to increase the net worth of the domain name. While restricting oneself to investing only in those names that are commercially viable is one way to go about this, getting the domain name’s selling value certified by an authorized service is also a common technique.
• By employing a domain name appraisal service, one can be sure of the true value of the domains they own, and will be able to sell it for a good price. Also, investors who purchase domains tend to incline themselves towards those domains that have been appraised by this kind of valuation.
• The market of domain name evaluation services, like many others, has also been infiltrated by a number of scam services. Some of these charge exorbitantly to put a price on the domain name, while there are others who claim to have customers willing to purchase the domains for sale at an inflated price, provided that the domain is appraised at the hands of a so-called “trusted” service.
• Our advice to those aspiring to sell the domain names that they own, is to get them appraised by one of the many free, reliable services available for the same, so as to have an idea about the amount of money they can be sold for. Meanwhile, one should steer clear of fraudulent dealers, services, agents, “lawyers”, and so on, who try to rope unsuspecting domain owners into paying for a worthless, glaringly inaccurate “appraisal certificate”.
• EstiBot
Since 2007, EstiBot has been providing users a free instant evaluation of their domain name. The algorithm used by the website to calculate domain name worth is based on a number of factors, including name length, keywords, the sales history of the domain name, and a number of other factors. The site has a sleek, search engine-style design. It is one of the most widely used services today for the purpose of website appraisal.
• GoDaddy
Arizona-based GoDaddy.com is one of the largest domain name registrars that is accredited by ICANN. In addition to domain name registration and web hosting/website building resources that the company specializes in, customers are also offered free domain name appraisal.
• Valuate
Valuate.com combines the best resources of a number of prominent websites in the domain market, and contains tools that are truly valuable to an aspiring domain name investor/seller. While its domain name appraisal function is powered by the EstiBot engine, the website also includes tools to filter, and/or have a frame of reference around which domain names will be searched.
• URL Appraisal
Primarily a free domain name appraisal tool, this website also contains resources such as links to articles about how to make money online, a feature that lets users browse through recently appraised domains, and so on.
• Domainindex
This site with a minimalistic design keeps it simple; it allows users to enter the domain name they wish to appraise into a search box, and instantly provides results. Recommended by Domaining.com, one of the premium domain business websites on the Internet, on DomainIndex, users can employ a variety of tools to get an automated or manual appraisal for their domains, file claims, perform a mass appraisal, compare, filter, or analyze domain names in detail.
At the end of the day, an appraisal is still just an estimate of the domain’s worth, based on expert opinion or calculated from statistical data. The price that a domain name could be sold at could be much higher or much lower than the figure supplied by appraisal services, solely because of the demand for the name at any particular time. One should not allow oneself to be swayed into hoax appraisals or any other scams, and rather, trust one’s instincts in these matters.