Domain value increases if a hyphen adds value for the user.
Consider
Germans value hyphens in domain names because it makes it easier for a human to interpret. Chinese value hyphens in domain names for the same reason. Because a period isn't treated as a text character, a period doesn't work as a separator in a domain name.
- The Mobile Market is the 'Next Sales frontier' for the internet as we move to mobile devices.
- If a domain name looks like a phone number, it will be remembered easier by mobile people using mobile devices.
Looking Forward: Marketing to Mobile Surfers?
Advantages for a domain that looks like a phone number:
- Hello! - the domain looks like a phone number!
- A Hypenated Domain can create memorability for mobile surfers
- Novel, trendy and unique
Competitive Advantage
All the above plus:
Captures the #2 Spot to keyword competition
- Like Avis did to Hertz in the rental car business
- Avis claimed they were #2
- Claimed the rental car market only had 2 players
- In one stroke of genius eliminated all other competitors
The Elephant in the Room...
Yup, it's 'make my day keyword' Google. Owning the industry keyword domain makes the owner 'king' of their market segment.
The elephant defines the 'pizza' box that traps the competition in a ranking or search placement.
Escape the pizza.com box by 'Thinking outside that pizza box...'
Pizza Industry Example:
This is the challenge faced in the online pizza business if a top 10 Pizza Company didn't buy
pizza.com or pizza.net. All other Pizza Companies get squashed by the keyword elephant...
The best solution is purchasing 1-Pizza.com because it looks like a phone number, makes sense to humans and is a viable marketing solution for a mobile internet pizza sales website.
1-Pizza.com can hold the #2 spot on Google for pizza sales and has the potential to 'rock and roll' future mobile pizza sales.
...potential to rock and roll future mobile pizza sales!
Link: DOT MOBI INVESTOR HQ
Pay Per Click (PPC) vs 1-Dash Domains After-market Value
Value Analysis
Using the word 'Pizza' formatted with the 1-Dash and 1-Dial naming conventions;1-Pizza.com
1-Pizza.mobi
1-74992.com (spells pizza on a phone keypad)
1-74992.mobiA 1-Dash domain contains a word and mimics a phone number and a 1-Dial domain spells a word on a phone keypad, also mimicking a phone number. In this case ‘Pizza’ (74992)
But they look like phone numbers...
But they look like phone numbers...Their 1-Dial cousins, 1-74992.com (spells pizza on a phone keypad) and 1-74992.mobi are valued in the $49 - $100 range.
No one knows 74992 'spells' pizza on a phone keypad unless someone tells them.
(This gets interesting as Mom, non and 666 all share the '6' key on a phone keypad)Hyphens in Domains
Current domain appraisers declare a hyphen in a domain name may not be as valuable as a plain dot com domain (references at article end) but in fairness, this is predicated on PPC (pay per click) value....before the idea of 1-Dash and 1-Dial came about.
If you consider that the domain name 'Google.com' was of little value before Google made it what it is, you may be able to appreciate the future values of 1-Dial and 1-Dash Domains that will 'connect' to mobile users depending on what the domain owners do with them.
1-Dash and 1-Dial Domains can be of instant value to new owners by redirecting visitors from the 1-Dash and 1-Dial Domain to their current mobile content. (A nice Hello to mobile users they will appreciate and no more long nasty web addresses for them to remember)
Appraisal Value Should Reflect 'the phone number factor' as Criteria
- Pay per click domain after-market value is reflected by the popularity of a common keyword.
- 1-Dash Domain© after-market value will come from the keyword value
as it relates to the mobile market because the domains are formatted
like phone numbers.
- 1-pizza.mobi embodies an undeniable 'direct navigation' connection to mobile surfers
- Targeting the mobile demographic, domains mimicking phone numbers
give .mobi domains purpose, memorability for all users and marketing
valueRe-thinking ‘Old School’ Values of Hyphenated Domain Names
Who says a hyphen in a domain name isn't valuable?
Answer: People that haven't discovered that domains like phone numbers are a really cool way to market to mobile surfers.
1-dash and 1-dial domain naming convention idea will make hyphenated domains instantly more valuable and help market .mobi (dot mobi)) domain sales.
Dinner and A Movie for Two
Let’s setup a 'dinner date' and follow through how a user might implement 1-Dash and 1-Dial Domains.The Date:
Find someone…Date 1-Date.mobi 1-3283.com 1-3283.mobi
or
Mate 1-mate.mobi 1-6283.com 1-6283.mobi
Match 1-Match.mobiSet details by instant message
Connect
IM 1-IM.mobi 1-46.com 1-46.mobi
Go 1-46.com 1-46.mobiFind a movie…
Flix 1-Flix.com 1-Flix.mobi 1-3549.com 1-3549.mobiOops need my GPS and a map to get there…
GPS 1-GPS.mobi 1-477.com 1-477.mobi
TRK 1-TRK.com 1-TRK.mobi 1-875.com 1-875.mobi
Track 1-Track.mobi
Map 1-Map.com 1-Map.mobi 1-627.com 1-627.mobi
Locate 1-Locate.com 1-Locate.mobiHmm… Do I have enough cash to do this?
ATM 1-ATM.mobi 1-286.com 1-286.mobi
Bank 1-Bank.mobi 1-2265.com 1-2265.mobi
Loan 1-Loan.mobi 1-5626.com 1-5626.mobiYup, Now we need some food…
Food 1-Food.mobi 1-3663.com 1-3663.mobi
Eat 1-Eat.mobi 1-328.com 1-328.mobi
Dine 1-Dine.com 1-Dine.mobi 1-3463.com 1-3463.mobi
Pizza 1-Pizza.com 1-Pizza.mobi 1-74992.com 1-74992.mobi
Grub 1-Grub.com 1-Grub.mobi 1-4782.com 1-4782.mobi
(also search)
Taco 1-Taco.com 1-Taco.mobi 1-8226.com 1-8226.mobi
Sub 1-Sub.com 1-Sub.mobi
café 1-cafe.com 1-cafe.mobiFollowed by beer…
beer 1-2337.com
Or coffee
java 1-java.com 1-java.mobiDoes my Insurance cover a DUI?
Ins 1-INS.com 1-INS.mobi 1-467.com 1-467.mob
Can 4 Domains change the domain after-market valuation criteria?
If you don’t register domains that work for mobile customers, will your competitors?
Hyphenated (dashes) domain name valuation references:
Notes: Not one of the following references similarity to phone numbers as a criteria or as a way to create interest with mobile users.
A 1-Dash Response to the Key Points of the following published opinions on the value of Hyphenated Domain Names:
'easy to forget the hyphens' => mobile and phone are synonymous
'sought-after keywords' => Common words will define the 1-Dash after-market
'popular names or phrases' => Common words lead to sales
'current trends' => mobile, mobile, mobile
'domains with hyphens are easy to remember, spell and pronounce' => mobile and phone are synonymous
'Always use ".com" => spoken before dot mobi came into the picturee21
Site: http://domains.e21.com/Hyphenated-domainsThe main disadvantage is that it's too easy to forget the hyphens (dashes) when typing the domain name and to make errors, and most users will end up in your competitor's sites. It is also a pain, and users don't like to waste their time. Amateurs buy and register domain names with multiple hyphens, and they aggravate the easy errors user will make when trying to find them.
The professionals stick to domain names without hyphens, and get all the business, their normal traffic, plus the lost traffic generated by all the hyphenated domain names.
The Internet is very competitive and you either have the right domain names or you don't.
Source: e21 http://domains.e21.com/Hyphenated-domainsGo Daddy - https://www.tdnam.com/
Source: http://help.godaddy.comDomain name length
Short domain names are easier for visitors to remember, and a short, catchy name is more likely to receive your preferred asking price.
Keywords
Domain names that include sought-after keywords generate more traffic and higher interest from potential buyers.Name
Domains that include popular names or phrases, especially words or phrases that follow current trends, generate higher interest from potential buyers. Domain names must not infringe on third party trademarks.Top-level domain (TLD)
The .com TLD is the most popular with buyers. Other TLDs, such as .org, might limit the versatility of the domain or imply a certain type of site resides on the domain. In some cases, a country code TLD (ccTLD) is better for domains, such as using a .fr ccTLD for a domain that contains French.WebmasterStop
Site: http://www.webmasterstop.com/17.html
6) Should you or should you not use hyphens in your domain? Well, the jury is out on the question. While some Internet marketers will tell you that domains containing hyphens are difficult to remember, spell and pronounce, others will state that domains containing hyphens are, in fact, easy to remember, spell and pronounce. Go figure. Personally, I would feel that whether or not hyphens are helpful has to be determined on a case by case basis. However, if you register a domain containing hyphens, make sure that you also register the corresponding domain without the hyphens. Once you do that, you can simply redirect visitors from the domain without the hyphens to the domain with the hyphens.
7) Don't make your primary domain too long. Even though 67 character domains are a reality, exactly how many of your users will want to type a domain name like thisisanexampleofaverylargedomainname.com?
8) Always use ".com". If yours is a serious business site, avoid using domains ending in "nu" or "to". Your business will have little credibility if you do so. You can consider registering a ".net" domain, but since most people are familiar with ".com", it is better to stick to convention.
Source: http://www.webmasterstop.com/17.html
