Domain Name Glossary: 50+ Terms Every Investor Should Know

Introduction

Domain investing has its own language. Understanding key terms is essential for making smart investment decisions, negotiating effectively, and communicating with other investors. This comprehensive glossary covers 50+ essential terms every domain investor must know.

A

Aftermarket

The secondary market where previously registered domains are bought and sold between parties. Unlike primary registration (buying from a registrar), aftermarket domains are owned by investors or businesses.

Example: Buying PremiumDomain.com from another investor on Sedo is an aftermarket transaction.

Appraisal

An estimated valuation of a domain name based on various factors like length, keywords, extension, traffic, and comparable sales.

Tools: GoDaddy Appraisal, Estibot, NameBio

Authority (Domain Authority - DA)

A metric developed by Moz (0-100 scale) that predicts how well a website will rank in search engines. Higher DA domains are more valuable.

Good DA Scores:

• 40-50: Above average
• 50-60: Good
• 60-70: Excellent
• 70+: Elite

B

Backlinks

Links from other websites pointing to your domain. Quality backlinks increase domain value and SEO potential.

Quality Indicators:

• Links from authoritative sites
• Relevant to domain topic
• Natural anchor text
• Editorial links (not paid)

Backorder

A service that attempts to register a domain the moment it becomes available after expiring. Multiple people can backorder the same domain, leading to an auction.

Brandable Domain

A domain name that works well as a brand - unique, memorable, and not necessarily keyword-based.

Examples:

• Google.com
• Spotify.com
• Shopify.com
• Uber.com

Broker

A professional who facilitates domain sales between buyers and sellers for a commission (typically 10-20%).

C

ccTLD (Country Code Top-Level Domain)

Two-letter domain extensions representing countries.

Popular ccTLDs:

• .uk (United Kingdom)
• .de (Germany)
• .ca (Canada)
• .au (Australia)
• .io (British Indian Ocean Territory - popular for tech)

CNAME (Canonical Name)

A type of DNS record that maps one domain name to another. Used for subdomains and domain forwarding.

Comparable Sales (Comps)

Historical sales data of similar domains used to estimate a domain's value.

Example: If Finance.com sold for $100K, FinanceNews.com might be valued at $5K-$20K based on comps.

Cybersquatting

Registering, trafficking, or using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from someone else's trademark. This is illegal.

Examples of Cybersquatting:

• NikeShoes.com (using Nike trademark)
• GoogleMaps.com (using Google trademark)

D

DA (Domain Authority)

See "Authority" above. Moz's proprietary metric scoring domains 0-100.

DNS (Domain Name System)

The system that translates domain names into IP addresses, allowing browsers to load websites.

Domain Hack

A domain that combines the domain name and extension to create a word or phrase.

Examples:

• del.icio.us (delicious)
• goo.gl (Google)
• bit.ly (bitly)

Domain Parking

Displaying advertisements on undeveloped domains to generate passive income while waiting to sell.

Revenue: $0.10 to $10+ per day depending on traffic and niche.

Drop Catching

The practice of registering domains the moment they expire and become available again. Requires specialized services and timing.

DR (Domain Rating)

Ahrefs' metric (0-100 scale) measuring the strength of a domain's backlink profile. Similar to Moz's DA.

E

EMD (Exact Match Domain)

A domain that exactly matches a search query.

Examples:

• CheapFlights.com
• BestLawyers.com
• OnlineMarketing.com

SEO Note: EMDs had more value pre-2012. Still useful but less powerful for SEO now.

EPP Code (Authorization Code)

A unique code required to transfer a domain from one registrar to another. Like a password for transferring ownership.

Escrow

A third-party service that holds payment until the domain is successfully transferred, protecting both buyer and seller.

Standard: Escrow.com for transactions $500+

Expired Domain

A domain that the owner didn't renew. After expiration and grace periods, it becomes available for others to register.

Timeline:

• Day 0: Expiration date
• Days 1-30: Grace period (owner can renew)
• Days 31-60: Redemption period (higher fee to recover)
• Day 61+: Released to public (drop)

F

Flipping

Buying domains with the intent to resell them for profit, usually within a short timeframe.

Typical Timeline: 3-18 months

G

Generic TLD (gTLD)

Non-country specific domain extensions.

Original gTLDs:

• .com (commercial)
• .org (organization)
• .net (network)
• .edu (education)
• .gov (government)

New gTLDs:

• .ai, .io, .co, .tech, .online, .shop, etc.

Grace Period

The period after a domain expires when the owner can still renew it at the standard price (usually 30-45 days).

H

Holding Costs

Annual renewal fees required to maintain domain ownership. Typically $10-$20 per domain per year.

I

IDN (Internationalized Domain Name)

Domains containing non-Latin characters (Chinese, Arabic, Cyrillic, etc.).

Example: Москва.рф (Moscow in Russian)

K

Keyword Domain

A domain containing search keywords that describe a product, service, or topic.

Examples:

• SEOTools.com
• BestHotels.com
• CarInsurance.com

L

Landing Page

A simple page on a parked domain showing it's for sale, contact information, and sometimes pricing.

Link Building

The process of acquiring backlinks to increase domain authority and SEO value.

Listing Price

The asking price for a domain. Not necessarily the final sale price (negotiation common).

M

Marketplace

Platforms where domains are bought and sold.

Major Marketplaces:

• GrabURL
• Sedo
• Afternic
• Dan.com
• Flippa

N

Nameservers

Servers that handle DNS queries for a domain, pointing it to the correct web host or IP address.

Example:

ns1.godaddy.com
ns2.godaddy.com

Niche Domain

A domain focused on a specific industry or topic.

Examples:

• PetSupplies.com (pets niche)
• YogaStudio.com (fitness niche)

O

One-Word Domain

A domain consisting of a single dictionary word. Highly valuable due to scarcity.

Examples:

• Voice.com (sold for $30M)
• Insurance.com (sold for $35.6M)
• Hotels.com

P

PA (Page Authority)

Moz's metric predicting how well a specific page (not whole domain) will rank. Scored 0-100.

Portfolio

Collection of domains owned by an investor.

Portfolio Sizes:

• Beginner: 10-50 domains
• Intermediate: 50-200 domains
• Professional: 200-1,000+ domains

Premium Domain

High-quality domains with characteristics making them more valuable than average.

Premium Indicators:

• Short length
• Memorable
• High commercial value
• Strong SEO metrics
• Clean history

Private Sale

Selling a domain directly to a buyer without using a public marketplace or auction.

R

Redemption Period

The period after grace period expires when domain owner can still recover the domain by paying a redemption fee ($100-$200).

Registrant

The person or organization that owns/registers a domain.

Registrar

A company authorized to register domain names (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.).

Renewal

Extending domain ownership for another year (or multiple years). Required to maintain ownership.

Cost: $10-$20/year for most TLDs

Reserve Price

The minimum price a seller will accept in an auction. If bidding doesn't reach the reserve, the domain doesn't sell.

S

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Optimizing websites to rank higher in search results. Domains with good SEO history are more valuable.

Shill Bidding

Illegal practice of bidding on your own auction to artificially inflate prices.

WHOIS privacy blocked

Subdomain

A domain that's part of a larger domain.

Examples:

• blog.example.com
• shop.example.com
• mail.google.com

T

TLD (Top-Level Domain)

The extension at the end of a domain name.

Most Valuable:

1. .com (90% of premium domain sales)
2. .net
3. .org
4. .io (tech)
5. .ai (AI/tech)

Trademark

Legal protection for brand names. Buying domains with trademarks can lead to UDRP proceedings and loss of domain.

Traffic

Visitors coming to a domain. Domains with existing traffic are more valuable.

Types:

• Organic (from search engines)
• Direct (type-in traffic)
• Referral (from other sites)

Transfer

Moving a domain from one owner to another or from one registrar to another.

Two-Word Domain

A domain consisting of two words. Often more affordable than one-word domains while still being valuable.

Examples:

• CreditScore.com
• HomeLoans.com
• TravelDeals.com

U

UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy)

Legal process for resolving domain name disputes, especially trademark issues. Administered by ICANN.

Outcome: Domain can be transferred to trademark holder or canceled.

Undeveloped Domain

A domain without a functioning website, often parked or showing "for sale" landing page.

V

Valuation

Estimating a domain's market value based on various factors.

Valuation Factors:

• Length
• Keywords
• Extension (TLD)
• Age
• SEO metrics (DA, PA, backlinks)
• Traffic
• Revenue
• Brandability
• Market trends

W

Wayback Machine

Internet Archive tool showing historical snapshots of websites. Essential for checking domain history before buying.

URL: archive.org

WHOIS

Public database containing domain registration information (owner, registrar, dates, nameservers).

WHOIS Privacy

Service that hides personal information in WHOIS database, showing registrar's info instead.

Cost: $0-$15/year

Quick Reference Chart

Domain Value Indicators

Factor	Low Value	Medium Value	High Value
Length	15+ chars	10-14 chars	5-9 chars
TLD	New gTLDs	.net, .org	.com
DA Score	0-20	20-40	40+
Backlinks	<10	10-100	100+ quality
Age	<1 year	1-5 years	5+ years
Keywords	None	Some	Strong commercial

Common Abbreviations

• BIN: Buy It Now
• DA: Domain Authority
• DR: Domain Rating
• EMD: Exact Match Domain
• EPP: Extensible Provisioning Protocol (auth code)
• PA: Page Authority
• PBN: Private Blog Network
• SLD: Second-Level Domain (the "google" in google.com)
• TLD: Top-Level Domain (the ".com" in google.com)

Advanced Terms for Experienced Investors

Link Velocity

The rate at which a domain gains backlinks over time. Natural growth is positive; sudden spikes are suspicious.

PBN (Private Blog Network)

Network of websites used to build backlinks. Domains with PBN history often have lower value.

Domain Tasting

Exploiting the 5-day grace period to register domains, test monetization, and drop them if unprofitable.

Typosquatting

Registering domains that are typos of popular domains (googel.com, facbook.com). Often illegal.

Using This Glossary

For Beginners: Focus on: Domain, TLD, Registrar, WHOIS, Escrow, Marketplace, Backlinks, DA, Flipping

For Intermediate: Add: EMD, Comps, Landing Page, Drop Catching, Portfolio, Renewal, Transfer

For Advanced: Add: UDRP, Link Velocity, Domain Tasting, ccTLD strategies, International markets

Conclusion

Understanding domain terminology is fundamental to success in domain investing. Bookmark this glossary and refer to it whenever you encounter unfamiliar terms. As you gain experience, these terms will become second nature.

Pro Tip: Join domain forums like NamePros and DNForum to see these terms used in context and learn from experienced investors.

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Meta Description: Complete domain investing glossary with 50+ essential terms. Learn domain terminology from Authority to WHOIS, with examples and definitions for beginners and professionals.

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