I don't get it

[interactx]

I don't know about the worth of parking domains. Seems to me the whole thing is a contrived means to value a domain, but I don't see how it increases its value for the end user.

Maybe I need some enlightenment. But is this how it works?

You park a domain and when someone goes to that URL from a search query, then they come to a directory.
If someone clicks on one of the sites in the directory, then the domain owner gets some money, which is paid by the website owner through the parking service.

But here is how I feel when I type in a keyword and get one of those directories - I hate it. I really hate it. In fact, I am likely to never ever come to that site again.

I see this parking situation has the potential to actually decrease the value of a domain for an end user. I know I am not the only one who types in those keywords really looking for a legitimate website. And frustrated by another one of those stupid top pages.

And I really hate to have a keyword search lead me to sites that use these keywords like some SEO game and the site is bogus. Just a hook to get more hits.

Maybe I AM the only one irritated by these things. In which case I profusely apologize for offending everyone who is a monetizing freak, and the search engine users who just love directories and false leads. Maybe I'm just Soooooooo out of it. But do you really think it increases the value for the end user?

Like I say, enlighten me.

[jpf1000]

guru advertising at its finest.....the more its out there the better. I bet you will remember the website name that pissed you off a year from now.

cant go wrong

the more the better

[Raider]

Many feel the same way and the PPC providers know it, thats why more providers are creating landers that look like actual web sites, this is where its going...so expect less of the directory looking pages in the future.

Do you feel the same way when you see a google page with search engine results only?....just curious.

[interactx]

I still wonder about the value for the end user. Guru shmuru. I'm not an advertiser and don't think in terms of tricking people to get more attention. Give people what they asked for in a direct way. I will remember the domain, but not in a positive way. And I can see that PPC providers will make more false websites, which will piss me off all the more once I have seen the new tactic of manipulation to get my attention. They just kind of waste my time. I get a search result page of websites and the top page just seems like a watered down search tool that takes me another step further from what I really want - to see websites that really fit my keyword. I see these things as also watering down the effectiveness of the search engine. I'm not as grumpy as I seem, but this sort of thing dilutes the credibility of the industry, in my opinion. Seems like I am trying to make enemies? Sorry. Old-fashioned work ethics.

[ParkQuick.com]

I think that parking pages are primarily for first time surfers. Nobody really expects people to come back. I think that the best experience for surfers are either the sites that do look very much like websites (and include decent links), or a very simple, but attractive lander such as some of the sedo one-click pages.

[DNjet]

the intention of the parked page is to bring the surfer to what they are looking for in the first place , the domain owner is acting as a gateway between advertisers and surfers , if a domain has targeted type-in traffic and the ads being published on the parked page are targeted then it is very effective , some domains have a 50%+ click thru rate , if they didn't see something of interest then they would not click.

[Honan]

Yeah,
What dnjet said is right
For example, currently I am looking to buy a new mobile crane that is high enough to reach the top of a 10 storey building.
The crane needs to be placed on a float in a river, because the front of the building abutts a river
The building is on a far way island and I am prepared to pay $500,000 for a crane that will do this job
I want to erect a neon sign on top this building for a client
I search the yellow pages
Nothing
I look in the newspapers
Nothing
I do a search in google on the words
new mobile floatable crane that is high enough to reach the top of a 10 storey building and available for international travel
Bingo
It brings up a PPC site that has adverts for exactly what I want
The crane owner gets 500k
25 people get work
The neon sign owner get his sign erected
The PPC company and the PPC domain name owner share the 12 cents paid for the click
Everyone is happy, no?

[jasdon11]

Yeah,
What dnjet said is right
For example, currently I am looking to buy a new mobile crane that is high enough to reach the top of a 10 storey building.
The crane needs to be placed on a float in a river, because the front of the building abutts a river
The building is on a far way island and I am prepared to pay $500,000 for a crane that will do this job
I want to erect a neon sign on top this building for a client
I search the yellow pages
Nothing
I look in the newspapers
Nothing
I do a search in google on the words
new mobile floatable crane that is high enough to reach the top of a 10 storey building and available for international travel
Bingo
It brings up a PPC site that has adverts for exactly what I want
The crane owner gets 500k
25 people get work
The neon sign owner get his sign erected
The PPC company and the PPC domain name owner share the 12 cents paid for the click
Everyone is happy, no?

Screw the crane - I'll carry it up there with suction pads on my hands and knees for half a mil !!!

(Goes away and reg's illdoitforhalfamil.com)