Can someone explain type-ins?

[JW3K]

This is a real newbie question, I've looked for a thorough explanation everywhere from this board to other sites, but all I get is short definitions with no examples. What exactly makes a type-in domain? Most definitions state its a domain people type directly into their browser instead of going to a search engine.

Lets take hybrids.com, what do people type in, is it hybrids? hybrids.com? www.hybrids? www.hybrids.com?

I keep reading that browsers default to the .com extension if someone doesnt type one in, today all the browsers I checked seem to take you to some kind of search page which has whatever the sponsor/browser company wants to put on it- original type-in .com is not even listed there. So how will the type-in person end up at your .com thats parked and hopefully click on a banner or link?

What about multiple word type-ins? Ive seen programs that convert overture keywords into domain names by connecting the words and adding a .com, does that mean people actually get rid of the spaces and type in something like freecellphone into their browser? Why are two word type-said to be better than lets say 3, 4, or 5 word type-ins?

Is there any way to check the popularity of a type-in domain that you dont actually own and have stats for? Again, the overture keyword checker with its overture score- how does that reflect the popularity of a "type-in" domain, whether its a single word or multiple words- I dont see the connection between the domain name .com and the score.

What about other extensions? Doesnt that mean someone would have to type in the exact address for this to work? For example, cars.org, why would anyone type in that combination unless they wanted to see if the domain was for sale or available? Not sure I understand why these domains are said to have traffic, unless they have existing advertising/links or old ones.

I realize thats a lot of questions but if even one gets an answer (or if someone points me in the right direction- link, etc) that will make it worthwhile.
Thanks!

[GoPC]

First off... good question

Browsers USED to default to .com but with the growth of PPC advertising (pay per click) and other forms of paid internet advertising, even the browser companies are getting into the game. Thus the forward to their search pages now and the end of the Default dot com.

In Firefox, you CAN still default to dot com by simpy typing in the domain name only and holding down the CTRL key and pressing enter. Firefox adds the dot com and takes you to the domain.

But that's all really secondary to your big question... WHAT is a Type-in?

The short, sweet answer you keep getting is 100% correct. It's when someone types the address of a website (domain.com or www.domain.com) directly into the address bar rather than accessing the site through a search engine. Yes, using Firefox's shortcut feature would also count as a type in.

You MUST use the extention to get the proper site... there isn't any way around it.

You may have heard of domainers using "Overture" to track type-ins. This is a really confusing thing to newbies... It was for me too.

Overture tracks domains that were typed into Yahoo Networks SEARCH bars, not the Navigation Bar. In other words, it's paying attention to people that don't know any better than to type the address in the address bar.

While this does give you some idea of how many times these... um... uneducated internet users have searched for that domain, it really doesn't give you an accurate read on what the actual number of type-ins for that domain REALLY is. I believe that for every mistake like that, there are hundreds of people that do it right.

In addition, my research with Google API shows that the actual number of type-ins for any given Overture result is anywhere from twice to in some cases several hundred times MORE at Google.

And Google is where you really want to be anyway, right?

That's a bit of a sideline but it gives you some idea of the many ways that "type-ins" are being used to both value your domain and DE-value your domain.

In my opinion, what really matters is CONVERSION... What the rate is of visitors that see your site convert that visit into CASH. Whether that be sales, PPC, Adsense, Paid Ad Blocks... whatever.

Natural "type-in" traffic is bestm but search traffic and branding can do far more... see the recent sale of YouTube for example. A billion and half dollars is hard to ignore and YOUTUBE had zero natural traffic before massive advertising, branding and viral marketing.

I hope this helps... there's alot of information being tossed around these forums and unfortunately, many of the people just assume you know what it means. The other unfortunate things is that many people get ridiculed for asking... that's not good for our image or community.

So ask away... learn as fast as you can... and don't give up. It's a fascinating industry. Best of luck,

GoPC

[JW3K]

I appreciate that long reply, so from my understanding, and at this point just having the goal of parking many type-in domains rather than spending time marketing/developing, a type-in such as freecellphone.com is a possible traffic domain that could bring some PPC etc revenue when parked:
-as long as people actually type in the 3 words without spaces and with the extension (its this way or no way to get to that site if i owned it unless you do Ctrl in firefox)
-because the overture keyword select tool lists the 3 separate words as a popular search phrase and although it may not reflect the exact popularity of the domain, is an indication whether that exact domain (freecellphone.com) is popular or not
-because there is no real limit on how many words should be in a type-in domain as long as people type in all the words commonly (no need for it to be single word although it helps if it is)

So the only way to test real popularity that may be 2x more or 10x more (or less), is to actually buy and park the domain and watch hits/clicks on links/banners. There is no way other than overture before purchasing.


Please correct me on any of the above if Im wrong.
Thanks

The reason Im asking about the number of words is Id like to know which is better- a single word dictionary .com that gets 50 searches on overture/month or a 3 word .com with no spaces between the words that gets 2000 searches/month as 3 separate keywords

[GoPC]

An internet user cannot type in to the address bar, three different words and get a website or domain. So, the only way for a type in to occur, is if they type in all three words, no space and the proper extention.

Overture, again, only counts SEARCHES to the yahoo network, not domains that are typed in to an address bar. So it is, at best, a vague indicator of potential... nothing more.

The only way Overture (OVT for short) can be more accurate is if people actually type in the domain, no spaces, WITH extention and it gets counted.

So, if someone typed in "freecellphone.com" into the SEARCH bar on OVT more than 30 times per month, will it even show.

Searches for "free" and "cell" and "phone" aren't absolutely related, so... they cannot be remotely considered as an accurate count of traffic.

And remember, they are SEARCHES.... so, the results that come up would get hte traffic, not the sum of the three keywords specifically. It is possible, but NOT unless you develop.

So, as you stated, you DON'T want to develop, so the odds of your domain coming up on the top of the search results list is practically nill.

Your only hope then is that your visitors type in the three words, no spaces, with extention... and THEN you get traffic.

That's called "natural" traffic and that's what we all want to see

Best of luck!

GoPC

[JW3K]

Ok now im starting to get the hang of this
Going by all that has been mentioned, a program that links keywords that are popular when typed in together at http://inventory.overture.com/d/sear...ry/suggestion/ such as those 3 words mentioned earlier, into one .com, does not sound like something useful for finding names to park (just something I came across I wont mention any names) no matter how popular the keywords are....

[GoPC]

It's meerely an issue of "potential" really. If OVT doesn't show it, that doesn't mean it's BAD... likewise, if OVT does show searches with those keywords, it doesn't mean it's great... it just means that at Yahoo.... those words were searched.

IF they were searched together, no spaces, with extention... that's a good indicator that people are typing in the domain with ext. That's GOOD and probably an indication you should buy that domain.

But individual words, with spaces, no ext.... just words. Nothing more.

If you were to develope the site, optimize it for search traffic and had a good chance on getting to the top of that search list, then you have a GREAT opportunity for success and should buy the domain.

I have domains that get little or no type-in traffic, but get GREAT search traffic. I make money on them every day. No type-ins at all. But they get GREAT search traffic.

So it really depends on what you want to do. You have said, no development, just park.

Great.... you need to find domains with natural, type-in traffic.

Here's a hint....

A Million people, like you, are looking to do the same thing and have been for going on 20 years now. The odds of finding that kind of domain are getting smaller every day. THIN at best even now.

The only real way to get honest, natural, type-in traffic is to buy it from someone else. You probably wont hand register any domains that do that well with straight parking. Not impossible... just no probable.

Just a warning. Sorry. I get frustrated when I here people on these forums talk about domaining like the opportunity to buy a single generic or generic phrase and make a Million Bucks still flows like water.... it doesn't. Alot of new people get really frustrated and burnt out when that realization hits them.

And then folks write them off without lifting a finger. It's sad.

Anyway, keep up your research and find some winners. Be prepared to spend at least a year getting your first solid domains and good luck.

I wish you great success.

GoPC

[JW3K]

thanks for the help

[sudesh]

Excellent advice GoPc and a great job at the Auction yesterday.. thanks.

[tonyfloyd]

GoPc- way to be!!!....thanks also to JW3K who brought up some great questions (ones that i've been also trying to find the answers to)....

thanks!
tony

[Andrew Shaw]

This would be a great time to whip out my domain name Typeins.info

Too bad its not developed...

[Duckinla]

The only real way to get honest, natural, type-in traffic is to buy it from someone else. You probably wont hand register any domains that do that well with straight parking. Not impossible... just no probable.

Or to predict it before it starts happening.

[katherine]

Just to further elaborate on what's been said above, type-in traffic can be and is influenced by browsers. The exact behavior depends from one browser to another (some will let you customize that behavior).
In view of this it is easy to understand the browsers war of the 90s (war that is not over BTW).
The stakes are high for browser companies as they have an opportunity to cash in on Internet traffic for example by inhibiting user searches or redirecting to partnering search engines (microsoft)
The key is TRAFFIC. Traffic = money.

[domokun]

Great info for noob! Thanks