Checklist for picking out good domains

[hypertext]

I have a checklist I use before I buy any domain. I thought it would be beneficial for all if we collectively revised/added to this checklist? Contributions appreciated!

Checklist For Picking Out Good Domains

1. The domain is usually one word or two words. There are some exceptions usually involving the prefix words "cheap", "free" and the like, or a geolocation plus a product/service--e.g. LAAirportShuttle.com.

2. There are no superfluous words--e.g. WhiteHouseUSA.com.

3. At least one, but preferably all, of the words have search engine traffic.

4. No more than one dash/hyphen in the name.

5. No trademark issues--check at http://www.uspto.gov/. Every domain should be checked through the USPTO because even seemingly generic terms may have been registered as a TM.

6. Proper name domains (i.e. a purely brandable domain that is currently used by a business) are risky if you can't sell it to the end user with that name.

7. Generics are best and purely brandable names are risky--e.g. LifeSmart.com. So, significantly discount the brandable names.

8. Always have a plan before buying any domain--hold and develop, flip to end-user, flip to reseller. In other words, don't buy just because you think the name sounds good and that someone may have a use for it in the future.

9. Predetermine the probability of return/breakeven based on your plan (see no. 8) on the following time scales: 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, greater than 1 year. Use those probabilities to determine the maximum price to pay based on your opportunity cost as a result of having tied up your money for that period.

10. Determine if there are any other ways of spelling the name which means exactly the same thing as your domain--e.g. CelebrityPics.com, CelebrityPhotos.com, CelebrityPictures.com.

11. Check to see if the other extensions are taken. If there are developed websites on the other extensions, your domain is worth more.

12. Always check to see that the domain has not been blacklisted as a spam site.

13. Even properly spelled generics are worth less if they are too long or easily misspelled.

[accomatic]

Great list, hypertext!

#12 -- this is not really important cause when changing WHOIS and nameservers you get out of SE blacklists within few months. Email spam blacklists are reset every few weeks. However you can get some pretty discount from seller if the site is blacklisted anywhere at the moment.

[accent]

I check Google to see what it is used for and a Dictionary to be sure of the spelling. Then I try to imagine what the market would be for the domain. If it looks like a website on the domain would be in demand then I buy the domain.

[Banned: theinvestor]

#4 i do not like. Stay away from dash/hyphens in names.

[draggar]

#4 i do not like. Stay away from dash/hyphens in names.

Same here unless
a) It is an actual phrase that is hyphenated
b) It is a perfect combination (but even then I'd have to seriously consider it for a while)

[hypertext]

I think hyphens may be ok for certain uses. For example, if you do PPC, a hyphenated name may still be very valuable if it increases CTR in, say, a Google Adwords campaign. For an SEOer, such a name may have significant benefits, especially if all the non-hyphenated names are taken.

[accent]

My main business website was built on a hyphenated net. I also registered the no-hyphen net (com was taken, finally got it last year)

I had read that the hyphen helps SEO, that is why I used the hyphen for the main site. I built a one page satellite website on the no-hyphen net. Google quickly pushed the no-hyphen to the first page, losing the hyphen three pages back. With time and links I have moved the (PR4) hyphen to the middle of the first page, while the (PR2) no-hyphen is now number one.

The key words are the same. Perhaps there is some other reason Google likes the no-hyphen better, but I now believe hyphens hurt SEO with Google.

Hyphen is at the top of MSN and Yahoo, with no-hyphen far behind, so it may still be better for the lesser Search Engines.

[DomainName]

#4 i do not like. Stay away from dash/hyphens in names.

I agree. Say away from the hyphens.

[accomatic]

The key words are the same. Perhaps there is some other reason Google likes the no-hyphen better, but I now believe hyphens hurt SEO with Google.

Hyphen is at the top of MSN and Yahoo, with no-hyphen far behind, so it may still be better for the lesser Search Engines.

I have similar experience with hyphenated domains. Google dislikes them for some reason. Maybe the "overoptimization" filter adds some penalty here.