closed Links.com

[ok10]

I think you suffer from Paralysis by Analysis (I am saying that based on this thread and several other similar threads over the years). I suffer from exactly the same thing, so I can totally relate. I have several excellent domains from 95-97 that I never developed until now. My reasoning has always been that a great domain needs a large player developing it with large marketing budget. In my case I needed to forget marketing budget, forget large players partners, and just start developing great domains gradually.

In your case, you don't need to worry about competition. There is always room for small players to compete with large players if small players have a great domain and virtually no costs. It does not matter that your competitor has 100 times more traffic than you. You can still make a great living if you have virtually no costs.

If you were to design a boring-looking site like craigslist that links to 10-20 useful sites in a couple of hundred categories, I am sure your traffic will be at least doubling each year, mostly from repeat visitors. And you can find 20 useful sites per category in 2-4 hours of surfing the web.

 

[Bionic]

This is a no brainer, make a directory.

Competition won't hurt because you have one of the top domains, and the reason it's competitive is because it's high profit, around $50 per listing and you get free links back for traffic and viral growth.

 

[richrf]

If you were to design a boring-looking site like craigslist that links to 10-20 useful sites in a couple of hundred categories, I am sure your traffic will be at least doubling each year, mostly from repeat visitors. And you can find 20 useful sites per category in 2-4 hours of surfing the web.

Hi there ok10,

I only wish that what you were saying was true. I have actually put quite a bit of effort into developing various concepts for the site. Only one took off and that was temporary. It seems that people were searching for a site called TV-Links (that was linking to illegal TV downloads), and they were instead finding my site. Quadrupled my traffic for a while, until the guys at TV-Links were thrown into jail in England, and their site was shut down.

Otherwise traffic is totally stagnant no matter what I do. People nowadays are pretty wise about their internet time, and don't spend much time, and certainly don't come back, to sites that provide no value to them. And copycat sites just don't work either - e.g. Pligg/Digg site.

So, I have to be original and I have to be valuable, and I have to be good in order to peel away time from internet surfers. I think it is a big myth that a good domain name means traffic. It doesn't, I can assure you.

But I'll keep trying, and thanks for the reply.

Rich

This is a no brainer, make a directory.

Competition won't hurt because you have one of the top domains, and the reason it's competitive is because it's high profit, around $50 per listing and you get free links back for traffic and viral growth.

Hi there Bionic,

Well, you are the third person, so I will definitely give it some thought, but I don't think any old directory will create sticky traffic. I think I really have to come up with something of some value.

Thanks for the valuable feedback.

Rich

 

[Bionic]

wrong again, just a plain jane carbon copy ordinary directory and people will beat a path to your door. G/L hope I'm right!

 

[stewie]

great name,

Good Luck

 

[south]

Nice. I think Doc hit the nail on the head. Hit the links! Golfing = big bucks. Might end up selling to golf magazine or similar down the road. Obviously a directory would be an option as well, but aren't there enough established directories to compete against? Another thought would be matchmaking / dating.

Awesome name though, good luck whatever you decide to do.

 

[richrf]

wrong again, just a plain jane carbon copy ordinary directory and people will beat a path to your door. G/L hope I'm right!

Hi,

Well, I sort of tried a golf directory and it was DOA. If I can think of a reasonable idea for a directory I will definitely move ahead. But I am a little exhausted (of money and time) of developing dead-end sites. People simply do not come back to look at valueless information.

Rich

Nice. I think Doc hit the nail on the head. Hit the links! Golfing = big bucks.

Hi there south,

Golf was actually the very first idea I implemented quite some time ago. However, without great content, visitors simply do not come back. Traffic was pretty bad. Worse than the blog since I didn't get search engine traffic.

I also might have to be careful of any trademark issues if someone is already using Links prominently on their golf site. I think I came across something like that while doing research some time ago.

Rich

 

[mulligan]

Golf .. Obviously you went your own route rather than 'link' up with someone who knows their 'shit' .. Did you ever pitch it to golf.com / pgatour.com etc for a mutually beneficial arrangement?

BTW .. 'sort of' 'I only wish' 'I also might' .. Not great 'language'

You should already be retired on the back of this puppy

 

[richrf]

Golf .. Obviously you went your own route rather than 'link' up with someone who knows their 'shit' .. Did you ever pitch it to golf.com / pgatour.com etc for a mutually beneficial arrangement?

BTW .. 'sort of' 'I only wish' 'I also might' .. Not great 'language'

You should already be retired on the back of this puppy

Hi there mulligan,

I have tried to partner, but there is really no incentive for a large player in any domain space to provide me with content in order to build value into my site.

Sorry about the language.

I am retired.

Rich

 

[victornumber]

awesome domain. definitely can sell in the xxxxxx range.

 

[mulligan]

I am retired.

Rich

Fair enough .. then put the development of the domain into the hands of a professional (Talk to Acro, he'll help or at least point you in the right direction, probably for a fee though .. )

It's not what you know, it's who you know ... who knows the answer to the 'what'

 

[richrf]

awesome domain. definitely can sell in the xxxxxx range.

Thanks victornumber for you reply and your estimate.

Rich

Fair enough .. then put the development of the domain into the hands of a professional (Talk to Acro, he'll help or at least point you in the right direction, probably for a fee though .. )

It's not what you know, it's who you know ... who knows the answer to the 'what'

Hi there mulligan,

Yes, I agree that the right team can make a big difference. I've actually been involved with some fairly sharp groups, but so far to no avail. If one observes the Web landscape, and particularly the number of startups that didn't make it, it does create a sense of humbleness and humility. It is very, very difficult to create a success story.

Venture capital money usually hope for 1 in 10 big hits to compensate for all of the losses. And in the last ten years the odds have been much worse. I have been involved with many startups so I have some idea of what it takes, and certainly a great team is one ingredient - but it is not sufficient.

Thanks for the excellent advice.

Rich

 

[mulligan]

Venture capital is one way to go .. if you want to sell your soul.

Alternatives do exist, you can throw as much money as you like at something trying to make it work, knowing where to throw it is a different story.

Personally, I would keep this domain and further explore the possibilities .. Sure, you can cash it in for a good return now, but I think this is a domain that should be able to 'feed the family' for many generations to come with the right development behind it.

 

[richrf]

Venture capital is one way to go .. if you want to sell your soul.

Alternatives do exist, you can throw as much money as you like at something trying to make it work, knowing where to throw it is a different story.

Personally, I would keep this domain and further explore the possibilities .. Sure, you can cash it in for a good return now, but I think this is a domain that should be able to 'feed the family' for many generations to come with the right development behind it.

Hi there mulligan,

I am with you. I don't feel like throwing money at the problem, because I agree with you, it doesn't necessarily buy any thing. I also want to keep trying to develop it until I get the idea that finally sticks. So, I'm going to keep going at it. Thanks.

Rich

 

[chillking]

Rich top domain i think in the right auction with the right buyers you could easly get low mid x,xxx,xxx this name is top good luck not that you will need it lol.

 

[richrf]

Rich top domain i think in the right auction with the right buyers you could easly get low mid x,xxx,xxx this name is top good luck not that you will need it lol.

Thanks for the appraisal chillking. Appreciate it.

Rich

 

[dominator]

Ok, I still think there is something odd with the registration date; I recall Network Solutions screwing up with the creation date - maybe via a transfer? I just can't imagine the domain being available in 1998. In 1996, most likely.

you are right

the transfers in 90s (netsol) sometimes caused that the registration date was reset

 

[Theo]

Actually, this happened as late as in 2000 when GoDaddy got in the game.

 

[Varlin]

NONSENSE. Burn it at 600K or higher, buy rental property, live on rent. Forget complex development. Hell, forget simple development too!

Making it even simpler... Rent the domain if you can. Always yours, OPW (other people's work).

 

[richrf]

NONSENSE. Burn it at 600K or higher, buy rental property, live on rent. Forget complex development. Hell, forget simple development too!

Making it even simpler... Rent the domain if you can. Always yours, OPW (other people's work).

Hi there Varlin,

Thanks for the appraisal.

I am working on a new idea at this moment with my son and his friends. We'll see how it goes. They are college age and I am hoping that they understand the college crowd.

Thanks again for the ideas.

Rich