Even though my primary focus is on buying quality domain names in the aftermarket, I do spend some time researching new domain names to purchase for registration fee. I use Google’s Keyword Tool, personal knowledge about the subject, current events, and the amount of advertisers who pay for marketing campaigns in search engines.

I think I am most influenced by things happening around me for the registration “inspiration.” I had a friend that spent many hours per week looking things up on Wikipedia (at work) during his spare time. He would receive an email from a friend or see a news article on the BBC, and he’d immediately search Wikipedia for more knowledge.

I am sort of like this with domain names. Instead of searching for more knowledge about a subject of interest, I search for available .com domain names that might have eventual value. Although most of my purchases are speculative, it can be more enjoyable than gambling… well maybe as enjoyable as blackjack

Here are some of my recent domain registrations:

PorcelainInlay.com
PorcelainInlays.com
RedBelliedPiranha.com
RedBelliedPiranhas.com
CoalAshRecycling.com
CoalAshDisposal.com
HockeyGoalieHelmet.com
HockeyGoalieHelmets.com
CelebrationOfLifeParties.com

What have you recently registered?

A little over a month ago, it was reported that Overstock.com would launch a new website on O.biz, one of the first (maybe the first) websites to operate on a one or two letter .biz domain name. This morning, I received word that Moniker will auction off a number of one and two letter .biz domain names at the upcoming TRAFFIC auction in New York on October 28, 2009.

The .biz domain names that will be in Moniker’s live auction are:

•    i.biz
•    ny.biz
•    ez.biz
•    ok.biz
•    hd.biz

Moniker will also have several names in the extended online auction including:

•    tx.biz
•    hi.biz
•    ha.biz
•    ur.biz
•    lo.biz
•    kc.biz

Other one and two character .biz domain names were recently auctioned, with e.biz achieving the highest sales price, selling for $66,001. Most of the other single character .biz domain names sold primarily in the $5-10,000 range with some higher outliers.

I won’t predict how these auctions will play out, but I hope the registry and Moniker are contacting potential end user buyers. As with any extension, the success is related to customer awareness. A company like Overstock branding and marketing O.biz would be very good for domain investors who own prime names.