Finding expired domains the easy way and for free!
The majority of online expired domain list providers currently use a fee based model for users wishing to search for an expired domain gem, this cost can vary anywhere from 8 dollars a month to over 100 dollars a year for membership plans (or more) for access to valuable expired domain information.
However, ExpiredDomainNames.com provides free access to it's expired domains and deleted domains lists. The site includes multiple domain tools which hone in on domain names currently in the expiration cycle through easy to use expired domain centric modules. 
The expired domain search site features the Expire Search Engine. A powerful online expired and deleted domain name search utility providing lists for domains in Registrar Hold, Redemption Period and Pending Delete status. Specific keyword and extension prefrences for .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info and .us are also provided with integrated WhoIs and instant domain backorder functions.
To find expired domains using the Expire Search Engine click here.
Other expired domain utilities include:
- link popularity analysis for targetting expired domains with traffic.
- Page Rank data from top search engines.
- domain lenghth, numbered and hyphen preferences.
- instant deleted domains registration options.
Expired Domain Names - An Overview
Expired Domains : Domain names which have not been renewed by their previous owners/registrants. The actual process/and or cycle pertaining to expired domain names is a bit more convoluted (depending on the Registrar of the specific domain in question). Since domain names can only be registered for a period between 1-10 years, many are not renewed and do become available again for re-registration if the previous owner forfeits their domain.
example:
mydomain.com is registered July 5/04 for one year. It will be up for renewal around (registrars discretion) July 5/05. If registrant of mydomain.com does not renew...the domain will enter the expiration cycle, thus becoming an expired domain.
The generalized norm for expired domains in the phases of the expiration cycle (Registrar Hold, Redemption Period, and Pending delete) can last up to 80 days in total (this can vary drastically):
Registrar Hold: This initial portion of the expired domains life cycle lasts for a period of 45 days. During this period, the original domain registrant is able to re-register the domain with no financial penalty.
Note: This part of the cycle can be accelerated at the domain registrars discretion. Recently expired domains can even be deleted outright anytime within the 45 day outline if the registrar so chooses.
Redemption Grace Period: Time 30 days. At this point the owner of the expired domain in question can still renew but....at a cost. The average price to renew expired domains in this portion of the cycle averages $150.00 and above depending on the registrar.
Domainer Perspective: due to the cost perameters to renew, expired domains in redemption are generally expected to fully complete the process to deletion. Many domain investors backorder expired domains at this point, arguably due to the competitive nature of the expired domain names market.
Pending Delete: The domain now becomes "locked" in a 5 day journey to deletion with no chance for the previous owner to renew. On the 6th day at 14:00 Eastern US time the domain is deleted (dropped) and made available for anyone to register.
Note: Recent developments by domain registrars regarding expired domains have changed significantly. Some registrars actually pay the renewal fees for domains once held by their registrants, that is of course if they (registrants) allow their domains to expire. These domains are (at times) auctioned , and never actually enter into the percieved expired domains cycle as stated.
Expired domain names - the hits and the money they make
So whats the big deal about these expired domain throw aways anyway? PLENTY! A little known fact is that many of these daily deleted domain names have an abundance of link popularity and ingrained backlinks from other websites.....in a nutshell expired domains generate traffic!
The very traffic that has been the catalyst for URL investors who've been zeroing in on expired domains since the dawn of the new millenium and have monetized expired domain names as a cash generating source by using various online vehicles like paid domain parking and Pay Per Click content pages (Google Adsense). It should also be stated that keyword and brandable domains frequently become available and add to the revenue stream of domain prospectors active in the domain aftermarket. Expired domain names scooped up for small sums, have been resold for thousands!
Earlier this year the expired domains facilitator known as Ultimate Search (Name Development), who were very active in the dropped domain market and viewed by many domain experts as the pioneers of expired domain monetization through PPC landing pages, revealed a monthly revenue take of over one million dollars for 2004! This money bombshell came about after the company had announced (November of 2004) a buyout of its accumulated 100,000 expired domain name warchest to Marchex, Inc...... for over 164 million dollars! The largest recorded domain sale of all time!....Proof that if utilized correctly, expired domains can make you money! As shown in the previous example.... they've even made some domain entrepreneurs into multi-millionaires!
Expired Domains FAQ: Insights from a Domainer
How can you profit from expired domain names?
There are many different methods for procuring an income from traffic charged expired domains. The following examples of domain revenue generation are currently used by URL investors, but results vary depending on domain, income source and user input.
Paid Domain Parking: A simple method of generating cash flow from an expired domains traffic ...and a website isn't even needed.
The process: Domain owners forward their domain names to Pay Per Click pages provided by a Parked Domain provider and recieve an income from advertisers via click throughs and/or page impressions based on the unique visitors the domains traffic generates. The ad revenue is usually splt 50/50 between PPC search provider and domain owner, with each click generating anywhere from a fraction of a cent, to high a high dollar figure...some niche targetted advertisers pay up top 5-10 dollars or more..... per click! No selling, no credit card transactions, no overhead....just money in the bank for the domain owner.
Content pages using Google Adsense: One of the highest payouts in online advertising. Domainers create their own parked pages for their expired domain traffic vehicles. If content and traffic is targeted properly using Google Adsense display on pre-built site. Higher payouts can ensue as revenue isn't shared with another party.
Affiliate Marketing: Utilizing the expired domains traffic flow to sites with affiliate programs. Domain owners end up being the "middle man" for established online properties and collect a commision from each sale.
Domain Reselling: Many high quality brandable and keyword expired domain treasures are snapped up and bought for low capital, only to be resold for high profit with in the domain aftermarket. Domains in these arenas sell from the low hundreds to the high 5-6 figure range....quite a mark up considering the average yearly registration fee is 15 dollars!
If expired domains are so valuable then why aren't they renewed?
There are a variety of reasons, some examples can include:
- registrant forgets to renew
- doesn't want to renew
- doesn't have the funds to re-register
- went bankrupt
- failed to keep contact and/or credit card information up to date
- died
- domain registrant simply doesn't know the value of their domain name.
How do you register an expired domain?
You can't, that is until/if it completes the deletion cycle to become a deleted domain.There are however "Drop Catching" services that backorder expired domains for clients wishing to register them the millisecond they are deleted from the registry. For more information on this area of the expired domains market click here.
What is an expiring domain name?
The term often used to describe an expired domain name in the deletion cycle.
How can you check an expired domains history?
The Wayback Machine provides an online resource base for tracking an expired domains history. It acts as virtual calendar archive for websites. Users can find useful information such as:
- type of website associated with domain.
- previous company/registrant information.
To research an expired domains history click here.
Is there a tool to measure an expired domains traffic?
Yahoo's mainstay the Overture Suggestion Tool has been frequently used by domain prospectors as a traffic indicator for expired domains. Overture outputs monthly figures for keyword search terms used by millions of internet users frequenting Yahoo, AltaVista, as well as MSN. While the tools main purpose is to give Yahoo network advertisers word combination suggestions targeting online campaigns, some have used it to measure the number stats for domains that were specifically searched on SE's. Hence the term coined in the domain industry as "Overture with extension". The belief is the higher the numeric figure for searched domain, the greater the traffic.
However, Overture figures can be manipulated with various search script applications and a cautionary approach is recommended. It's believed many speculators on the hunt for expired domains with traffic, actually end up inadvertantly/intentionally inflating figures using this app, especially for domains nearing the end of the deletion cycle.
For Overture results use the Keyword Suggestion under the Domain Tools typelist when researching expired domains.
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