April 11, 2013

Internet Speculating With Domain Name Grabs

So I was trolling the internet last night, and I thought I'd do a Google search...  I never really paid much attention to what happens when you Google "Jacksonville Fly Fishing"

Notice anything odd?  Yeah I did too...  there is no jacksonvilleflyfishing.com.  Yeah, it's a long URL, but c'mon, that should be a layup.  So I changed that.

I hopped on GoDaddy and grabbed jacksonvilleflyfishing.com and jacksonvillefly.com last night in an internet land grab.  Am I going to do something with them?  Maybe at some point once I actually live there.  What that is...beats me.  Do I feel a little dirty for sitting on a domain without clear intent to use it?  Perhaps a touch.

Now you might ask, (or probably not, as I'm sure you've stopped reading this post by now) is this the first time I've grabbed a domain out of impulse?  Unfortunately, no.  Most usually come from some brainstorm that I have that I'll create this awesome website to do something remarkable with, but then I usually give up on it as on most days I can barely keep Troutrageous! up and running.

Some examples of my misguided and neglected domain purchases are below:

Although Troutrageous.com is not on this list,
one might argue that it is also misguided and neglected too.

At the moment, I think most, if not all of the above redirect here.  The only one that I know doesn't is tenkaralife.com.  I bought that back when I started my Tenkara Tuesday posts in 2011...I thought I was going to spin them off into their own website at some point, but they never really picked up much momentum.  Instead, I just redirect the URL to a blog started last year by the same name; Tenkara Life.  The author probably doesn't even know I do it, I just figure it's good karma.

Anyway, the real reason for this post is if you've ever considered this, there are coupon codes for GoDaddy right now that are pretty attractive, and have nothing to do with Danica Patrick.  The first (the one I used) was 50% off the domain and free Private registration in one code.  So you basically get your fancy new URL, and your personal information hidden from the masses for $5.

If that doesn't get you to take the fly, there's another code too for 70% off the domain only, which is a good deal if you're not so concerned with the private registration.

Oh, and let me make it clear I'm not getting compensated or anything for blogging these coupon codes, just thought it might be a good opportunity if anyone out there wants to do some domain prospecting themselves, or simply change their blog URL from a blogname.blogspot.com or blogname.wordpress.com or whatever to a legit address...

All this also got me to thinking...
Are there any other domain prospectors out there?  
Anybody else own some URLs that they just don't really do anything with?  
If so, do you feel a little bit dirty about it, like me?  
Feel free to comment below....

(I don't expect a big response to this, but figured I'd ask...)


  1. Yup, I've got about a dozen. Same reasons as your Tenkara inventory.

  2. I don't. But I've always thought of doing it when I get a good idea. And then I don't follow through.

  3. Hmmm... I do have one. Thank Owl Jones for that. He jokingly called me Qieen Of The River Sprites... Now really, what am I going to do with that? And somehow I have two followers. LOL.

  4. Wasn't this a business at one time? People getting domain names hoping someone would want it bad enough to pay them for it. The show The League mad a joke about it. One of the characters had the domain name Cowboys.com. Jerry Jones wanted to buy it.

    1. I think once upon a time that might of been the case, but absent of any new word entering the public lexicon, we're probably out of luck there. I just buy them so I don't kick myself later and say, "damn, I should have done that." That said, the League is a funny show, I have the first season on DVD.

    2. I totally agree about The League. Great characters.

  5. It can be profitable. I've heard enough stories about start ups wanting a specific name and having to shell out to get it. Chances are though, it's alot like the lottery. Only a few will ever win.

    Now, tenkaralife.com - I think you could do something with that. Buy me another tenkara rod and I'll run that one for you. :) Of course, I don't want a tenkara rod and I don't have time either - you know, nevermind on that. :)

    To add to your list though ( sorry ) did you check and see if "jaxflyfishing.com " was taken. They use that (Jax) alot down there to abbreviate Jacksonville and for liquor stores ( which, you'll probably notice are NOT owned by the government in FL. )

    Maybe you can start the first every trout club in Jax. FL ? Don't laugh - I bet there are plenty of people who head to the Smokies each year to get their own trout fix. :)

    1. Yeah, I checked into jaxflyfishing first...somebody else is sitting on it... The trout club thing might not be a bad idea, I bet you're right.

  6. I do not own any domain names myself, but I wanted to buy shotgunsandfishingpoles.com not too long ago for my own web site, but some body else already had it and was sitting on it. I was a little frustrated that somebody is sitting on my name and I have to pay out the wazoo to find out who owns it and then I still have to get it from them. Snoozing always results in losing.

  7. I'm legit. How about this, there is even a markkautz.com and I don't own it. The publisher does, for now.

  8. Should have invested time mining bitcoin instead ;-) Now that is true internet prospecting....