Buying Info Domains - Are They Worth It?

I like the Info domain name extension. Why? Because it is descriptive. Anyone viewing a domain with info on the end will expect to see just that, information about whatever subject is indicated by the overall domain name.

As I write you can register an Info domain for less than $4 per year and many single generic words remain unclaimed. Just $4 for a single genric word domain? Cheap or what?

So why isn't this domain extension as valuable as the more popular com, net and org extensions? Well firstly the Info extension was later on the scene, so, with millions now tied up in the more popular domain extensions, it probably serves a purpose for some influential people to talk this domain extension down. Secondly, it is true that buying a lesser favoured domain extension will cost you so called 'type in traffic'. That is where a surfer guesses or assumes a domain name and types it directly in to their browser. Inevitably most typed in traffic goes to the com or, to a lesser extent, some top level country code domains (e.g. co.uk). But this concern seems to be most loudly expressed by the people seeking your clicks on adverts more than those trying to build content rich, informative and genuinely useful websites.

So, in my view, if you plan to develop an info domain with unique, well written content for indexing by search engines that will also attract inbound links, then there is no stopping your site from getting to page one of the Google search returns for your related keywords. If you get your website to that position then you probably wont worry too much about losing some typed in traffic!

Hands up! Yes I have put my money where my mouth is and purchased a few Info domains. I've tried to acquire domains that sit well with the idea of providing information. For example I now own the info domain Shows In London. Once developed better I can envisage this domain being found by many searches. In fact, while it has now been indexed by Google, even without a page rank the domain is being found many times a day and clicks made on the resources available.

Using the same thinking I have also purchased UK Golf Course. Again the immediate impression is the domain will provide information about UK Golf Courses.

The Info domain extension also works well with place names (e.g. The Falkland Islands), products and services (e.g. Polar Travel), organisations (Houses Of Parliament) and social or personal events (Mortgage Declined or New DVD).

In my view the Internet is stil very new and investing in well named "cyber real estate" still has a great deal of potential. With the chances of acquiring a really good dot com domain almost nil now, I will continue to speculate with the info extension. At less than $4 per year it's hardly a major risk compared to the potential rewards given time and development.