How can we combat domain name hijacking?

24 replies
I'm really getting tired of registrars and other companies hijacking domain names for the sole purpose of trying to sell them as premium domain names for thousands of dollars. I've seen some really long-tail keywords going for thousands. Many of these keywords have heavy competition and are almost impossible to rank for. Anyone who buys a premium domain without doing competition analysis can get screwed real easily.

What irritates me the most is how they hijack domain names that never sell or materialize into an actual website. It seems to be getting harder and harder to find a good long-tail keyword as a domain name these days. I have more success with sites I create containing the keyword in the domain, but since it seems to be getting almost impossible to find one, I would like to know what some of you are doing to circumvent this problem.

I'm not a big fan of using dashes in domain names since I've had little success with them. I also know you can use stop words, but not sure how affective that would be. There is also adding words before or after the keyword, like "buy + keyword", or "keyword + reviews", etc.

What can we do as marketers targeting keyword rich domain names when most good ones are being hijacked? I wouldn't doubt it for a minute that some of these companies employ software to scrape these keywords, check search volume and auto register them.
#combat #domain #hijacking
  • Profile picture of the author Johnny Slater
    The biggest thing you can do is stop using any registrar that spies on your domain name searches while you are trying to find names to purchase. Not all of them do that and if people stopped using the ones who are guilty of this then they would eventually get the message.
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    • Profile picture of the author FreshMedia
      Originally Posted by Johnny Slater View Post

      The biggest thing you can do is stop using any registrar that spies on your domain name searches while you are trying to find names to purchase. Not all of them do that and if people stopped using the ones who are guilty of this then they would eventually get the message.
      How can we determine which registrars are doing this? I've been using the same one for years with no problems, but lately it's been getting a lot worse.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
      It's really easy. If you find a domain name you like and it's available, register it. I don't know of any registrar that registers a domain name right from under you as you're trying to register it. And, if there are any that do, don't use them.

      If you find an available domain, and you put off registering it, it's your own fault for missing out.

      And, it's not hijacking if they are paying to register the domain names.

      There was a practice of "domain tasting" whereby domains could be registered but returned free of charge within 5 days. ICANN made changes that largely reduced this practice.
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      • Profile picture of the author FreshMedia
        Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert View Post

        It's really easy. If you find a domain name you like and it's available, register it. I don't know of any registrar that registers a domain name right from under you as you're trying to register it. And, if there are any that do, don't use them.

        If you find an available domain, and you put off registering it, it's your own fault for missing out.

        And, it's not hijacking if they are paying to register the domain names.

        There was a practice of "domain tasting" whereby domains could be registered but returned free of charge within 5 days. ICANN made changes that largely reduced this practice.
        I understand this, and always make sure to register a good domain name I find immediately, but what about those keyword rich domain names they already hold for a premium. I actually found about 5 today while doing some research they had on sale as a premium domain name. The only one available was the .info extension.

        I find it very suspicious that so many domain names with good search volume are being hijacked like this. I think they have some little Elfs in the back room searching for these keywords all day long. I could understand 2 word domain names, but domain names with 3, 4 or 5 words, you know something is up.

        I do some serious keyword research and dig really deep into various niches for long tail keywords. It blows my mind to see some of the keyword domain names being offered for $1,500 or more.
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        • Profile picture of the author ArticlePrince
          Originally Posted by FreshMedia View Post

          I understand this, and always make sure to register a good domain name I find immediately, but what about those keyword rich domain names they already hold for a premium. I actually found about 5 today while doing some research they had on sale as a premium domain name. The only one available was the .info extension.

          I find it very suspicious that so many domain names with good search volume are being hijacked like this. I think they have some little Elfs in the back room searching for these keywords all day long. I could understand 2 word domain names, but domain names with 3, 4 or 5 words, you know something is up.

          I do some serious keyword research and dig really deep into various niches for long tail keywords. It blows my mind to see some of the keyword domain names being offered for $1,500 or more.
          I just started reselling domains last month and have only done 10, but I sold a local long tail for $1500. Why is that fair? It's absurdly easy to rank for and the added traffic will allow the site to pay for itself the first month. Just because it isn't worth $1500 to you doesn't mean that it isn't to someone else; it just might not make sense for your business plan.

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          • Profile picture of the author Michael Shook
            It may be irksome, but it is also a big time waster to worry about it, Just pick another one and get going. EMD's are nice to have, but you can certainly build a website without one.
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        • Profile picture of the author ilgust
          Originally Posted by FreshMedia View Post

          I think they have some little Elfs in the back room searching for these keywords all day long. I could understand 2 word domain names, but domain names with 3, 4 or 5 words, you know something is up.
          Eh, I still don't think they can take up ALL good keywords Who would take "kindle" 5 years ago? Now it is 673000 monthly searches
          You never know what keyword becomes GOLD and when
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    • Profile picture of the author Manuelcrc
      Originally Posted by Johnny Slater View Post

      The biggest thing you can do is stop using any registrar that spies on your domain name searches while you are trying to find names to purchase. Not all of them do that and if people stopped using the ones who are guilty of this then they would eventually get the message.
      when I registered my domain name, I was very scared of losing it because it took me months to come up with the name. I really don't know what can be done but if we can make enough noise, someone will take notice.
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  • Profile picture of the author markowe
    Just like we are diligently working away, creating microniches like there's no tomorrow, they are also trying to capitalise on the same phenomenon. But something does really grate about domains being squatted like that - a domain is meant to be used for a site at the end of the day.
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonmorgan
    I still think this is an exaggerated urban legend.
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  • Profile picture of the author davezan
    Originally Posted by FreshMedia View Post

    I'm really getting tired of registrars and other companies hijacking domain names for the sole purpose of trying to sell them as premium domain names for thousands of dollars.
    Last I checked, domain hijacking has been typically referred to someone who
    steals somebody else's paid domain registration without their say-so. Though
    I somewhat understand the feeling, how could they have so-called hijacked
    something another never owned to begin with?
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    David

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  • Profile picture of the author JonWebContent
    I have never had a problem with this when seeking domain names. Does anyone have a link showing any proof that domain hijacking exists or can show me a specific domain name that you claim was "hijacked"?
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  • Profile picture of the author txconx
    I think the OP is confusing terms. What is being described is not actual hijacking.

    FreshMedia, how do you know the registrar is the one that owns the names you're looking at? There are a lot of domain name investors and they look for exactly the type of names you describe - and sell them for the type of prices you describe. That's the name of the game.
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    • Profile picture of the author Devid Farah
      I do not know of any domain registrar that does as you say.

      That said I have come across hijacked sites, including an affiliate marketing forum that grew to 600 members and was taking several thousands hits per day.

      Then BANG they logged in to find it was no longer theirs!

      The registrar wasn’t locked, someone had instigated a change illegally, and it was then it up to the real owners to go to court to get it back.

      Then to add insult to injury it was offered back to the original owners 5 years later for $20,000 by a third party.

      So ensure any domain you register is always “Locked”.
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  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Elliott
    Locked domains, good tip I am checking this now! *******s!
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  • Profile picture of the author AFI
    I have really only heard of GoDaddy doing this. Name Cheap has a feature to clear your history of what names you've searched for.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      I find it very suspicious that so many domain names with good search volume are being hijacked like this. I think they have some little Elfs in the back room searching for these keywords all day long. I could understand 2 word domain names, but domain names with 3, 4 or 5 words, you know something is up.
      Why do you use the term "hijacked'? I don't get it. Have you checked to see who the domain is registered to and when it was registered>.

      Sounds to me like your numbers of "traffic" may be off or you may have found some domains that were parked and promoted while parked which would provide traffic.

      Why do you call them "hijacked" rather than "already registered by someone"?

      kay
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      • Profile picture of the author sylviad
        Kay,

        I think he means 'kidnapped'

        since they're being held for 'ransom'.

        Sylvia
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        • Profile picture of the author Kay King
          Silly me, I thought of them as "registered" and "for sale":p
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          Please do not 'release balloons' for celebrations. The balloons and trailing ribbons entangle birds and kill wildlife and livestock that think the balloons are food.
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          • Profile picture of the author sylviad
            Yes but the OP seems to think something illegal is going on here and the only thing that covers it is kidnapping and asking a ransom. Otherwise referred to as registering and selling a domain.

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  • Profile picture of the author sylviad
    Buying and selling quality domain names for profit is a business, just like any other. They have a right to do that, as long as they don't "steal" the site from under someone's nose: hijacking.

    What you describe is not hijacking. It's a business model.

    The only thing I would suggest, though, is that if you ever do find a domain you like, buy all versions to prevent others from grabbing them and becoming your direct competitors. As you've seen, the domain doesn't have to be live to be protected. Although, if I'm not mistaken, you have to start using a domain within a certain period of time or you will lose it. I could be wrong, but that rings a bell with me.

    Otherwise, just find another quality keyword. New ones are popping up all the time. In fact, I just came across a keyword tool that takes your keyword and mixes it up in different variations. The end result is that you get a keyword that Google doesn't even know about yet. Apparently, according to that site, millions of new keywords are being used every day. With this tool, you can get ahead of the game, find good domain keywords before anyone even knows they are going to become popular.

    Sylvia
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    • Profile picture of the author davezan
      Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

      Although, if I'm not mistaken, you have to start using a domain within a certain period of time or you will lose it. I could be wrong, but that rings a bell with me.
      Don't fret. For .com domains, unless expressly stated in your registrar's legal
      agreements, you don't really have to do anything to it until it's expired or if it
      is (knock on wood) legally or administratively challenged by another party.

      Understandably, some folks object to other parties' "holding" domains without
      seemingly doing anything to them. That's like telling someone who possesses
      a piece of undeveloped land to do something with it...or else.
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      David

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  • Profile picture of the author Brukhar
    Trademark your domain name (if you have one), then sue whoever registered it. It's what Amazon does.
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  • Profile picture of the author Brukhar
    Parking lots of domains is annoying, but only when you're the one trying to get ahold of that domain lol and someone has it parked
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