I have not forgotten you all.  I have been checking the pre-release lists as I normally do each day and there has not been anything worth reporting.  Today is no exception.  Hang in there.  It can get good again in a hurry.

It’s a new month. Time to take a fresh look at your domain portfolios.

• Do you have any domain names you need to be developing?
• Do you have some domain names you need to sell or let drop off your list?
• What domains are up for renewal?
• Where do you want to take your domain business by the end of the year?
• Is there anything you should consider that will help capture the opportunities around the holidays?
• What can you do to get a jump start on next year?

These are questions we should be asking ourselves periodically and obviously there are others that didn’t make the list. If you want to make serious money and be taken seriously, then you have to take this stuff seriously.

Have a great Monday! The pre-release list for today is coming soon.

IMPORTANT!

There is currently a phishing scam going around where people are trying to steal your domain names from you by sending you the email below.

Dear Network Solutions Customer,

We recently notified you that the registration period for your Network Solutions domain name had expired. As a benefit of having previously registered a domain name(s) with Network Solutions, you are eligible to receive a percentage of the net proceeds that were generated from the renewal and transfer of the domain name you chose not to renew. Since you have chosen not to renew the domain name listed below during the applicable grace period, we were successful in securing a backorder for this domain name on your behalf and it has been transferred to another party in accordance with the Service Agreement.

Renew your domain now – http://www.networksolutions.com

You must click on the following link, enter your domain name, and confirm your contact information in order to claim these funds. If your contact information is not correct, you must enter Account Manager and make the appropriate changes prior to clicking “submit” from the confirmation screen. If you do not do this, you will be confirming inaccurate information and will not receive any payment. Checks will only be made payable and mailed to the Account Holder of record.

Sincerely,

Network Solutions® Customer Support

Be careful and always be skeptical of this type of information. You can tell it is fake by looking at the true domain name on the link (http://www.networksolutions.com.sys42.mobi/). Remember the true domain is the last word before the final extension. In this case the domain is sys42.mobi and not networksolutions.com.

Careful everyone!

Posting may be sporadic in the next few days.  I am speaking on social media at a conference in Ft. Lauderdale and will be out-of-pocket until Friday evening.  Have a great week!

I just found a gem of a domain that was sitting unregistered. I couldn’t believe it. All the other substantial CityCash.com names are gone, with the exception of KansasCityCash.com. That’s great for a couple reasons. First, I live in Kansas City so I am kind of fond of the place. Second, it is a great name. Who says there aren’t still valuable names that haven’t been registered? You just have to do a little looking.

Looking for some funny domain names. Look no further. Click on the link in the first sentence to take a look at some legitimate contenders.

What does this teach us? First, people can generally find a sexual reference in anything. Two, run your domain ideas through your kid joke filter before you buy them.

Have a great Friday!

Have you ever wondered what you can do to come up with a new domain name that will be both available and popular? Below you will find 14 websites that help you track all kinds of online buzz.

These are the happy hunting grounds of a good domainer.

• Alexa Web Search – Movers and Shakers
• Alexa Web Search – Top 500
• Digg – Popular
• Books – Best-Seller Lists – New York Times
• eBay – Seller Central – What’s Hot
• Google Press Center Zeitgeist
• Google Trends
• Hot Searches – AOL
• Lycos 50
• MSN Search Insider
• New York Times Most Popular Articles – The New York Times
• Nielsen Media Research
• What People Search For – Most Popular Keywords – Search Engine Watch
• Yahoo! Buzz Index – Buzz Log

There is a domain auction happening at SES San Jose and I will be there. I was at the live auction in Chicago at the GeoDomain Expo and I got hooked. I just happen to be attending SES because I’m an SEO and low and behold, a live Moniker auction. Count me in!

If you are looking for me, I will be the short guy with a baseball cap pulled down low, chrome sunglasses, and a cell phone up to my ear (I will need a direct connection with my investment banker). Just kidding. Maybe.

July is coming to a close and I can tell you that is has been a busy and productive month.  As I mentioned in my last post, I was at the GeoDomain Expo in Chicago a couple weeks ago.  It was a great conference.  It definitely got my wheels turning.  I even picked up a name in the live auction (AnnetteIsland.com).  Yep, it’s not an island many of you may have heard of, but it’s mine now.    It’s in Alaska for those of you who are wondering.  It is one of my next development projects.

As I mentioned over at my Kansas City SEO blog, I am gearing up to go to SES San Jose next month.  It should be a good time.  There is always a good deal of information to take away from the conference every year.  This year should be no exception.

I am on my way to Sturgis again this year.  I bought HogShirts.com last year to sell Harley shirts.  I sat on the name last year, but I have started to bring the site to life here lately.  It is not much for parking, but it should be one heck of a site once it is developed.  I will be looking for partnerships while in Sturgis over the next week.

I continue to buy domain names and just bought one a couple weeks ago that has already paid its rent for the year.  There are still good domains out there, you just have to look for them.  It helps that Google is exposing some more data now-a-days.

Lastly, I have been reading Elliot’s Blog lately and have really enjoyed the reading.  I had read his blog in the past, but only when mentioned or cited by another domainer.  After having heard Elliot speak at the GeoDomain Expo he reminds me quite a bit of myself.  Anyone who is looking for a good blog with an author who tends to share good information, then you would do well to read Elliot’s blog.

Wanted to take a minute and say a quick hello. I am currently at the Geo Domain Expo conference in Chicago and am really enjoying it. It has been very interesting listening to all the folks talk about their geo domains and the success they have achieved. I’m jealous for sure. I’m going to see if I can sneak one for myself at the live auction tomorrow night. If any of you are here, please don’t bid against me. I’m the devilishly handsome dude with an obvious glint in my eye. I want one of those names.

I have one more thing to mention. I am developing an eCommerce website to sell Harley t-shirts online. I hope to make this a good example of what can be done with a good domain name if it is developed into a full-blown website. This name has been parked for a year and it is all my fault. I am trying to make up for my laziness and build this thing out. I want a hog shirt on the back of every biker in America.

Well that’s it for now. Catch you all later!