"Myth of Domain Type-In Traffic" ?

[uretopia]

Just read this interesting article by Richard Kershaw about type in traffic.
The Dangerous Myth of Domain Type-In Traffic

Worth a look.

 

[rob]

Just replied in the comments bit as its wrong due to crap data from Sedo

Its a good article, however I think the data its based on is incorrect (Sedo’s cock up not yours) and therefore its flawed.

From SEDO:

The “Hits” indicate the average number of times per day the domain’s parking page was viewed through direct browser type in, from an old external link, or from a search engine query.

I dont think that list is accurate, as a basic search for traffic (which is browser type in, old external link, or serps) in a few default settings gives :
robbscelebs.co.uk Make Offer – 19,035
uksingleschart.co.uk Make Offer – 5,312
corphq.co.uk Make Offer – 2,833
techstickle.co.uk Make Offer – 2,159

etc etc , all which ought to be on the ‘high traffic’ section but are not. I realise this is comparing a monthly traffic v daily traffic stats but even the crap names above would still show

Switching my search to .com:

er.com Make Offer 2 27,700

That would be in the top two / three at least. I am sure if I drilled down deeper there are much higher trafficed names on there as well.

All data sourced from Sedo – so something is not right somewhere, and my guess would be with the Sedo ‘traffic list’ as quoted.

As for type in traffic, I have a good generic that gets me an extra half million ‘free’ visitors purely from typein traffic, cost in PPC terms would be many thousands of pounds

I do agree that parking rev is a meaningless metric, but that is because people should not be basing a generic purchase on that alone as a decent domain name has a much wider ‘power’.

 

[Edwin]

Yes, agree entirely with your points, Rob.

It is also true that a domain name with e.g. 20,000 monthly typeins might only bring in $200 in parking revenues - but to BUY that same 20,000 visitors via Adwords (bidding in the auction with all the other advertisers) might cost 5x, 10x, or many more times that amount. In other word, the parking revenue has no relationship to the VALUE of the traffic if you were an end-user who was otherwise going to have to procure it via other sources.

So a sale at a 20x annual parking revenue valuation for instance might still represent a 50%+ annual ROI for a buyer able to point that traffic directly at an on-target site.

 

[armistice]

The high traffic list on sedo isn't an open list. Its only generated from domains which they have decided to include in their 'top domains' lists.

Until I sold it earlier this year, I had a .co.uk domain which averaged 2.5k unique s per day parked at sedo, did it show up on this list? (did it chuff!)

 

[dougs]

high type in domains

So any people got any high type in travel domains they wish to sell

PM me

Doug

 

[julian]

Why do we have to play this silly game about type-in traffic, I thought that was behind us now as it was a fad of 2007? I think the type-in think is a over-hyped load of shite, with the exception of exceptional prod generics - maybe yer sex/co/uk etc, and I bet that gets naff all in grand scheme of serp traffic.

Someone please prove me wrong and list a medium value .uk domain that has 'real'type-in traffic... a domain where 250+ people a day are really typing it into the address bar - not via serps..

 

[rob]

What's medium value to you? I refer you to the previous thread with mid xxxx asking on a LLL via acorn

edit: Can you give examples of the 'silly game'? I commented on the post as the data was not accurate, likewise edwin/me quotes real stats. No games being played there.

 

[websaway]

one type in

Type in traffic is relative. Take EngineeringCompany.co.uk one type in from a big player /customer in africa asia or midle east could result in a multi million pound order, it puts you above the rest with little effort.

 

[julian]

my overpriced lll has got nothing to do with this point

What i am saying is the domain industry as whole is playing silly game, (especially yanks) who have had obsession with type-in traffic on domains. I want someone to show me a .co.uk domain that is not some premium generic that gets a decent amount of type-in traffic.


Further to that I feel there is a lot hype about the whole type-in thing, of course if your domain out of 100 uv per day gets 10 type-ins thats 300 'free' visitors per month which is great, but if via serps its geting the other 90 is the type-in thing overhyped? - I am simply saying that it would be nice if someone could demonstate to me a reg fee domain that gets say a real 50 type-ins a day, to show me that such domains exists outside the bounds of greatness..

What's medium value to you? I refer you to the previous thread with mid xxxx asking on a LLL via acorn

edit: Can you give examples of the 'silly game'? I commented on the post as the data was not accurate, likewise edwin/me quotes real stats. No games being played there.

 

[websaway]

Forgive my ignorance, what's a reg fee domain ?

 

[mojoco]

my overpriced lll has got nothing to do with this point

What i am saying is the domain industry as whole is playing silly game, (especially yanks) who have had obsession with type-in traffic on domains. I want someone to show me a .co.uk domain that is not some premium generic that gets a decent amount of type-in traffic.


Further to that I feel there is a lot hype about the whole type-in thing, of course if your domain out of 100 uv per day gets 10 type-ins thats 300 'free' visitors per month which is great, but if via serps its geting the other 90 is the type-in thing overhyped? - I am simply saying that it would be nice if someone could demonstate to me a reg fee domain that gets say a real 50 type-ins a day, to show me that such domains exists outside the bounds of greatness..

julian,

i have names that have that get in excess of 100 typeins per day. names that have only ever been parked that get zero benefit from serp traffic. nothing silly about it at all.

 

[julian]

thats great, im not saying it silly at all, i'm just trying to find examples - can you share some domains with us so we can see what users like to type-in?

julian,

i have names that have that get in excess of 100 typeins per day. names that have only ever been parked that get zero benefit from serp traffic. nothing silly about it at all.

 

[mojoco]

thats great, im not saying it silly at all, i'm just trying to find examples - can you share some domains with us so we can see what users like to type-in?

i'll pm you

 

[Edwin]

Maps/co/uk gets up to 500 typeins per day, depending on the day. (NOTE: It has done for YEARS, nothing to do with the site I finally put on it about 2 weeks ago).

 

[julian]

hi Edwin, but thats exactly the premium example I didn't want - im interested in some hope for new trends/ideas for type-in domains..

Maps/co/uk gets up to 500 typeins per day, depending on the day. (NOTE: It has done for YEARS, nothing to do with the site I finally put on it about 2 weeks ago).

 

[rob]

Maps/co/uk gets up to 500 typeins per day, depending on the day. (NOTE: It has done for YEARS, nothing to do with the site I finally put on it about 2 weeks ago).

I know that jules wanted non-premium examples, but going by google estimated average cpc @ £1.77 .... even at a 'low' prediction thats a six figure 'worth' of traffic per year.

edit I am having a related convo with julian on skype, and wanted to add "its real figures, needs to be taken with a pinch of salt as all networks are different. But even at a quid / 50p ... whatever... it has value and scale it and its decent figures

 

[Edwin]

I know that jules wanted non-premium examples, but going by google estimated average cpc @ £1.77 .... even at a 'low' prediction thats a six figure 'worth' of traffic per year.

If I play my cards right, it's my early retirement domain Mind you, you've got a similar one on the shelf of your own!

 

[MattUK]

As an earlier poster said, unless a domain is a fantastic one word generic any type in traffic WILL be just a handful.

People generally don't use the address bar these days, they're programmed to use search boxes and bars, even when looking for a specific URL.

Do you know what the most searched for keyword was on live.com?

- Google.com

 

[julian]

so really the conclusion is that most of are shagged, left grovelling around picking up the scraps.. unless anyone knows where i can hire a time machine

 

[retired_member12]

Thing is though, if you're willing to put the effort is, then there's no reason why you can't make a modest income from any name capable of being a search term. I know of one guy who has a modest portfolio (i think he said about 300 or so last time we spoke) of not spectacular names, but with most of them mini'd or affiliated, he assured me it was averaging about £1800 per month.
It's hard to know whether that's good, bad or bullshit, but no reason not to believe him.
Be interesting to know just what is an average monthly income from a decent portfolio of names though, something to aim for!