Popular Premium Generic Websites

[markb]

Hi All,

Im interested in finding some good examples of really good premium generic domain names which have been turned in to successful and very popular websites. By popular, I mean websites that rival or are more popular than the best websites in their niche.

One domain that I have found is jobs (.co.uk), but this isnt anywhere near as popular as the best uk job websites. Another would be home (.co.uk) for property for sale, but obviously is nowhere near as popular as rightmove.

Im just interested in seeing what can be done with a premium generic domain over a brandable domain.

Ive noticed many of the best generic domain names out there, usually either just have a landing page with a few links, or have been bought by large companies and just re-directed to their companies website.

Thanks
Mark

 

[bensd]

I think Edwin did a study on this once

 

[markb]

I think Edwin did a study on this once

Has anyone got a link to his write up? Id be interested in having read.

 

[ScottJ]

www.condoms.co.uk

 

[wb]

Interested in knowing some more examples of these too

www.divorce.co.uk

 

[edo]

I wouldn't mind owning Candy.com.

 

[markb]

Just remembered holiday-rentals.co.uk , which is a very popular website, they even have the holidayrentals.co.uk domain redirected to the hypenated one.

 

[domainseller200]

Enjoy your feast

http://www.memorabledomains.co.uk/companies-that-get-it.html

 

[BREWSTERS]

Not a commercial site, but was pleasantly suprised to find blood.co.uk when looking for where I can donate.

 

[wb]

Not sure if this is what markb meant too, but it would be nice to see a list of top ranking websites based around premium domains which beat the competition (rather than companies who own domains and mostly use them as redirects).

 

[richrf]

Hi,

I think this is a great question. One that I have been analyzing for a while. Candy.com is definitely one that immediately comes to mind. Toys.com is another one. I am not sure how well Clothes.com is doing. Diamond.com and Dating.com are two others.

I think there is more success if the name is truly one that can be branded as opposed to just some name that is simply generic. For example, Overstock is trying to brand O.co right now. I think O.com is very good for branding but O.co seems a bit of a stretch.

Fund.com seems difficult to brand thought Funds.com might be much easier. So the nature of the generic names is very important. Is it a name that someone would truly use to brand a company or service?

Hope this helps,

Rich

 

[domainseller200]

Not sure if this is what markb meant too, but it would be nice to see a list of top ranking websites based around premium domains which beat the competition (rather than companies who own domains and mostly use them as redirects).

In that case

underwear.co.uk
carfinance.co.uk
mortgages.co.uk
diets.co.uk
cheapholidays.com

 

[markb]

With good generic domain names becoming harder to get hold off (most people seem to have bought them for long term investments and arent willing to part with them unless they are offered hundreds of thousands), many new startups are using unusual names like zoopla, zoosk, moonpig, bing, yahoo etc.... which can be registered for free. The advantage is that they are unique and brandable although it takes a lot of effort and money on advertising.

It would be nice to see some old fashioned generic names which outrank their brandable competitors.

 

[domainseller200]

gadgets.co.uk is another

 

[mally]

www.magazinesubscription.co.uk is my perfect example

 

[Frog]

Enjoy your feast

http://www.memorabledomains.co.uk/companies-that-get-it.html

I don't think companies who buy domains purely to forward to their brandable domains tell you much about them understanding the concept of exact match domains... if the domain breakfast.co.uk is so brilliant why aren't kellogs doing something with it other than redirecting it to their main site? Same with gas.co.uk...

The rest of the list seems made up a bunch of crappy companies who's only chance to rank is to buy an exact match domain. Nothing wrong with that as such (I regularly do it myself) but it doesn't really make me think "wow those domains are brilliant" it just makes me think "those shitty sites didn't have a chance in hell of ranking otherwise"

 

[wb]

(most people seem to have bought them for long term investments and arent willing to part with them unless they are offered hundreds of thousands)

That's reminded me about a thread I was going to post, done it now

 

[markb]

I don't think companies who buy domains purely to forward to their brandable domains tell you much about them understanding the concept of exact match domains... if the domain breakfast.co.uk is so brilliant why aren't kellogs doing something with it other than redirecting it to their main site? Same with gas.co.uk...

The rest of the list seems made up a bunch of crappy companies who's only chance to rank is to buy an exact match domain. Nothing wrong with that as such (I regularly do it myself) but it doesn't really make me think "wow those domains are brilliant" it just makes me think "those shitty sites didn't have a chance in hell of ranking otherwise"

I think its a shame when you see really good generic domains bought by large companies only to be redirected to their own websites. It seems like a total waste of such a good domain. All they are going to benefit from is just a few direct type ins each day. Pets.co.uk (Mars Pet Food) and house.co.uk (British Gas again) are 2 prime examples. What a waste.

 

[Frog]

I think its a shame when you see really good generic domains bought by large companies only to be redirected to their own websites. It seems like a total waste of such a good domain. All they are going to benefit from is just a few direct type ins each day. Pets.co.uk (Mars Pet Food) and house.co.uk (British Gas again) are 2 prime examples. What a waste.

Maybe a lot of those buys are defensive seo plays. Not a brilliant example with British Gas I know, but their own site ranks 1st for "gas". If you gave me gas.co.uk I bet I could outrank them within a year, but without that domain I would bet I can't

I know British Gas probably don't care, but it might be the reason some companies buy 1-2 word commercial domains and don't use them. I've no idea if they still have it but when I was in the football niche JD Sports had footballshirts.co.uk and it never even resolved !

 

[doodlebug]

paper.co.uk

An excellent example is domains.co.uk, Mr jacksons I believe