Web Technology Explained

SHORT ANSWER: An expired domain is a domain name that was once registered to an individual or a company whose registration has expired.

LONG ANSWER: Domain names get “registered” to either you personally or to a company – you decide which way to go. After you’ve registered your domain name, either to yourself or to your company, you own it for a year. Once your domain is registered, each year you get to renew that registration. Domain name renewal costs anywhere from $5 to $15, depending on which domain name registrar you use.

Most domain name registrars give you the option of a multi-year renewal, which saves a few dollars and the headache of renewing every year. Multi-year renewals are a good idea if you have a domain name you are pretty certain you will want for the foreseeable future.

Even if you decide to let go of the website attached to the name, you can always use it for PPC and affiliate ads like the big guys do!

An expired domain name is one with an expired registration – no one can claim ownership. If you don’t renew your domain names at the end of each year, they become available for purchase on the open market.

Who would let a good domain name expire?

• Perhaps it wasn’t such a good domain name after all!
• Absentminded website owners who simply neglected to renew their domain names;
• Webmasters who got tied up in other ventures or interests;
• Webmasters who discontinued a site due to time constraints;
• Webmasters who ran out of money to continue to operate.

Your domain name registrar should send you several renewal notices prior to the name expiring so you don’t miss renewing a domain name you want. Make sure the email address on file with your domain name registrar is working so you don’t miss a renewal!

Now, when a domain name expires, registrars take over the name for 3-6 months afterwards before putting it on the market again. They do this so they can make money on any traffic you may still have finding its way to the name. The page will be filled with PPC ads, all profits going to the registrar. Smart!

Here’s the rub: if you decide you want the name back after it’s expired and the registrar has assumed control of it, the registrar will charge you anywhere from $50 to $150 (those are the prices I’ve seen) to pull that domain name out of limbo and reinstate it to you! (This is a good indication of how much even a domain that didn’t get much traffic is worth!)

The lesson here is, if there is any chance you can use that domain name, make sure your email address is good so you don’t miss your renewal!

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.