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• Network Solutions “Stealing” Domain Names
  As of some time last month, it appears the domain registrar Network Solutions is automatically registering all available '.com' domain names searched for through their website but not purchased. They claim it is to protect from 'domain frontrunning' but actually looks like a blatant case of domain frontrunning by themselves. If you are unfamiliar with the [...] Tags: Search Engine Optimisation
  
  

  As of some time last month, it appears the domain registrar Network Solutions is automatically registering all available ‘.com’ domain names searched for through their website but not purchased. They claim it is to protect from ‘domain frontrunning’ but actually looks like a blatant case of domain frontrunning by themselves.

  If you are unfamiliar with the processes involved in registering a domain name, here is a simplified version of what happens:

  • Check to see if your preferred domain name is available through a ‘whois’ search
  • If it’s available it can be registered through a registrar (such as 123-reg, or network solutions - prices vary between different providers)
  • If you decide to register your chosen domain name, you simply need to pay for it through the registrar and the domain name is yours, usually for 1 year.

  Now what Network Solutions are doing is grabbing the search at the first stage, and automatically holding it for a default 5 day grace period, in which time the domain will show as unavailable through any registrar apart from Network Solutions.

  They claim this is to stop the practice of ‘domain frontrunning’ - where some unethical types get hold of potential domain names people have searched for and then registering them, forcing the person who made the search to buy the domain from them at a usually extortionate rate if they really want it. However, Network Solution’s process of temporarily registering these domain names similarly forces users to buy the domain from them at their inflated prices - a very similar situation.

  The reason I say they are forced to buy the domain is that once the domain is initially held, it is automatically added to the world DNS list, alerting all domain frontrunners of its existence.

  There has been a fair bit of coverage of this on various blogs and forums, and their collective voice is getting louder. In the last 24 hours Network Solutions have announced they will now only hold domains searched from their homepage, and those held will only display an ‘under construction’ message instead of their previous message announcing this domain was available to register to anyone.

  However this still hasn’t gone down all too well, as there is no official notification of this set up on the Network Solutions website causing a lot of confusion for your average web user wanting simply wanting to find out if the nifty little domain name they thought of was available.

  Personally, I won’t be using Network Solutions for my domain lookups from now on. This way I can be sure they won’t be grabbing any potentially lucrative domain names from me. The problem is if Network Solutions go ahead and carry this through to a permanent move, how long will it be until other registrars follow suit?

  As mentioned, there is a growing negative backlash to this whole situation, so hopefully Network Solutions realise the error of their ways and revert to their normal service, sooner rather than later.

  Rik
  SEO Programmer

  Tags: Search Engine Optimisation
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• Can you always get a positive ROI from PPC?
  If this question is posed to a SEM agency by a client the answer will almost always be a resounding "Yes, of course we can". No one is going to willfully turn away revenue or give the impression that they cannot make money for the client. But in some instances, it can almost [...] Tags: Pay Per Click
  
  

  If this question is posed to a SEM agency by a client the answer will almost always be a resounding “Yes, of course we can”. No one is going to willfully turn away revenue or give the impression that they cannot make money for the client. But in some instances, it can almost be said that it is impossible to make a positive ROI from PPC, principally Google Adwords.

  Why is this so? Well take for example finance, in particular, financial affiliate websites - and there are plenty of them. In recent years there has been a comparison site frenzy, especially in the area finance. This is because the leads generated are lucrative, and fairly easy to collect, simple metrics such as name and email address will suffice. The increasing number of advertisers has lead to the cost per click of financial keyterms to rocket to over and above £5.00. For example the keyword “0 Credit card” is one of the best keywords for a credit card comparison site as most users will be looking for a zero interest introductory rate. Currently according to Google keyword tool, this word has a CPC of £7.69. Given that affiliates only get paid between £10 and £30 for a successful application, they would have to convert 50% of the traffic to their site. This of course is very, very unlikely to occur, rendering adwords expensive and pointless. Even with “long tail” keywords the CPC would have to be a great deal lower to make a positive ROI.

  Perhaps the banks themselves can make a good ROI as they make the most from the credit offered, but for everyone else it seems on the face of it, very difficult if not impossible?

  Tags: Pay Per Click
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