Hey there,
As someone involved in the business of domains, I often get asked what I do with the thousands of domains under my portfolio. By the way, at the moment I own around 8,600 domains.



To start, I make sure to add the newly acquired domain to my records, which I store in my own way or on an Excel sheet. Then, I change the nameservers to Afternic and add it to my Afternic and Sedo accounts for more exposure.

After the 60-day lock period ends, I transfer the domain to my preferred registrar - previously Uniregistry, but now Dynadot. I activate Afternic Fast Transfer and Sedo MLS for additional exposure, making sure the domain is successfully added to my account before approving the transfer requests.

I prefer not to rely on auto-renewal for my domains, so I manually renew them in advance. I try to buy domains that I don't plan on dropping in the future to simplify my renewal management. This took years of experience and research to perfect, and I recommend it to other big portfolio holders.

What's your process for managing domains?

Here are a few tips for managing domains:

1. Keep Detailed Records: It's important to maintain accurate and organized records of your domains. This can include information such as registration date, expiration date, registrar, and any associated accounts or marketplaces.

2. Utilize Domain Marketplaces: Platforms like Afternic, Sedo, and others can help increase the visibility of your domains and connect you with potential buyers. Be sure to optimize listings and utilize features like Afternic Fast Transfer and Sedo MLS for easier sales.

3. Transfer to Preferred Registrar: If you have a preferred registrar, as you mentioned Dynadot, consider transferring your domains there for more streamlined management. Ensure that all necessary details, such as nameservers and DNS settings, are properly configured after the transfer.

4. Manual Renewal: If you prefer not to rely on auto-renewal, make it a habit to manually renew your domains well in advance of their expiration dates. This helps avoid any potential disruption in domain ownership.

5. Strategic Domain Selection: Consider selecting domains that align with your long-term strategy and goals. This can make renewal management easier and minimize the number of domains you may need to drop in the future.

6. Domain Monitoring: Regularly monitor the performance and metrics of your domains. This includes tracking traffic, rankings, and any changes in market value. Analyzing these factors can help you make informed decisions about renewals, sales, or other domain-related strategies.

7. Domain Development: Instead of solely relying on domain sales, consider developing some of your domains into websites or online businesses. This can enhance their value and potentially generate additional income through advertising or e-commerce.

8. Domain Auctions: Participate in domain auctions to explore potential buying or selling opportunities. Auctions can be a great way to acquire valuable domains or sell those that no longer fit your portfolio's strategy.

9. Domain Valuation: Regularly evaluate the estimated value of your domains using tools like Appraisal Services or consulting with domain experts. This can help you determine the potential market demand and pricing for your domains.

10. Portfolio Optimization: Continuously assess your domain portfolio to identify domains that are underperforming or no longer aligned with your objectives. Consider dropping or selling such domains to free up resources for more promising acquisitions.

11. Legal Considerations: Stay informed about domain-related legal issues, such as trademark disputes, copyright infringement, or domain theft. Familiarize yourself with policies and regulations to protect your domains and avoid any potential legal complications.

12. Stay Updated: Keep up-to-date with industry news, trends, and emerging technologies. This can help you anticipate market shifts and adapt your strategies accordingly.

13. Domain Brokerage: Consider leveraging the services of a domain broker to help you sell or acquire high-value domains. They can negotiate deals, handle inquiries, and connect with potential buyers or sellers on your behalf.

14. Domain Parking: If you have domains that are not actively being used or developed, consider parking them with domain parking platforms. This allows you to earn revenue through advertising when users visit those domain pages.

15. Brand Protection: Keep an eye on trademarks and brand names to ensure that you're not infringing on any existing intellectual property rights. It's important to conduct due diligence and avoid potential legal issues.

16. Domain Renewal Strategy: Develop a strategic approach for renewing your domains. Assess each domain's performance, potential market demand, and future prospects to determine which ones are worth renewing and which ones you may want to let go.

17. Domain Market Research: Continuously research and stay informed about industry trends, emerging markets, and popular keywords relevant to your domain portfolio. This can help you make informed decisions about potential acquisitions or sales.

18. Networking and Industry Events: Attend domain industry conferences, forums, and events to network with other professionals in the field. Building relationships and staying connected with industry experts can provide valuable insights and potential business opportunities.

19. Portfolio Diversification: Consider diversifying your domain portfolio across different niches or industries. This can help mitigate risks and take advantage of opportunities in various markets.

20. Document Sales and Agreements: Maintain detailed records of all domain sales, purchases, and agreements you enter into. This includes sales contracts, purchase agreements, and any correspondence related to domain transactions. Proper documentation is essential for legal and financial purposes.

21. Domain Name Analysis: Conduct thorough research and analysis before acquiring new domains. Consider factors such as search volume, keyword relevance, competition, and potential monetization opportunities to make informed decisions.

22. SEO Optimization: If you develop websites on your domains, implement proper search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve their visibility and rankings in search engine results. This can attract organic traffic and increase the value of your domains.

23. Domain Monetization: Explore various monetization strategies for your domains, such as affiliate marketing, display advertising, sponsored content, or lead generation. Evaluate the potential revenue streams for each domain and optimize accordingly.

24. Email Marketing: Utilize email marketing campaigns to engage with potential buyers or interested parties. Build an email list specifically for domain sales, promotions, or industry updates to expand your reach and increase sales opportunities.

25. Domain Privacy: Consider using privacy services to protect your personal information associated with domain registrations. This helps minimize the risk of spam, identity theft, or unwanted solicitations.

26. Domain Development Partnerships: Collaborate with other domain investors or developers to jointly develop or market certain domains. Partnerships can leverage each other's expertise, resources, and networks to maximize the potential of shared domains.

27. Domain Appraisal Services: Periodically get professional domain appraisals to assess the market value of your domains. This can provide valuable insights when making decisions about sales, acquisitions, or portfolio management.

28. Stay Informed About Regulations: Keep up-to-date with domain-related regulations and policies, such as ICANN rules and jurisdiction-specific laws. Compliance with these regulations ensures that you maintain a legally sound domain portfolio.

29. Domain Brokerage Platforms: Explore additional domain brokerage platforms beyond Afternic and Sedo, such as Flippa or DAN.com. These platforms offer different features, pricing models, and buyer/seller networks that may align better with your preferences.

30. Continuous Learning: Stay curious and actively seek knowledge about the domain industry. Subscribe to industry blogs, forums, podcasts, or newsletters to stay updated on emerging trends, technologies, and investment opportunities.


31. Domain Renewal Monitoring: Set up reminders or alerts to track upcoming renewal dates for your domains. This ensures that you don't miss any renewals and helps you stay organized.

32. Domain Traffic Analysis: Analyze the traffic patterns and sources of your domains to understand their performance. Use tools like Google Analytics to gain insights into the audience, behavior, and conversion rates for each domain.

33. Domain Negotiation Skills: Enhance your negotiation skills to secure better deals when buying or selling domains. Understand the value of your domains and be prepared to negotiate pricing, terms, and other aspects of the transaction.

34. Domain Auction Strategy: Develop a strategy for participating in domain auctions. Set budget limits, research the potential demand for specific domains, and determine your bidding approach to maximize your chances of winning valuable domains.

35. Domain Trademark Monitoring: Monitor trademarks related to your domains to avoid any potential infringement issues. Regularly check trademark databases or use specialized monitoring services to stay informed about any conflicts.

36. Domain Development Outsourcing: If you lack time or expertise, consider outsourcing the development of your domains to professionals or agencies. This can help expedite the process and ensure high-quality website development.

37. Domain Marketplace Research: Continuously research popular domain marketplaces, such as GoDaddy Auctions, Namecheap Marketplace, or NamePros. Different marketplaces have varying audiences and features, so explore multiple options to reach potential buyers.

38. Domain Portfolio Appraisal: Periodically assess the overall value and potential of your entire domain portfolio. Identify underperforming domains, evaluate market trends, and make necessary adjustments to optimize your portfolio's value.

39. Community Engagement: Engage with the online domain community through forums, social media groups, or industry-specific platforms. Join discussions, share knowledge, and network with peers to stay connected and learn from others' experiences.

40. Experimentation and Innovation: Be open to trying new strategies and innovations within the domain industry, such as investing in emerging technologies like blockchain domains or exploring alternative domain extensions beyond traditional TLDs.

41. Domain Redirects: If you have domains that are not actively used or developed, consider redirecting them to relevant websites or landing pages. This can help generate traffic, improve SEO, and potentially lead to monetization opportunities.

42. Domain Expiry Management: Keep track of domain expiry dates and set up a process to handle domains that you no longer wish to renew or keep in your portfolio. This might include selling them, placing them in a domain marketplace, or simply letting them expire.

43. Domain Portfolio Analysis: Regularly assess the performance and composition of your domain portfolio. Identify domains with potential for growth or expansion, as well as those that may no longer align with your goals, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

44. Domain Acquisition Strategy: Define a clear acquisition strategy based on market trends, keyword research, industry analysis, and your own objectives. Consider factors like domain scarcity, brandability, and potential resale value when acquiring new domains.

45. Domain Development Roadmap: Create a roadmap for developing and improving your domains. Set milestones, allocate resources, and prioritize based on potential returns on investment. This ensures a structured approach to maximizing the value of your domains.

46. Domain Escrow Services: Use trusted escrow services when conducting domain sales or purchases. Escrow services act as intermediaries, holding funds securely until both parties have fulfilled their obligations, ensuring a safe transaction.

47. Domain Branding: Focus on building brandable domains that have the potential to become memorable and sought-after assets. Consider factors like domain length, clarity, and relevance to target industries or niches.

48. Domain Auction Monitoring: Keep an eye on domain auctions to spot potential investment opportunities or domains that are aligned with your portfolio's strategy. Regularly participate in auctions to acquire desirable domains or sell off domains for optimal prices.

49. Domain Industry News: Stay updated with the latest news, trends, and developments in the domain industry. Subscribe to industry publications, blogs, or newsletters to stay informed about emerging technologies, policy changes, and market dynamics.

50. Domain Portfolio Optimization: Continuously optimize your domain portfolio to ensure it reflects your investment goals and maximizes its potential value. Regularly review, consolidate, or expand your domain holdings based on market conditions, trends, and your own preferences.

51. Domain Development Strategy: Develop a clear strategy for developing your domains into fully functioning websites or online businesses. This can include content creation, design improvements, SEO optimization, and marketing efforts to increase their value and potential revenue streams.

52. Domain Portfolio Categorization: Categorize your domains based on niche, industry, or other relevant factors. This helps you better understand the composition of your portfolio and identify patterns or trends that can inform your investment decisions.

53. Domain Trading: Explore domain trading opportunities by buying and selling domains within the investor community. This allows you to leverage market demand and potentially profit from domain flips or short-term investments.

54. Localized Domains: Consider acquiring country-specific or city-specific domain extensions (ccTLDs) to target specific geographic markets. This can help you tap into local customer bases and increase the value of your domains in those regions.

55. Domain Development Partnerships: Collaborate with web developers, content creators, or marketers to establish partnerships for domain development projects. Pooling resources, skills, and knowledge can lead to more successful and profitable ventures.

56. Domain Monitoring Tools: Utilize domain monitoring tools or services to track the status and performance of your domains, including uptime, security, and SEO metrics. This ensures that your domains are functioning optimally and are protected against any potential issues.

57. Domain Name Auctions: Participate in domain name auctions hosted by registrars, marketplaces, or industry events. These auctions often feature unique, high-value domains that can enhance your portfolio or provide lucrative investment opportunities.

58. Domain Portfolio Insurance: Consider insuring your valuable domain assets to mitigate risks associated with theft, loss, or legal disputes. Domain portfolio insurance can provide financial protection and peace of mind.

59. Domain Experiments: Reserve a small portion of your portfolio for experimental or speculative domains. These can include emerging technologies, trend-based domains, or creative names that may have high potential for future value.

60. Exit Strategy: Develop an exit strategy for your domain portfolio by setting clear goals, milestones, and timelines for potential sales or liquidation. This ensures that you have a plan in place to optimize returns on your investment.