Properly classifying your domains can play a significant role in improving the discovery and selling potential of your domains. Based upon our research, a properly classified domain has a 4X chance of selling compared to a domain that is not classified. 

Follow the video below to understand how to properly merchandise your domains.

Video Instructions

Begin by going to your Premium Listings/My Marketplace Listings
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Our search algorithm automatically extracts keywords from your names. For example, if you submit the name: “HappyPineapple”, the name will be searchable for both the keywords “Happy” and “Pineapple”. However, if you submit the same name as “Happypineapple.com”, it will not come up in search results if someone searches for “Pineapple” as a keyword. 

This is because our search algorithm only matches words when they are capitalized. This is to avoid any "false positives". For example, we do not want "TopAcumen.com" to show in search results when someone searches for the word "Men" but we do want it to appear when you search for Top or Acumen.

Our AI algorithm recommends names to customers based upon several factors. One of the important factors it considers is the underlying root words. Root words indicate the words that your name is built from. This is less important with a simple name like Happy Pineapple. With real English words, our AI will typically find the roots without your assistance.

But more complex names, such as blends, transmutations, foreign language, etc., will greatly benefit by adding root words.

A great example is Groupon. This name is built off of the words 'Group' and 'Coupon'. But our AI would not catch the root word Coupon without adding it.

As you can see, many of these names are based upon root words such as "Peak", "Infinity", "Surge" etc. 

Therefore, you must add at-least 2 or 3 root words for each domain to "train" our AI algorithm about what words the name is based upon. It will also improve the discovery of the domain when a potential customer searches for any variations of those root words. 

Principles of Root Words

(1) The first thing you do with root words is make sure that the words in the name are listed out clearly. So, Instagram’s root words would be Instant and Telegram.

(2) You can also use very minor variations of the root words to help you get found. For example, the root words for Groupon are Group and Coupon. However, you might consider adding a root word of Discount as your second or third root word because it is very similar to the root word Coupon. 

Important - You must align the words very closely. This is not a place to keyword stuff in order to place domains in places that they should not logically appear. 

Examples

MoneyPact. This name has two clear distinct root words:

1.) Money

2.) Pact

If we wanted to include a third root word, we would need to ensure it clearly aligned with a certain industry. In this instance, we could also put Finance as this deals with money and pact refers to formal agreements often found in contracts and business agreements.

Bellavena. This name requires a bit more thought. The word 'bella' means beautiful in Italian so the root words may be:

1.) Belle

2.) Beautiful

While this isn't as straightforward as MoneyPact, the word Bella should be linked to the French word for beauty, belle, which leads us to the root word Beautiful or Beauty.
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CureFox. Here we have two distinct root words:

1.) Cure

2.) Fox

Again, if we wanted to include a third root word, we can expand on the symbolism behind Foxes. They often connect to the ideas of intelligence and cleverness. So, the third root word could be (3) Intelligent or Clever.  

Abstract Names

When it comes to root words, abstract and modern names are a bit more challenging. If the root words are not clear, we need to look at the essence of the name and what it’s trying to elicit.

Here are a few examples from our Marketplace: 

While these abstract names have no clear, decisive root words, there are a few words that come to mind: (1) Short, (2) Abstract, (3) Innovative, (4) Creative. 

Abstract names don’t offer straightforward root words, but a bit of thoughtfulness can deliver a few strong keywords that make sense. 

Note: The max number of root words allowed for one domain is 3. 

In order to further enhance visibility, we recommend selecting a primary category and up to three possible uses for each domain that you have listed. Proper tagging helps buyers find the relevant names within the categories they are interested in. 

When categories align correctly with each of your listed domains, your domains are more likely to get discovered by customers who will shortlist or purchase them. 

Examples of Primary Categories

Simpli Chef

Another example is Simpli Chef. The word 'chef' is an obvious giveaway that this name belongs in industries like Restaurant and Food & Drink. 

Glam Tiger

The name Glam Tiger connects to the industry Beauty and Cosmetics because of the word 'glam.' It could also be in the Fashion & Clothing and E-Commerce & Retail industry. 

These two names clearly belong to a specific category, but this isn’t always the case.

Names With No Clear Category

The name Strivous, for example, has a less obvious explanation for what industries it could belong to. The word 'strive' can connect to concepts like striving for greatness and pushing yourself. 

From this, we can assume this name would be a good fit for industries like Fitness, Life Coach & Motivational or even Analytics. However, you would not place Strivous into categories like Real Estate, Oil & Gas, Dental, etc. When this is the case, it is up to you to make a logical choice, while putting yourself in the shoe of a domain buyer and asking, “Would I choose this name if I was starting a business is this category.”
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Possible Uses, also referred to as Secondary categories, allow a name to obtain even more search ability. It’s important that these make sense and are logical to the name.

In addition to primary categories, you have the option to add secondary categories for a domain that is logical and most fitting. 

Let's look at some examples:

Quick Eater. The primary category for this name would be Food Delivery & Meal Kits because the word 'quick' implies fast and timeliness. 

Secondary categories for this name could be: 

1.) Food & Drink

2.) Restaurant 

Another example is Rejuving. The primary category for this name may be Beauty & Cosmetics since the word rejuvenation is often associated with beauty and beauty related products. 

Secondary categories for this name could be: 

1.) Health & Wellness

2.) Vitamin & Supplement 

The word rejuvenation elicits feelings of feeling refreshed and renewal. This could connect to industries that relate to health and skin wellness

Including a good description, along with a few popular, relevant industry keywords will improve your domain’s overall visibility in search results. When writing a description, your goal is to paint a bigger brand picture so that the name will be more appealing to buyers.

Match the description to the name style. Fun names can have playful and fun descriptions. Sophisticated names will do best with professional and classy descriptions. While emotionally powerful names should strive to expand on the emotion already elicited in the name. 

If a description only said: “Great domain for any business” this doesn’t inspire anyone and doesn’t provide any deeper contest of what the name could be used for. 

This description provides no big idea, emotions or any possible industry that could work for this name. By simply saying a name is memorable and brandable, you neglect the bigger picture the name offers.

Here are some examples of descriptions that follow our best practices:

Important: The description section should not be used to "stuff" a large list of keywords with a goal to increase the ranking in search results. It is ok to include limited examples of 5-10 relevant industry keywords inside the description, however this should not be misused. If our algorithm detects an excessively large list of industry/ search keywords inside your description, it may negatively effect the ranking of the name in the Marketplace.

Here's an example of description that incorporates keyword stuffing, and will likely lead to reduced visibility in the Marketplace:

For ideas and emotions, you want to focus on 3 major emotions that seamlessly connect to the name.

When it comes to big ideas and the emotions behind the name, it's important to consider the root words and bigger concepts the name may be eliciting. 

For example, the name Blissed Earth. The word 'bliss' connects to the emotions of tranquility, happiness and joy. The word 'earth' can connect to ideas of green and organic. 

Some of these words like joy, happiness, tranquility, are obvious emotions and others like organic and green are simply big ideas behind the name. 

Another example is Honest Hill. 

Honest is a big, powerful emotion that connects to emotions like trust and reliability. The word 'hill' connects to the big ideas of growth, trending upwards and succeeding. Again, we have straightforward emotions such as honest, trust and reliability and then we have our big ideas like moving upwards and growth. 

Request Classification

If you have an extensive domain portfolio and don't have the time to add these merchandising features one by one, we also have the ability to request classification services from our experienced team for a small fee.

Check out our Additional Features Help Article where we explain the classification request process in more detail.

From the graph above, adding a description and merchandising your domains significantly increases its sell through percentage and visibility to the right buyers.

Taking advantage of these merchandising features will help you get more visibility, from the right views, and in the end, help you close more sales. You can merchandise your own names using these best practices or work with our community to accomplish this important task.

If you're interested in helping other domainers classify their domains, check out our Domain Classification Service Guide article to learn more.
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