I don’t mind being open about most things. I really don’t have much to hide and I’m always curious how many visits other domain blogs get. Maybe you are as well so I’ll share mine. I figure I’m probably in the top 5 as far as traffic goes in the domain blog world. Of course our world is tiny so that it’s like saying you are the fastest kid at fat camp. Here are my numbers for the last month
Visits: 17,125
Pageviews: 24,576
Pages/Visit: 1.44
Average time on site: 1:32 ( a little lighter than I’d like)
Percentage New Visits: 48% (I thought this is great because new people are finding me every month)
I’m happy with my numbers. One, they are much higher than Compete gives me credit for. Two, none of this is social media traffic. It’s real, targeted traffic, that’s brought by unique, original content. I’m not saying it’s the greatest content in our sphere, but it is mine and straight from my brain and heart. I think it’s good enough traffic to attract advertisers but rightfully, I’m not considered as good a place to advertise as Morgan Linton, Elliot, DNWire, DNNews, and The Domains. Wait, I might be not be in the top 5 blogs. Heck, I might not be in the top 8. Because of my traffic numbers I recently raised my advertising rates. My grandfathered advertisers are getting a great deal (IMO) and it’s not like people are burning up my email to advertise. What I have found though, is I’m much more creative in advertising than most people. Helping companies is more than putting up a 125 X 125. More than writing some robot like post about their greatness. For instance, Big Jumbo has been good to me and I decided what better way to get their name out than to have some fun. They had fun drawing caricatures at the show and I thought we could have a little more trying to get people to guess who the domainers were. They didn’t pay me to do the contest, I did it because they advertise with me and everyone would benefit from it. I get readers to come and play, they get their name out in front, and people got a laugh out of it. Everyone wins. I think my traffic is indicative of this different approach. If it’s not, don’t tell me different. Just let me live in my fantasy world.
Where My Traffic Comes From
Domaining 36%
Direct: 22.92%
Google: 15.47 %
NameBee: 5.66 %
Google (referral): 4.3 %
The rest is made up from everything from Facebook, ElliotsBlog, Estibot, and DnJournal. Again, I’m happy with it. My Google traffic goes up every month and my reliance on Domaining dot com goes down. I have no problem relying on Domaining.com, it’s a symbiotic relationship. That’s where I go to get my news and at the same time my regular daily posts are an important part of what makes Domaining successful. I am noticing an ever increasing amount of lesser quality posts being put up at Domaining from certain blogs and there’s no doubt in my mind they are merely put up for traffic numbers. To me the traffic is so small to this blog and the potential traffic is so small I don’t feel the need to put up junk to get a few extra pageviews. Again, not saying mine is quality journalism, but I am usually consistent in terms of number and topics that I write about. I could certainly rise my traffic by 50% but it would mostly be fluff. I don’t have time nor do I want to constantly be pushing my stuff on Facebook or Twitter. I figure if it’s good enough then someone else will post it for me. Many of the most successful bloggers receive a ton of traffic from Google News. I haven’t applied for a couple reasons. One, you have to have more than one writer to be considered. I don’t, that hasn’t stopped others from pretending to have staff but it’s not for me. Secondly, I’m not worthy. I don’t write news, I write opinion and Google News is that, news. I have no place there.
So there you go. Per usual, you get a little data and a whole boatload of opinion. It wouldn’t be DomainShane if it were any different. And the picture to the left….it’s my heater at work. All I see all day is that thing smiling all day. Even my heater is happy.
Despite some of my criticism on your domain strategy, yours is one of my favourite domain blogs to read.
You might also want to try quantcast.com for stats.
Thanks ian,
You may have a problem with my advice but you would probably would approve of overall strategy, especially the results. I appreciate you taking the time to come and read my rambling.
“put up junk to get a few extra pageviews” frager factor
really though, nice post, i actually have been very curious about the traffic numbers to these blogs, so thanks.
@Shane,
Which blogs are Domaining promoting that are junk? Who’s using Facebook and Twitter? The most blogs always say they’re writing because they care about the people. If that’s the truth, then they should take down their advertisers.
Domain blogs produce content to make money. They know their traffic translates into revenue. List the blogs you think have low quality content. You shared your traffic, so let’s see a little more transparency. I always hear domain blogs writing about junk domains that domainers ask about. They’ll mention they’re tired of looking at a bunch of emails with junk domains.
You’ll never see what they consider junk. They only use references. You won’t even see a domain with part of the name. Name a few blogs. You can x out most of the name. Will be interesting. Thanks.
J,
Being a douche and calling people out doesn’t make you transparent. My openness is the fact I let you comment despite your constant negativity.
What cannot be technically tracked is traffic from domaining.com newsletter and in blog that make often the newsletter this more than double traffic from domaining.com
I plan a change in the next coming months on how the newsletter send visitors to blogs in order each blogger can appreciate newsleter traffic.
In a last note your main traffic source is the quality of your publications because whatever route viewers get they take it because they want read you.
I have found blog spam to be a serious problem on domaining.com , but only from one source not multiple. I always feel misled when I click on a catchy title from that spam blog, only to find a copy of another article, nothing original and maybe some misleading and undisclosed shilling (not frank). Although Domaining made some changes recently to reduce the spam, in order to enhance their reputation, they really need to block it. You used plural referring to such blogs, I am only aware of one. Can you disclose who you were talking about?
Great info Shane. How come people like J can’t disappear from Mother Earth?
@Robin
Why disappear? When a domain blog claims that other blogs have lesser than quality content, then they should name the blogs with less than quality content. You seem too much of a follower to challenge a person when they make a comment.
Morgan mentioned he is tired of receiving e-mails with junk domains. When you ask him to identify junk domains, he skirts around the question. He doesn’t know what is junk because he is not a good seller. How can you write a book on domain flipping when you admit you’re a weak seller?
Domain blogs are only nice at the beginning, but they change their demeanor as time goes on. These blogs enjoy getting a laugh of a people, even though they depend on the domainer to return. Maybe if domain blogs would be more helpful and not jump down the throats of people, then they could retain people longer on their site.
Shane is a good domain blog owner. I only asked what he considered is less than quality blog. The Twitter, Facebook and junk content are pointing to one specific blog.
You should look into more of what people are conveying than telling me to disappear. At least I have a perception to challenge people. Mike at The Domains is getting a kick out of exposing a rejected offer. He listed a buyer’s e-mail address. It’s very unprofessional. No person will challenge him. He doesn’t care. As I mentioned in a past article, the domain industry is filled with wolves ready to tear apart people than to help them.
His VisitBerlin dot com is not worth $100k. Just because he sold VisitStockholm dot com for $77,000, the sale doesn’t make VisitBerlin.com worth $100K. Two different domains. You have people now asking $50K on domain aftermarket sites. They quote his $77k as a reason their site deserves the money. Their domain is not even worth $2K.
Mike left a comment on my blog months ago – not the blog I’m linking with. It’s another WordPress blog. He provided his reasoning to rejecting the $100K offer. If he can provide me with an explanation, then what is the reason he’s not building value into the domain in question instead of having a domain comedy show going on right now? He doesn’t care. He has the best domains, and can sit back and enjoy his life.
You can’t compare one domain to another that is worth $1million+. This content is common on blogs. One person will mention to buy specific domains, and then people will go out and purchase them. They think other people will find their purchase intelligent. What happens when they’re stuck with a domain they can’t sell? They lose money.
I don’t get 5% of the traffic Shane generates. However, I keep people on my blog for an hour or longer. I help many people to learn about domains faster. That doesn’t help me to do any better. As long as I can help another save money to avoid experiencing problems, then that’s good enough for me.
DomainShane is a good blog. Many domain blogs inform their readers they are merely writing to help them. They tell them they don’t care about the revenue. They’re deceiving their readers. It’s easy to say when you’re making revenue to survive. Usually the people that do good for people struggle.
Maybe I would rather be in a different world where people can appreciate good deeds. I work hard. I don’t hold anything back. I’ll write like I’m on a mission. You don’t understand because you look at the obvious.
I find it amusing how some domainers will tell me that their worst domain is worth more than my best. They will somehow post a few domains because they have access to my inventory. Maybe their worst domain is worth 4 figures. Who knows? Every domain owner has a bad domain. I made a big sale. However, I respect the company enough to keep it private. I don’t need to brag.
Traffic doesn’t always translate into quality content. I can generate 800 unique to one domain, but another domain that scores 40 unique per month is making 10 times more. Quality is superior to traffic. They may work together, but they don’t set the standards.
Domaining probably helps this blog generate traffic. Word-or-mouth and domain blog links refer traffic to this blog. Shane probably has to visit these domain blogs to share a comment or two. And he has a reputation as having good information. I can tell you that having other high traffic blog link to you will increase traffic. When you don’t have any backing, you will not succeed. You can write all the quality content you want, you’ll never reach an audience.
I can keep writing, but I would rather hold my comments. Thanks.
@J
I appreciate the open conversation. I don’t have to put the words Frager Factor into my blog for people to get the point. Mostly because that wasn’t the point. Frager has had some of the best articles I’ve read in domain investing. It’s his schizophrenic, manic articles that drive me crazy and cause me not to be a regular reader. The purpose of that part of the article was not to call people out. It was to say the traffic I get I don’t “work” for. I am not out there pounding the links to generate traffic. I comment on other blogs because I want to, not because they may click my link. I like this industry and I like many of the people. I appreciate everyone that comes here and I have nothing to prove. I write because I love to write, I love to talk, and I love to listen. I do things that make me happy and avoid things that don’t. There is a big difference between questioning and criticizing and you seem to straddle that line. Your second comment was more in questioning mode and very well stated.
I think your blog is very good and I’m pleased to see you get a lot of visitors.
I think your interviews with developers, domainers, and end users are very helpful for all of us – new and old to the industry. Across the spectrum, some bloggers tends to tell things from his personal experience, some tend to cover events at a highly professional “Associated Press” level, but others, like you, Michael, and Morgan tend to talk at a “meat and potatoes but professional” level. I appreciate that.
@Shane,
You made my point. Calling you out on which blog has less than quality traffic is a problem? I read your comment on The Domains.
If domainers are truly professional, they will challenge people that post another person’s e-mail. That’s unprofessional. People will send spam to his box. They will threaten him. Who knows?
If the buyer threatened or criticized me, I would have enough respect to withhold the e-mail address. I refer to a situation with pronouns. I don’t name a person. Maybe you think that the buyer is an Ass—. That’s what you said.
However, providing him with a simple link to the DnJournal.com to show a list of overpriced domains that sell every week will clear up the $13K offer. Domain investors are the crudest people. They will want to get a laugh and put people down. That’s the main reason I answer many e-mails to help new domainers. They appreciate the tips.
Thanks for letting me post on your domain blog. I’m glad you think the buyer is wrong. People never look at things from both angles. There are very few leaders in this world because every person assumes a follower role. Keep up the good traffic.
@Shane,
I don’t recall posting anything negative on your blog. I never challenged you in the past. If I have a problem with a blog, I will mention it.
Which blog is contributing less than quality content to gain traffic with Twitter and Facebook? The goal of every domain blog is generate traffic.
If you had 30 unique per month, would you still be writing content? I’m sure you know that writing articles and conducting interviews requires a lot of time. Advertisers wouldn’t even click on the advertising link.
It is all too common that people say they’re writing for the reader. On the opposing side, they make revenue writing content, promoting their domains, and building a fan base. Morgan told his readers to drop every domain under $100. Bad advice.
If I’m correct, he has a stake in Estibot. Don’t quote me on that. There are many domains that are undervalued. A $75 domain can produce a $1,000 sale, and a $1000 domain will fail to fetch $40. IMO, Estibot is not the industry standard. I let 400 domains drop because I believed in the appraisals on Estibot and Sedo. I don’t mind because I learned quick to buy better domains because I preferred certain niches with market value.
Domain blogs convey they’re transparent, but they will never share their revenue, or give a domainer advice on how to buy a good domain.
Domainers want to see some proof to determine whether it’s better to park at one company or another. Domainers want to know what domains are most popular. They have problems with buying and selling. They can’t write a sales pitch that works. Not every domainer has the money to buy a $60K domain.
I never challenged your traffic. I was asking you a simple question. Which domain blogs have less than quality content only to generate traffic? If you don’t want to answer the question, then why make the reference? Thanks.
I know you’re a good person. I never had any problems with your blog. You have a quality blog. I respect you. Keep up the good work. You have many fans. People will need your help to succeed. Thanks.
@J
Thanks and have a good weekend. I think you are seeing the main reason I have a blog, a voice. It provided you a chance to have yours today and I am thankful I get that chance every day. Regardless of whether my voice is correct or not, at least I have it.
@Shane
Your 75 sites that link in also help to generate traffic. The third post was sent simultaneously as you posted the message. Thanks for naming the blog. It’s totally different than I thought.
The main reason I assumed otherwise because there is another blog that models the platform. I’m a writer there. I apologize calling you out on the first post. It wasn’t my intention. That’s probably the main reason I’m taking a break from my blog.
I’m juggling a ton of responsibilities. My graduate thesis is wearing me thin. A few blog posters 3 weeks ago began listing my worst domains. They say I have no credibility. Furthermore, this person said that an end-user will never contact a person if they present those type of domains.
However, I never presented those domains to end-users. I own some quality resume, job and education domains. I only purchased 3 domains at above the cost of registration. I still own the 3 domains, two if which I recently won at GoDaddy auction last month.
The domain poster discredited the advice I gave a new domainer, suggesting I’m wrong that it’s hard to make a sale through cold calls. He said my domain portfolio is bad. When people read the comments, they will never visit my blog for advice. You have to respond back with information that demonstrates you know what you’re talking about.
Every person owns at least a few duds. It’s like buying 100 lottery tickets. You may buy many questionable domains because you enjoy NYC and GoDaddy premium domains are priced high in the category. Maybe 5 domains in the bunch will lead you to make future 30 sales.
People have different learning curves. It took my personal experiences with domaining to close the gap between learning and understanding. I managed to help many others to also do well.
Keep producing quality content. You earned your traffic. Thanks.
As Francois noted above, I usually arrive here via Domaining.com newsletter. It gives me a few interesting, quality blog posts to read. Once I’m finished reading those posts, I may read other posts I’ve missed or navigate to other blogs. Sometimes, I even check out the advertisers. 🙂
Thanks for a great domaining blog and for the transparency. It’s easier to judge one’s own progress when you know some benchmarks.
@Shane,
One can blame my cognitive perception on education. I suppose enduring criticism in film school and in the domain industry has a lot to do with it too. Constructive criticism is more beneficial than actually criticizing a person.
I try to support every comment. Again, you have a great blog. I think this is the only time I challenged you based on the quality reference. You’re right about a few domains. I believe 3 of them are in the auction right now.
I’m sure you will reach 40-70k unique in no time. Good luck. Thanks. Have a great Sunday.
” I don’t have time nor do I want to constantly be pushing my stuff on Facebook or Twitter. ”
This is a GOOD thing. That’ why people who know how to do are paid $40-125K a tweet.
If you are a blogger that’s the way social media is supposed to work. If you have TRUE followers who want to be informed when you post new content, they follow you and you set up an API that pushes a summary/notification to various media automatically. It takes no time and if the recipient feels he is being “pushed” he should unfriend the person just as he should block/filter any blog he doesn’t want in his feed on domaining.
Some people enjoy domaining but have bigger lives outside domaining and follow hundreds of other topics of interest and publications. They may not go to domaining.com to get their news but rely on custom RSS feeds, Google alerts and social media to give a broader world view.
One man’s treasure is another man’s garbage. With hundreds of blogs on domaining and tens of thousands of readers, there are surely other opinions that may differ from those of the dozen or so people that represent their thoughts here.
Problem solved. Why have constant threads and debates about it.
Owen,
Not saying these aren’t a very valuable tools. They are certainly the future. They are also the future spam of the world. The spam on Google pales in comparison to the spam on twitter. But that doesn’t mean there’s not gold in both of them. The people on twitter are paid big money because people care about what they have to say and every move they make. Celebrities in almost every single case. I have no idea what a true follower is. I’m not debating it just saying it’s not for me. I just can’t post or tweet about what I had for lunch, how much I run each day, or every post I write. I’m sure it has value but not to me at this time. Perhaps I’ll have a change of opinion some day.
Shane:
You continue to impress me with such introspective posts. Great going! I would appreciate if other domainers on the Domainers.com blog take the initiative with your post and come out with their website anlytics.
Some of the posters, I noticed, are like “content farms”, posting just for the heck of it with zero quality content.It’s time your latest post wakes them up from their slumber and goads them to come up with quality content rather than dump garbage.
I am hoping domaining.com would soon recognize my blog as I am also trying my best to come up with innovative original content like some of our guys do.
Readers of our blogs are the best IQ brains and trying to dole out cheap content is only insulting their brains.
Regards
Hey Shane,
weird looking heater you got there.. it’s almost scary! you should try getting a dog or something 🙂
nice stats.. I enjoy your reading blog.
cheers!
Sai there is no recognition, you pay Francois to be included on domaining.com
J visitberlin.com sold for $230,000
Shane,
You’re the fcking man, point blank. Keep up the transparency and awesome blog. Its a daily must read for me.
They say when people start “hating” on you, thats how you know you have achieved some level of measurable success. I welcome those types personally.
All the best,
Michael
@RH,
I figured the domain would eventually sell. No company can hope to get a good deal. In my opinon, the end-user overpaid again. At that rate, he’ll probably want $200 million for Berlin.com. Buy a domain and ask astronomical numbers.
Why sell at a fair market value when you can milk the end-user for whatever you think a domain is worth. Maybe the Berlin travel agency reconsidered. Nobody else is going to pay that amount to acquire the domain. I wouldn’t believe in any reasoning to support the value, not even the notion that countries and cities are adopting ‘visit’ as their main site.
Great sale for the nearly a 10 year old domain. The end-user turns down domains worth 100 times that amount for the same amount.
@Michael,
I don’t think anyone is hating on Shane. He mentioned quality and methods. He was cool enough to point out the blog. Case closed. What “hating” is there on this blog? None.
I don’t think your blog is in the top 30 traffic wise Shane, a lot of domain blogs do more, including mine (Feb 2011 – 19k visitors / 84k pageviews).
That said, I really enjoy reading your blog, your down to earth way of explaining things and your emotional connect with your readers is what makes the time spent on this site worthwhile. I especially appreciate your completely open way of sharing things and your overall upbeat personality which comes through clearly in your writing.
Congrats on the increased traffic, cheers!
@Shane,
Increase your sites linking in to over 100, and you’ll increase your traffic another 10k a month. I’m sure that’s not your goal. In any case, keep carving out the content. Thanks.
When I first started I had probably 15 or 20 in my RSS feed… I’ve narrowed it down now to the 5 I liked the most for my style… Always fresh, new content with some cleverness and the occasional crude reference… What’s not to like? Keep it up!
Shane ol buddy, I realize that I’ve been reading your blog but you don’t have my blog on your blogroll! Treason!
heh.. I checked my site and I don’t have your site up either – so let’s agree to link up. Yes?
I get over 30,000 visitors a month, so I can probably give you some good PR positioning.
I like your blog, and your honesty, so I’d like to add you to my blogroll.
Considering I’m getting ready to announce the most popular domain adjective category domain in my Future Trend Domain Auction™ Showcase being prepared at this moment, you’ll be happy to be “connected.”
Cheers bro *email me, I know you have my email address*
Stephen Douglas