Today We May Have Gotten a First Glipse of the DomainShane Effect

I say it in jest but I really do think today proved what a little domain blog publicity can do for an auction or company.  This morning, as I do every day, posted some names at auction ending today from around the net that I liked.  While I don’t claim to be a major player by any means, there is no denying that my link will send a few hundred more people to the name than without it. I only say this because I know it’s true.  I see how many outclicks are sent and Matt Overman from Namejet lets me know I’m one of the top referrers.  I also know it because a name that I’m pretty sure would have had very few bidders later that day has 20.  All because of me?  Probably not.  Some because of me? Most likely.  It’s also the reason I get a few emails a week asking me NOT to talk about a some names.  Today I felt that I may have had a little influence on one name in general  Jelly.co

Jelly dot co was at under $200 when I saw it late last night.  It was a real bargain.  I figured it would stay a bargain because of two reasons.  One, I don’t think Sedo did a great  job publicizing the auction to the industry.  I barely saw any posts or mention of the auction.  Two, there were a lot of names.  More than a small crowd could swallow.  Today I look and Jelly.co is the last name at auction and is moving past $2500.  No way jelly.co was one of the top names on it’s own.  While I’m not claiming that I single handidly made that name more valuable with me saying I like it, there is no doubt in my mind I helped bring the bidders to that particular name that drove up the price.  Auctions have the opportunity to do that more often if they would invest in the voices that can bring more people.  OK it comes across a little like a “you should advertise here” pitch but the results are visiable. There is an opportunity auctions to do more.  More than just blanket the blogs with a 125X125 or 486 X 60 banner.  Creative marketing, individual name promotion.  I guess it’s not all bad.  It keeps the buyers happy and it allows me to continue to pick off more names like I did today.  The sellers?  Perhaps it’s like Howard Neu said.  Perhaps they need to start doing more of their own individual promotion.

I, and many of the other blogs and sites, trade information on happenings and sales, for free advertising for those companies.  I think it works and is a fair trade.