To renew or not to renew? That is the question for many domainers. Losing money from accidentally expired domains is an avoidable and sometimes costly oversight. Equally, keeping underperforming domains can also impact a portfolio’s overall Return on Investment (ROI). This blog will outline some cost-effective domain management tips for new and existing domain investors using the Above.com platform.
Custom Auto-Renewal Rules
As per the Above.com platform’s global settings, all new domains added to an account can be set to auto-renew in the registrar section of the dashboard.
We advise customers to set up ‘rules’ for each domain to be notified when their domains are up for renewal. These rules prompt customers to check which domains are performing well and which are not, as some may not be worth renewing if they are earning less than the renewal cost. In those cases, domain owners may choose not to renew and simply let the domain expire, otherwise known as drop.
Once domains are entered into the above.com platform, there are four auto-renewal options to choose from:
- Auto-renewal Every Year
- Auto-renewal Once Only
- Drop (let expire)
- Disable Auto-renew
Users can also create advanced rules to identify domains to manually renew based on their performance or portfolio strategy:
- By Parking Revenue – does the domain make enough to cover renewal costs?
- By Traffic – this can be selected by the number of months and/or the number of visitors.
- By Flag – such as if a domain has been flagged as Generic, Valuable or Junk and more options.
- By Paid Value – to renew domains that have paid a value greater than a manually entered value.
- By Offer Received – auto-renews domains that receive offers.
Custom Renewal Rules cover all the different TLDs within the portfolio, and they assist customers in setting parameters identifying which domains to renew.
An example is using the By Parking Revenue set to 12 months with revenue set to 0.01 over the renewal cost. This will flag all domains with a Rule On Status and show the ones that are making revenue, taking into account the various renewal fees for each TLD.
You can then select all domains with Rule On and renew them in bulk each month. The dashboard will display the total number of domains due for renewal within a 3-month period.
For those using the Above Maximizer solution, the intelligent back-end algorithms monitor domain performance by taking a selection of domains and calculating their monetization value, highlighting good domains to renew.
Custom auto-renewals help investors determine which domains are worth continued investment and help build a healthy portfolio, so it always pays to check domain activity regularly.
Custom auto-renewal functionality is only available for domains registered at Above.com. For smart domain management tips, join us!
Bulk Renewals
If you need to renew multiple domains, use the bulk renewal feature in the Above.com Registrar to manage them all at once, saving time and money completing individual updates.
Manage Domain Sales Settings
Our integrated marketplace for domain listings enables management of domains for sale on the Above.com Domain Marketplace for a super low 3% commission.. This includes setting prices, minimum offers, and facilitating brokerage services.
Monitor and Adjust Pricing
Our team advises regularly reviewing domain prices and adjusting them as needed, especially if you are selling. Consider setting a minimum offer to filter out low-value offers and to help ensure you get the best price for your domains.
Check for Promotions
Keep an eye out for promotions or special offers, which could provide opportunities for cost savings. Please note that the promotional fee will differ from the standard annual renewal fee; however, this will be outlined for you. Pricing and promotions are shown here:
https://www.above.com/registrar/domain-pricing.html
Ready to switch? Read more about how smart domain investors utilize the Above.com platform and resources.
Review Transaction History
Monitor account transaction history to track all domain-related costs and identify any potential areas for monetization. If you’re unsure, please speak with one of our Account Managers, who are ready to help.
Utilize the Portfolio Manager
The Portfolio Manager allows customers to manage their domain portfolio, including setting prices, enabling brokerage, and managing sales settings and costs effectively.
Consider Brokerage
Using a domain broker incurs a fee (15% of the sale price), but it can significantly help reach wider audiences and potentially secure better prices for your domains. Domain Brokers are expert negotiators and are better able to drive prices up for domain sellers. Please review our terms for details about all charges.
API for Automation
If you are a developer, you can use the Above.com API, which lists domains in your account and their details, to automate domain renewals and other management tasks.
Transfer Domains
Transferring domains to Above.com for better renewal rates is another smart move, especially for large portfolio domain investors seeking a centralized portfolio management system that offers reliability, cost efficiency, and maximum profit potential. Above is the only Registrar that offers cost-based pricing with no hidden fees and costs for Register, Transfer and Renew domains.
Contact our account managers today for swift domain transfer assistance to maximize portfolio potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the above.com platform save domain investors time and money?
The Above.com platform saves domain investors time and money through automation, optimization, and centralized management. Above.com’s Auto Optimizer constantly analyzes each domain’s traffic and automatically routes it to the highest-paying monetization service in real-time.
It provides a consolidated dashboard where domain investors can manage parking, DNS, sales, and monetization across multiple services in one place.
Above.com’s platform utilizes intelligent tracking data algorithms to route traffic to where it generates the most revenue, dynamically adapting to market changes. Meanwhile, bulk tools for DNS, WHOIS privacy, portfolio management, and traffic reports help automate routine tasks.
What is the difference between Above’s optimizer and maximizer products?
Optimizer and Maximizer are two distinct domain monetization products designed for different levels of control and automation. Optimizer is an automated process that rotates domain traffic to various monetization partners, identifying the best-performing one. Users gain access to detailed analytics performance reports per domain, monetization partner, and geographic region (GEO), providing investors with transparency, control, and flexibility in optimization.
Maximizer is our direct-to-advertiser sales platform accessed by Trillion.com advertisers. Direct advertisers are competing directly for your domain traffic and generally pay more than what domain parking is currently making. Not every domain qualifies, so reach out to our team to review your domains for quality and advertiser demand.
