domain squatter

Overview

A domain squatter is a web site which apparently exists solely to collect advertising revenue by pointing a popular or likely domain name at a search-engine front-end, doing minimal customization (often automatic) to make the site's contents appear at least somewhat relevant to the domain name, and surrounding the search functionality with advertising (usually a combination of graphical and text advertising). The domain name itself is also sometimes for sale at a high price; sometimes reselling the domain at a high markup (domain speculation) is the primary purpose of the site.

The term domain squatter also refers to a person or organization who owns such sites (i.e is engaged in the activity of domain squatting).

Discussion

• Domain Resale Code of Ethics: a proposal at HypertWiki

Examples

• FilmApart.net (2005-12-28: "what you need, when you need it")
• FreshRPMs fake-out sites: .com and .org (real site is http://freshrpms.net)
• Imports Unlimited slogan was "what you need, when you need it"; on later visit, had different look and no slogan (2006-01-30: back to "what you need, when you need it")
• ips.ca (2006-01-30: "what you need, when you need it")
• NC Smartlink purports to be about traffic cameras and real-time traffic information, but the links go to pages of what seems to be entirely advertising
• ozyandmillie.com does not appear to be owned by David C. Simpson, creator of the comic Ozy and Millie (alt)
• deadbears.com: currently for sale at $688 (likely target for people looking for Grateful Dead bean-bears)
• gratefuldeadbears.com
• abekabook.com: no apparent association with Christian textbook printer A Beka Book
• churchsigngeneration.com
• littledee.com: no relation to online comic Little Dee

Links/News

• 2005-12-01 Masters of their Domains, CNN Money
• 2005-02-22 Search-Optimized Domain Portfolio Sells for $164 Million

Reference

• wikipedia: John Zuccarini, a notorious domain-squatter