| Due to my other Internet activities I had relegated | | | | Maybe even over reacting. The news had probably |
| my hundreds of domain names to a low priority and | | | | been released that day. I never really saw the actual |
| seldom gave them much thought. The exception was | | | | news related to that announcement, but I later |
| for some minor research for topics to create | | | | checked some of the video game sites and their |
| websites for a small number of domains. Fortunately, | | | | forums and there was lots of talk about |
| a registrar who caters to those with many domains | | | | Microsoft’s announcement related to Xbox2 |
| managed most of my names. Part of their service is | | | | to have some games created in Japan and |
| providing a number of statistics on each domain | | | | speculation that some version or prototype of Xbox |
| name. In addition, the names (URL’s) host a | | | | 2 would be at a well known game convention the |
| directory website where I can make a few cents (if | | | | next week. |
| I’m lucky) if visitors to the website click any | | | | I followed the impressions and clicks for the next |
| of the links. | | | | few days and sure enough, the action had it been |
| A few days ago I decided to take a quick look at | | | | graphed, would have looked like a huge peak, rising |
| some of those domains. I had a new idea for a few | | | | very high and then falling like a rock in just a matter |
| possible websites and wanted to see which ones | | | | of a few days. Until that day I had never realized a |
| were getting enough hits to warrant further | | | | domain name could react to news. Here is how it |
| consideration. As I created a report showing traffic | | | | played out. |
| on some of my domains I was amazed to find one | | | | Date Domain Impressions Earnings |
| of my domain names had a lot of impressions | | | | 02-25-05 1 $00.00 |
| (website page views). Where normally that name had | | | | 02-26-05 1 $00.00 |
| a few impressions each day it had several hundred | | | | 02-27-05 4 $00.00 |
| that day along with several dollars of profit where | | | | 02-28-05 1 $00.00 |
| there usually was none. | | | | 03-01-05 261 $97.77 |
| That was the first time I had noticed such a drastic | | | | 03-02-05 483 $30.33 |
| change in one of my domains in such a short period | | | | 03-03-05 404 $28.15 |
| of time — one day. The previous day there | | | | 03-04-05 569 $22.05 |
| were the normal few views and no money to be | | | | 03-05-05 2 $01.22 |
| made from that domain name. I asked my co-worker | | | | 03-06-05 4 $00.00 |
| if he heard anything in the news involving video | | | | 03-07-05 4 $00.00 |
| games since the domain name showing unusual traffic | | | | (as of 03-07-05 9:00 am) |
| was related to video games. He said no, he had | | | | I had noticed some domain names had ups and |
| heard nothing. Since he was a thirty-something and | | | | downs before, but never associated that with |
| was usually aware of such things I first thought it | | | | potential news affecting the domain name. One |
| might be just an aberration, but it was unsettling | | | | especially, but with not so pronounced activity, I did |
| nevertheless. As a stock and options investor, I am | | | | a cursory check on, and found out the name is |
| very familiar with the effects of news on those | | | | related to football. Although initially the name |
| financial instruments so news was the first thing to | | | | didn’t sound related to a sport I guess the |
| cross my mind that might change the activity on a | | | | inside and the end could be construed |
| domain name so fast. | | | | as being related to inside linebacker and end zone, |
| Later that evening, right before turning off my home | | | | defensive end, or tight end, etc. That’s a far |
| computer, I thought of that domain name again and | | | | stretch, but then again football is an extremely |
| took a quick glance at its statistics. Wow! There | | | | popular sport and is often in the news during football |
| were a lot more impressions and many more dollars | | | | season. Whether or not football is affecting this |
| showed as profit off that surge of hits. | | | | particular domain remains to be seen, but now |
| About that time my son, nineteen and an ex video | | | | I’ll be on the lookout for such possibilities |
| game fanatic, who was in Korea (I was in Southern | | | | when I register new domain names or see huge |
| California), came on and sent me a message via | | | | changes in activity on any of my domain names. |
| Instant Messenger. We conversed a short while then | | | | I had better do some follow up research on other |
| I asked him if he had heard any news about Xbox | | | | domain names that seem to have a lot of fluctuating |
| because by then I was suspecting something big | | | | activity. Take a hint from my experience. If you |
| must have been said in the news related to that | | | | have any domain names that could be subject to |
| specific video game platform. My domain name was | | | | reaction to news events you may be able to plan a |
| going wild with hits, compared to its usual half-dozen | | | | strategy to capitalize on certain events depending on |
| hits or less each day. He said, Dad, I think they | | | | the circumstances. This could be especially profitable |
| announced they are coming out with an Xbox 2. | | | | if you are selling something on a website with such a |
| Immediately I knew that was why my domain was | | | | name. |
| getting so much action. It was reacting to the news! | | | | |