How To Identify A Parked Domain
If you have heard of the term parked domains but aren’t sure what they are, we are going to clear that up for you today. You may even have some parked domains that you’re not aware of, or come across one even browsing the internet today. So how do you identify a parked domain? Well, in a brief sentence, a parked domain is a domain name that isn’t connected to any website or email services. Think of a parked car. It is stationary and isn’t moving towards any one position or receiving any passengers.
Parked domains also don’t redirect any traffic towards any other websites. It is a domain name that someone has purchased but hasn’t done anything with, such as linking it to a website, or to email services. Almost, if you will, in a state of ‘limbo’. Domain names are incredibly important when it comes to the success of a website and the traffic being driven towards a website.
Ways to identify a parked domain
If you have a domain connected to a website, it will point towards the servers of the hosting company, or to the managed WordPress hosting address. If you have a domain that is parked, this simply means that it is pointing nowhere. Or it may just point towards a generic ‘parked’ page which could be from your hosting provider stating that this website address is parked.
Parked domains can also be referred to commonly as ‘aliases. The reason for this is that it’s not uncommon for people to buy domain names which are slightly misspelt versions of their brands to ensure that others won’t purchase them and use them to redirect to malicious destinations.
There are many different reasons why people choose to park domains. Some may park them in the hope of selling them for a profit in the future. They may also be parked in anticipation of the website being ready to build and launch and are simply waiting.
What does a parked domain look like?
It’s quite easy to distinguish what a parked domain looks like and what an active one does. Typically a parked domain will have a generic message such as a ‘can’t be reached’ or ‘this domain is parked’ as we have mentioned already. Or it may even be a sales page asking the visitor to the page to get in touch should they want to purchase the domain.
The vast majority of parked domains will produce the former. Which is the error message. This is because they are trying to reach a non-existent destination. The latest message that shows in Google Chrome which no doubt you will have come across says ‘This site can’t be reached’. This is a bit frustrating because it then doesn’t tell you whether the domain is owned or available.
There is a way however to tell if a domain is available or taken and that is by something called a WHOIS lookup. This is referred to as a search of the official domain name registry. You simply need to go onto their website type in the domain name in question and search. This will tell you in the domain status whether the domain is taken or available to purchase.
How do I go about buying a parked domain?
If you have found a desirable parked domain, there is no strict guarantee that you will be able to purchase it. If you go to the WHOIS look-up and it tells you that it is available, it will also give you a link if you want to purchase the said domain. This will then refer you to one of the domain registrars who will facilitate the sale. The price of a domain can depend on many different factors. It also depends on what you want at the end. With .com and .co.uk and .net becoming more expensive than .org and .uk.
Have you got a parked domain?
If you have a parked domain which is currently not being utilised, you can park with us here at DomainUI. We can help you utilise your domain and start to drive traffic towards it. You can even create your very own bespoke landing page with a contact form on it. This can help to make your website look more attractive to potential buyers. Get in touch with us today to find out more about how our domain parking service can help you and your business grow.
