A few days ago, I posted about how important it was to choose a good domain name. Today we’re going to talk about how to go about getting a domain name that’s about to expire.

It’s fitting that I make this post now, as I’m going through this exact process right now - I’ve had an idea for another website for quite some time now, but I’ve been struggling with finding the right domain name for it. I came across a name that was taken, but it looks like the owner had long since abandoned the site. I briefly considered soliciting the owner of the domain, to see if she wanted to sell it to me. But first, I checked the domain details, and saw that the name was set to expire in about 3 weeks. Rather than tip off the owner, I decided to wait and see if she’d renew the name or not.

3 weeks go by, and it turns out that she didn’t renew the name! I jumped onto GoDaddy and tried to purchase the name. “We’re sorry, but the name you requested is already taken.”

WTF? A quick Google search on registering expired domains led me to Mike Davidson’s post on the subject. It’s a rather long read, but it explains in great detail how the whole process works, and how best to hedge your bets to ensure that you get the domain you want. If you’re after a name that’s already taken, be sure to read Mike’s post!