A domain name appraisal is an estimate about the potential sales price of a particular Internet domain name. A domain name appraisals is highly speculative. It is an estimate and an opinion, and can considerably vary depending upon the considered elements of the name and its extension. Some appraisals take into consideration current traffic to the domain's web site, search engine placement of pages on the web site, but this is of interest primarily to those who might wish to use the domain for advertising placement. Some take current revenue from the domain into account. Most appraisals focus on the inherent qualities of the name as a trademark. Professional appraisers may regard their methods as proprietary trade secrets.

       

Appraisers generally weigh the following considerations when evaluating a domain name:

    * Top-level domain— .com, .net, .org, .info, .asia, .mobi and so on. ".com" domains are usually considered more valuable that corresponding domain names in other TLDs, with other more established TLDs – .net or .org – following.

    * Meaning - Domain names referring to popular subjects are worth more than those referring to niche subjects, e.g. movies vs. entomology.

    * Suitability for commercialization

    * Memorability relative from person to person. A domain should not be more difficult to remember than a phone number or a street address etc.

    * Number of words - Domains that comprise fewer words generally have a larger market.

    * Number of searches performed for the domain name or its component words in recent history can indicate its value for search engine optimization.

    * Length - Shorter names are more convenient for users, being faster to type and less prone to typing errors.

   

    * Pronounceability - A domain whose proper spelling is clear when spoken is generally more valuable than one which is ambiguous. (The domain name slashdot.org was selected in defiance of this principle.)

    * Added numbers usually lower estimation (e.g., Example24.com would be rated as less valuable than Example.com).

    * Typographical errors or misspellings - Domain names resembling other domains except for a typographical error can be valued by those seeking to use them for advertising or competitive activities, but can also run afoul of local trademark laws.

    * Age — A long-established domain tends to be more valuable.

    * Singular and plural domains may differ in their pricing (e.g. Example.com or Examples.com) - But both singular and plural can be resold several times for different higher or lower prices, depending on the situation of seller and purchaser.

    * Recent traffic.

    * Selling price of previous similar domains can suggest the current market value of a domain name.