LOS ANGELES — DomainSherpa has released a video interview with HuntingMoon CEO Evan Horowitz, discussing the latest trends in adult domains and affiliate networks.
Horowitz, who is also CEO of affiliate advertising network Essociate.com, holds a patent for “the system and method for Affiliate Pooling,” which reportedly generates $1 million in annual licensing fees. Horowitz discusses his views on patent enforcement and other factors impacting the future of domain names, including the recent launch of .xxx.
Sponsored by DomainTools; Attorney David E. Weslow; and Protrada, The Domain Exchange; the Horowitz interview follows the company’s Webmaster Access Amsterdam auction (bid.huntingmoon.com), which runs through October 6.
During the interview, Horowitz notes that one problematic issue which often comes up is that domain owners fall in love with their names, artificially inflating their value due to their own emotional attachments — making a sale more difficult.
“This is one of the battles that we fight with our HuntingMoon sellers… all the time. They fall in love. As soon as an offer comes in, they fall in love with the domain that generated the offer,” Horowitz says. “If there is a generous offer and it is a significant amount of profit, every single domain in our arsenal is for sale.”
Domain names also need to be logical and preferably no more than one or two words.
“We see a lot of people that I would call daydreamers,” Horowitz said. “They get it stuck in their head that their domain is quality for a reason that doesn’t exist.”
As for the value of adult domain portfolios, Horowitz says that revenue is a principal driver, as are expenses, especially when dealing with premium domain name packages; but there is still potential for earnings — particularly if you find a niche that you enjoy.
“Hard work pays off,” Horowitz stated. “Anybody can break through nowadays.”