Part 4 of 4: Extra Insights From The Author Of "The Domain Game"

Today we conclude Fractional Domaining Blog's 4-part interview with David Kesmodel, author of "The Domain Game", with discussions about notable trends in domaining since the book manuscript was written; additional resources Kesmodel plans to offer; feedback the author has received so far and whether another book is planned; whether writing this important book about the domain industry and many of its key players was worth Kesmodel's time investment and why; and additional thoughts from the author.

Don't forget to join me at FractionalDomainingBlog.com tomorrow for my personal review of "The Domain Game"!

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Neal R. Voron, of Fractional Domaining Blog:

Q16: Are there any notable trends in domaining that you have observed since your manuscript was finalized that you think your readers may find of interest?

David Kesmodel:

A16: A big one is that it appears Google and other pay-per-click networks are changing their policies to make sure advertisers are getting high-quality traffic. And that appears to be making it tougher for domain investors with average or subpar domains to generate revenue from pay-per-click ads displayed on their site. So domain investors need to do more work to produce cash flow. It looks like cost-per-action (CPA) models could become increasingly important to domainers, and they should be doing some homework on opportunities in this popular branch of affiliate marketing.

Neal R. Voron, of Fractional Domaining Blog:

Q17: You have a "Resources" page at your book's web site. Are you planning to offer any other resources or interactive features of your own for your readers?

David Kesmodel:

A17: I am. I eventually plan to provide some information on how the domain market evolved, so that someone new to the space who wants to do some quick research to understand what happened in the past can do that. Understanding history in this market is important to understanding the future, I believe. I am also thinking of offering a tool to allow people to give me feedback about the book.

Neal R. Voron, of Fractional Domaining Blog:

Q18: Since May 2007, you have been a staff reporter in the Wall Street Journal's Chicago bureau, where you cover the beer and grocery industries... Do you currently have plans for any additional books about domaining?

David Kesmodel:

A18: Not at the present time. But I will continue to keep an eye on the market.

Neal R. Voron, of Fractional Domaining Blog:

Q19: What has the feedback been about "The Domain Game" so far? (Positives and Negatives)

David Kesmodel:

A19: So far, it has been mostly positive. Frankly, though, I don't think a lot of people have yet had a chance to read it. There were some glitches with Xlibris.com, though now they've been resolved. The book soon will be available to international readers through a service in London, so that will get the book in more folks' hands. But the few who've read it and commented say they've enjoyed the book, especially how stories about people who took risks are woven into the narrative about the domain market's history. Even my 61-year-old mother, who doesn't use computers at all, is reading the book and says she's fascinating by the stories of fearless domainers. Sure, I admit she's biased, but I just expected her to skim the darn thing. Maybe she'll soon be on SnapNames going for drops.

Neal R. Voron, of Fractional Domaining Blog:

Q20: Was writing "The Domain Game" worth your time investment? Why?

David Kesmodel:

A20: Absolutely. I had a blast facing up to the challenge of quickly researching and writing a book on the domain market. I was given only six months to turn out the original manuscript, so I had to work feverishly to get it done. I enjoyed meeting that challenge. I also had a great time getting to know a number of domain investors. These are really interesting people, and we had provocative conversations that went outside domaining. My interviews with top domain investors and the time I spent alone in my office, writing and rewriting and rewriting again, will always evoke special memories for me. It was a tough time for my wife, but she is starting to forget the hard parts. I also remain confident that the book will be a modest financial success, which will make all that hard work even more worthwhile.

Neal R. Voron, of Fractional Domaining Blog:

Q21: Any additional thoughts you might wish to share?

David Kesmodel:

A21: I would just urge people to give the book a shot. It's only 209 pages. I truly believe people can learn things from this book, even if you have no intention of going into domain investing. There are some good Horatio Alger-type tales in there that anyone interested in business could learn from.

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I hope you enjoyed our interview... Many thanks to David Kesmodel for sharing his insights with us!

See you tomorrow with my personal review of "The Domain Game"!

-- Neal