If it wasn’t for this blog, I probably wouldn’t have much of a presence on Twitter. I would probably use my account to follow various accounts of interest – domain names, investing, news, sports…etc. I most likely wouldn’t spend time communicating via Twitter like I do now.
Because of my blog and Embrace.com, I spend a fair amount of time tweeting about domain names. Many of these tweets highlight notable domain name sales and domain name acquisitions. Not only do the tweets drive some traffic to my website, but they also help build the Embrace.com brand.
When I inquire about buying a domain name, I do so using my real name with my real contact information. Being transparent can help establish trust, and that is crucial in a negotiation. While some people may opt to not sell a domain name to a domain investor, I would rather a counter party know why I am buying a domain name rather than think I am a major corporation with unlimited funding.
The transparency under which I negotiate deals can also cause issues for me. This is particularly so with public Twitter feeds available to anyone who does a quick Google search for my name or Embrace.com. People can get a quick education about domain name values and sale prices from my Twitter feeds, and that can impact my ability to buy a domain name.
Case in point, I recently received a reply to a purchase offer for a one word .com domain name:
“I already have a standing offer of several hundred thousand for the domain name should I decide to retire it. However, I noticed your Twitter feed which made me realize that might be less than current market value. You are in a very interesting industry!”
This is a valuable domain name I would have bought in the $50 – 100k range. Clearly, this is lower than the previous offer that was mentioned to me. I did not lose out on this particular deal as a result of my Twitter account.
That being said, I am sure other people have done a Google search of my name or my business and come across my Twitter accounts. These domain registrants may have chosen not to reply to me because I am an investor or may have raised their price after seeing me tweet about domain name values.
If you are trying to buy domain names and use your real identity to do so, you should understand your public Twitter feed might be easy to find. It goes without saying that you should be mindful of your tweeting, but if you tweet about domain names, a prospective seller may become more educated because of your feed.
