A domain name drop list is a list containing the expired domain names that will be deleted from the domain name registry in the near future. These lists are typically used by domainers to locate expiring domain names with value.
Drop list contents
There is no defined date range for data contained with a drop list, as they can contain anywhere between 1 day's worth of expiring domain names, to 30 or more days worth. Some drop lists contain only domain names that follow the domain name deletion process (where the domain name enters the REGISTRAR-HOLD status, followed by REDEMPTIONPERIOD, and PENDINGDELETE), some contain only pre-release domain names, and some contain both pre-release and regular domain names.
The data contained within a drop list can also vary, with some lists providing only basic information, such as the domain name and its expiry date. Other drop lists provide more detailed statistics, including, among others, PageRank, Link popularity and Alexa rank.
Dropcatching
Expired domains that were formerly websites may be sought for parked domain monetization. If the expired domain has many inbound links, it may also be used as a site in a Private Blog Network, due to the fact that an expired domain will still usually maintain most of its prior inbound links.
These types of domains usually attract their largest amount of visitor traffic initially after being claimed from the domain drop lists. As website operators and search engines begin to remove the former inbound links, the traffic to the parked domain will decline. The process of re-registering expired names is known as dropcatching and various domain name registries have differing views on it.
See also
- Domain name speculation#Secondary market speculation
References
