Domain Parking and Monetization: Make Money From Unused Domains

What Is Domain Parking?

Domain parking is the practice of registering a domain name and displaying ads or a placeholder page instead of building a full website. When visitors arrive at the parked domain, they see ads. If they click, you earn a small commission.

How Domain Parking Works

You register a domain name (or already own one)
You sign up with a domain parking service
You point your domain's nameservers to the parking provider
The provider displays a page with relevant ads
You earn a share of advertising revenue when visitors click ads

The parking service handles everything — ad selection, page design, and payment processing.

How Much Can You Earn?

Let's set realistic expectations. Domain parking revenue depends on:

Type-in traffic: How many people directly type the domain into their browser
Domain quality: Generic, keyword-rich domains earn more
Niche value: Domains in high-CPC niches (insurance, finance, legal) pay more per click
Traffic volume: Most parked domains get very little traffic

Realistic numbers:

Most parked domains earn $0–$5/year
Good generic domains earn $50–$500/year
Premium keyword domains can earn $1,000+/year
Exceptional one-word domains earn significantly more

For most brand owners with unused domains, parking covers renewal costs at best.

Popular Domain Parking Services

Sedo

One of the largest domain marketplaces and parking providers. Also helps you sell your domain.

ParkingCrew (now Team Internet)

Specializes in domain monetization with competitive payouts.

GoDaddy CashParking

Easy setup for GoDaddy-registered domains. Lower payouts but simplest for beginners.

Bodis

Higher payouts than some competitors. Popular with professional domain investors.

Dan.com Parking

Combines parking with a sales landing page, useful if you want to sell the domain.

Domain Parking for Brand Protection

Beyond monetization, parking has strategic uses:

Hold Domains for Future Projects

You've registered yourbrand.app and yourbrand.store for future ventures. Park them to earn a trickle of income while you develop your main site.

Display a "Coming Soon" Page

Some parking services let you customize the page. Use it as a simple landing page announcing your upcoming brand launch.

Prevent Competitors From Registering

By parking domains with your brand name variations, you prevent competitors or squatters from using them.

Domain Parking vs. Domain Selling

If you own a valuable domain you don't plan to use, selling may be more profitable than parking:

Parking: Small, ongoing passive income
Selling: One-time lump sum payment

Many domain owners park their domains while listing them for sale simultaneously. Services like Sedo and Dan.com support both.

Setting Up Domain Parking

Step 1: Choose a Parking Service

Select based on payout rates, reporting, and ease of setup.

Step 2: Add Your Domain

Create an account and add the domain(s) you want to park.

Step 3: Update Nameservers

Point your domain's nameservers to the parking provider. This typically takes a few hours to propagate.

Step 4: Configure Settings

Set your preferred categories (for ad relevance), keywords, and payout preferences.

Step 5: Monitor Performance

Check your dashboard regularly. If a domain earns nothing, it may not be worth the annual renewal fee.

Ethical and Legal Considerations

Don't Cybersquat

Registering domains with someone else's trademark for the purpose of selling to them or displaying competing ads is cybersquatting. It's illegal under the ACPA (Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act) and can result in domain forfeiture and damages.

Be Honest About Traffic

Some services penalize artificial traffic. Don't click your own ads or use bots.

Trademark Monitoring

If you park a domain that later becomes someone's trademark, you could face a UDRP dispute. Monitor trademark filings related to your parked domains.

When to Stop Parking and Build

If a parked domain earns meaningful revenue, consider building an actual website. A real site with content can earn significantly more through:

SEO-driven organic traffic
Affiliate marketing
Direct advertising sales
Lead generation

Your Domain Parking Checklist

[ ] Domains identified for parking
[ ] Parking service selected
[ ] Nameservers updated
[ ] Categories and keywords configured
[ ] Performance monitored monthly
[ ] Renewal costs vs. revenue evaluated
[ ] No trademark conflicts with parked domains

If you're looking to acquire a new domain for your brand rather than parking existing ones, use BrandScout to check availability across domains, social media, and trademarks.