Here’s an example mini site created by Minisites.com.

Site by Minisites.com

I was excited last week to read that DN Media Corporation teamed up with Nat Cohen of Telepathy, Inc. for a new mini site service called Minisites.com. I’ve been impressed with both of these companies. DN Media has launched successful products including PushtoAuction.com, and also sold DNW.com to me.

I’m rather particular when it comes to mini sites, since I’ve been creating them for over five years. So I decided to put Minisites.com to the test on the domain name KansasCity.us (see picture).

Minitsites.com delivered. It created a good theme relevant to Kansas City, including a stylized skyline of the city using the colors Kansas City is known for. The theme is clean and easy-to-navigate. Minisites.com wrote five quality articles covering the basics of the city. The site also includes a sitemap submitted to Google and a Google Adsense-compliant privacy policy (including the latest guidelines about interest-based advertising). Meta keyword and description tags are well written, too.

Keep in mind that creating a mini site is just the foundation for making money. Minisites.com creates a good foundation; you need to do the work to promote the site. Some simple steps include writing articles and distributing them to online article sites as well as building other back links. Minisites.com does basic link building with each site and its “Big Mini” package includes more link building. But keep in mind it’s an ongoing process. Minisites.com also provides you with a login to add more content to your site in the future.

There are two types of domains I’d recommend building mini sites for. The first are domains with solid keywords but low traffic. For these you’ll need to work hard to get links to them. The second are expired domains you picked up that already have backlinks. You’ll want to get a mini site up on these before parking them to keep them from being de-indexed. You might also use a mini site to show “intent to use” your domain name.

The field of mini site creation companies is getting crowded, but MiniSites.com should be on your short list. It also earns bonus points for using such a good domain name for its service.

Another reason you need to pay attention to the new top level domain process at ICANN.

I think it’s time to start a “Threatdown” for domain owners, a la Stephen Colbert. The threats to domain name owners in the new top level domain process at ICANN are far scarier than Colbert’s perennial threat: bears.

Today’s threat is the protection of city and other place names at the second level. We’re not talking about top level domains such as .nyc. We’re talking about domains like NewYork.tld.

Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), the UN-type constituency of ICANN, is proposing “country, territory, and place names should be protected at the top and second levels in new gTLDs”.

ICANN CEO Paul Twomey (who conveniently won’t be around when new TLDs finally rear their ugly heads) has pushed back on GAC, but the threat remains. In a letter (pdf) from Twomey to GAC’s Chairman earlier this month, Twomey pointed out many of the challenges of protecting place names at the second level. For example, if IBM wants .IBM, it shouldn’t be forbidden from using France.IBM as a domain. (Why IBM would want to do this is still unclear to me).

But the door is still open, as Twomey writes:

While these challenges remain in terms of implementing elements of 2.7, recent discussions suggest that there may be possible mechanisms that offer protections to country and territory names at the second level. The elaboration of possible mechanisms by GAC members is sought, to enable further discussion of the feasibility of such mechanisms with a view to finding a workable solution for resolving this outstanding issue.

GAC will certainly be able to influence ICANN even more when U.S. oversight of the ICANN is lost later this year. Hold onto your hats, folks.

The deadline to comment on the 2nd version of the gTLD handbook is April 13.

I’m off to Las Vegas for Domain Madness.

Keeping up with all domain news it tough work. Here’s a case in point on how I’m taking one for the team. You know, sacrificing.

So on Friday Adam Strong of Domain Consultant sends me an e-mail to tell me about the live version of Tuesday’s Domain Madness auction. Man, so you mean I have to go to Vegas for the event to cover it? And stay at the rinky-dink Palms hotel? What a sacrifice. I guess I need to do it for my readers, though.

I’m going to suck it up and head over to Vegas to cover the event. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.

I figure the good people of Las Vegas need all the tourist dollars they can get. I’m charitable. Yeah, so it’s only about $100 a night for a room at The Palms. And even at the last minute my flight is only $230. But every bit helps.

If you’re heading to Vegas for the auction finale I look forward to seeing you. Otherwise, stay tuned for my updates.

Venture Capital firm was big backer of generic domain-based companies.

Rob Monster’s Monster Venture Partners is closing its doors, reports TechFlash.

Monster Venture Partners backed a number of companies that were formed with high value generic domain names, such as Alerts.com and Healthcare.com. Other companies Monster Venture Capital invested in were SharedReviews, EvoMedia Group (formerly EvoLanding), and Complaints.com. Because Monster founded the venture capital firm with $7M of his personal money, it’s difficult to determine which companies are backed by Monster Venture Capital and which ones were simply angel investments by Monster.

Rob Monster’s Domain Strategies company has struck a number of development deals with companies, including for Wifi.com as well as a deal with Live Current Media (OTCbb: LIVC) to develop Karate.com. Monster is also involved with Patents.com.

All told, Monster Venture Partners invested in about 20 companies over two years. According to the TechFlash article, most of the companies are now bootstrapping or have raised funds from other investors.

Although it’s unfortunate to see economic conditions force the formal closing of the fund, it’s clear that Rob Monster isn’t leaving the domain space.

Dell decides it should use the domain name Adamo.com for its new computer.

When Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) launched its sleek new laptop called Adamo it overlooked one important marketing issue: it didn’t own the domain name Adamo.com. As we reported last week, the domain name was owned by Tucows (AMEX: TCX) in its Yummy Names organization.

Apparently Dell saw the error of its ways. Domain Name Wire has confirmed that the computer manufacturer purchased the domain name, which now resolves to Dell’s Adamo site.

Before launching someone representing Dell says it approached Tucows about buying the domain name. Tucows offered a standard $750 monthly lease but was rebuffed.

We see big companies launch products without obtaining the requisite domain name all the time. By buying the domain after the fact they usually end up having to pay more, such as when Apple belatedly purchasing iPhone.com. Hopefully the marketing departments at Fortune 500 companies will start working “obtain domain name” into their product launch steps.