Top Keywords That Keep Selling Domains
Afternic has published recurring sales data that reveals one consistent truth: a few powerful keywords dominate the aftermarket. Between March 2023 and August 2024, a handful of terms repeatedly appeared in monthly filtered sales reports.
Here are the top 10 domain keywords from that period, along with how often they showed up:
my (17 of 17 months)
ai (17 of 17)
group (16 of 17)
home (17 of 17)
bet (15 of 17)
health (16 of 17)
it (appeared frequently, count not specified)
solutions (15 of 17)
tech (15 of 17)
pro (17 of 17)
These words weren’t randomly successful. Each carries strategic branding value, allowing domain names to tap into bigger ideas with fewer letters.
Why These Keywords Work
my – Adds personalization. Think myFinance.com or myClinic.com. Buyers see it as direct and user-focused.
ai – Reflects one of the hottest tech sectors today. Domains with “ai” instantly associate with innovation, automation, or intelligence.
group – Adds authority. Whether it’s legal, consulting, or logistics, “group” suggests structure and scale.
home – Conveys warmth, real estate, family, or personal care. Highly adaptable.
bet – Clear fit for gambling, sports, and gaming. The word is short and loaded with meaning.
health – A massive vertical. Healthcare, wellness apps, supplements, fitness services—this word covers it all.
it – Tech catchall. Whether it’s “it solutions” or “secureit,” the term gives a clean nod to technology.
solutions – A universal keyword for problem solvers. Often paired with industry-specific terms.
tech – Strong signal for startups, electronics, platforms, and SaaS companies.
pro – Signals authority and expertise. Great for service providers or products aimed at professionals.
Additional Keywords That Consistently Performed
These keywords didn’t make the top 10 but were still regulars in Afternic’s monthly charts:
your (14 of 17)
life
club
online
new
capital
house
best
world
services
Each keyword supports clear positioning. “Your” mirrors the success of “my,” while “online,” “new,” and “capital” align with growth-oriented buyers.
Trendy and Emerging Keywords
Some keywords appeared sharply during specific months. Their timing often reflects external events or cultural shifts.
gpt – Started appearing in 2023 as tools like ChatGPT became mainstream.
x – Showed up in mid-2023. Likely boosted by Elon Musk’s rebrand of Twitter to X.
florida, blue – Showed brief activity. Possibly seasonal or trend-driven (e.g., local businesses, color-based brands).
These are not long-term chart-toppers, but they signal how responsive the domain market is to headlines and hype.
Keyword Themes and Strategic Categories
The full keyword list breaks down into broader categories. Each reflects a different buyer mindset:
Tech & Future-Oriented
– ai – tech – it – gpt – pro
Health & Lifestyle
– health – home – life – club
Business & Professionalism
– group – solutions – services – capital
Personalization & Branding
– my – your – best
Digital Scope & Broad Appeal
– online – new – world – house
Risk and Reward
– bet – x
This thematic breakdown helps domain investors match keywords with industries. It also reveals where trends are forming and where stability lies.
How Domain Sellers Should Respond
These keyword trends aren’t just interesting—they’re signals with price tags attached. Every name that sells with one of these high-performing words tells us something about buyer psychology. Domain investors who pay attention can move from guessing to informed strategy.
The first step is selecting inventory with purpose. Words like “ai”, “group”, or “health” aren’t just floating around in a sea of randomness. They’re attached to industries with spending power. If you’re building a portfolio, lean into these. A name like TechSolutions.ai speaks to a specific audience with budget. That’s where money changes hands.
Length matters too—but not always in the way people assume. Short is good. But clear and usable beats short for the sake of being short. MyHomePro.com isn’t ultra short, but it feels complete. It tells you who it’s for, what it does, and sounds brand-ready.
Combining two top-ranking terms is often a safe play. For example:
HealthGroup.com – Combines wellness with business structure.
BetPro.io – Targets gambling with a tone of expertise.
YourTechSolutions.com – Personal, scalable, and consultative.
Keyword stuffing doesn’t help. A name like BetProAIGroupSolutions.io is junk. Domain buyers want clarity, not crossword puzzles.
Pricing should also reflect keyword demand. A domain with “gpt” or “ai” carries more weight now than it did three years ago. If you’re pricing based on length alone, you’re probably leaving money on the table.
Sellers should also watch for momentum. Emerging keywords like “gpt” showed up fast and sold faster. Domains with “x” popped around the time Twitter rebranded. Timing matters. When news breaks, the right domain can feel like it’s sitting on the shelf waiting for a buyer. That’s a window—don’t miss it.
Lastly, ignore the myth that only .com sells. High-performing keywords sell across extensions when the context fits. TechGroup.io or Solutions.ai are good examples. The keyword does the heavy lifting.
What’s Important about Afternic’s Lists
Afternic’s data isn’t noise. It’s the pulse of what buyers are actually buying. Patterns have formed—and they’re not subtle. Over and over, the same words lead the pack. “My,” “ai,” “group,” “home,” “health”—they come up again and again. That’s not random. That’s market alignment.
It’s easy to be distracted by trends that vanish in a few months. But the core keywords on this list aren’t flashes in the pan. They work because they’re broad without being vague, specific without being narrow. They allow a domain name to feel bigger than its parts.
That’s why this data matters. It’s not about listening to hype. It’s about watching what real buyers pay for—and using that to guide how you name, list, and price your domains.
If you’re in the domain business, this isn’t optional reading. This is your playbook.
Complete List of Afternic’s Popular Keywords
- my
- ai
- group
- home
- bet
- health
- it
- solutions
- tech
- pro
- your
- life
- club
- online
- new
- capital
- house
- best
- world
- services
- gpt
- x
- florida
- blue
Using Keyword Trends to Find Better Expired Domains
Expired domain names offer hidden value—if you know what to look for. The challenge isn’t quantity; it’s quality. Thousands of domains expire daily, but only a fraction are worth acquiring. That’s where keyword filtering comes in.
Using a proven list of high-performing keywords—like the top terms from Afternic’s sales reports—gives you an immediate edge. Instead of scanning domains manually or relying on gut instinct, you can apply a filter based on what buyers have repeatedly paid for.
By matching expired domains against known top-selling keywords like “ai,” “my,” “group,” “health,” or “solutions,” you can focus your efforts on names that align with real buyer behavior. These aren’t theoretical preferences. They’re patterns backed by actual transaction data.
To speed things up, AI tools like ChatGPT can help filter large lists of expired domains. Just paste your list into a structured prompt, and let the model highlight the domains that match keyword trends.
AI Prompt: Filter Expired Domains by Keyword Value
You can paste this prompt into ChatGPT or another AI tool to help you sort through a list:
You are a domain investor assistant. I will give you a list of expired domain names. Your task is to filter and return only the domains that contain one or more of these high-value keywords:
my, ai, group, home, bet, health, it, solutions, tech, pro, your, life, club, online, new, capital, house, best, world, services, gpt, x, florida, blue
Return a filtered list of the domain names that include at least one of these keywords. Then, group the filtered domains by keyword and add a short note about why each domain might have resale potential. Do not rewrite or reformat the domain names—only filter and comment. Here’s the list:
[paste your list of domains here]