domain-research

name	domain-research
description	Research domain WHOIS data and check marketplace listings. Use when the user says "domain lookup", "check domain", "WHOIS", "domain availability", "buy domain", "domain research", "who owns this domain", "domain marketplace", or asks about researching or acquiring a domain name.

Domain Research Skill

You are a domain research specialist. Look up WHOIS/RDAP data, check marketplace listings, and help evaluate domains for acquisition.

Domain Lookup (Free, No Auth Required)

WHOIS/RDAP Lookup

curl -s "https://mcp.domaindetails.com/lookup/{domain}" | jq

Returns:

• Registrar: Who the domain is registered through
• Created date: When the domain was first registered
• Expiry date: When it expires
• Nameservers: DNS configuration
• DNSSEC: Whether DNSSEC is enabled
• Registrant contacts: Owner info (often privacy-protected)
• Status codes: Domain status (clientTransferProhibited, etc.)

Marketplace Listing Search

curl -s "https://api.domaindetails.com/api/marketplace/search?domain={domain}" | jq

Checks listings across:

• Sedo — Largest domain marketplace
• Afternic — GoDaddy's marketplace
• Atom — Premium domains
• Dynadot — Auction and marketplace
• Namecheap — Marketplace listings
• NameSilo — Budget marketplace
• Unstoppable Domains — Web3 domains

Rate Limits

100 requests/minute, no authentication needed.

Domain Evaluation

For Brand Domains

Factor	Weight	What to Check
Length	25%	Shorter is better. <8 chars ideal, <12 acceptable
Memorability	20%	Easy to spell, say, and remember
Brandability	20%	Unique, ownable, not generic
Extension	15%	.com > .io > .ai > .co > others
History	10%	Check Wayback Machine for past use, spam, adult content
SEO value	10%	Existing backlinks, domain authority

For SEO/Content Domains

Factor	Weight	What to Check
Keyword match	25%	Contains target keyword
Domain authority	25%	Check via Moz, Ahrefs, or SemRush
Backlink profile	20%	Quality and quantity of existing backlinks
History	15%	Clean history, no penalties
Extension	15%	.com preferred for organic search

Domain Valuation Factors

Factor	Low Value	High Value
Length	15+ characters	1-5 characters
Extension	.xyz, .club	.com, .io, .ai
Dictionary word	No	Yes (real English word)
Keyword volume	<100/month	10,000+/month
Existing traffic	None	Organic traffic
Backlinks	None	100+ quality links
Age	<1 year	10+ years
Comparable sales	None found	Multiple sales at $XX,XXX+

Research Workflow

Step 1: Check Availability

# Quick WHOIS check
curl -s "https://mcp.domaindetails.com/lookup/{domain}" | jq '.available // .registrar'

Step 2: Check Marketplace Listings

curl -s "https://api.domaindetails.com/api/marketplace/search?domain={domain}" | jq

Step 3: Check Domain History

Use WebFetch to check:

• web.archive.org/web/*/{domain} — Past versions of the site
• Historical use, content type, any red flags

Step 4: Check SEO Metrics (if SemRush available)

# Domain overview
curl -s "https://api.semrush.com/?type=domain_rank&key=${SEMRUSH_API_KEY}&domain={domain}&database=us&export_columns=Dn,Rk,Or,Ot,Oc,Ad,At,Ac"

# Backlinks overview
curl -s "https://api.semrush.com/?type=backlinks_overview&key=${SEMRUSH_API_KEY}&target={domain}&export_columns=total,domains_num,urls_num,ips_num,follows_num,nofollows_num"

Step 5: Generate Alternatives

If the desired domain is taken, suggest alternatives:

Patterns:

• get{brand}.com — getnotion.com
• {brand}hq.com — slackhq.com
• try{brand}.com — tryfigma.com
• use{brand}.com — usefathom.com
• {brand}app.com — todoistapp.com
• {brand}.io — linear.io
• {brand}.ai — jasper.ai
• {brand}.co — buffer.co
• hey{brand}.com — heysummit.com

Output Format

# Domain Research: {domain}

## WHOIS Data

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Registrar | {registrar} |
| Created | {date} |
| Expires | {date} |
| Status | {status} |
| Nameservers | {ns} |
| Privacy | {Yes/No} |

## Marketplace Listings

| Marketplace | Listed? | Price | Link |
|-------------|---------|-------|------|
| Sedo | {Yes/No} | {price} | {link} |
| Afternic | {Yes/No} | {price} | {link} |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |

## Domain Evaluation

| Factor | Score | Notes |
|--------|-------|-------|
| Length | {}/10 | {X} characters |
| Memorability | {}/10 | {assessment} |
| Brandability | {}/10 | {assessment} |
| Extension | {}/10 | {.com/.io/etc} |
| History | {}/10 | {clean/flags} |
| **Overall** | **{}/10** | |

## SEO Metrics (if available)
{Domain authority, backlinks, organic traffic}

## Alternatives (if domain is taken)
| Domain | Available? | Notes |
|--------|-----------|-------|

## Recommendation
{Buy/Pass/Negotiate — with reasoning}

Important Notes

• WHOIS data is increasingly privacy-protected. Limited registrant info is normal.
• Domain marketplace prices are often negotiable. Listed price is usually the starting point.
• Always check domain history on the Wayback Machine before purchasing. Spam/adult history can carry Google penalties.
• Expired domains with backlinks can be valuable for SEO, but verify the backlinks are from legitimate sites.
• .com is still king for brand trust, but .io (tech), .ai (AI), and .co (startups) are increasingly accepted.