The Com Name ‘Insure’ and Not ‘Sex’ Is The World’s Most Expensive Domain!

Yes, this writer is aware that it is generally considered a poor writing practice to give the most important kernel of information away for free in the title of an article. A good writer is supposed to offer up a title that adds an air of mystery to the piece (preferably a question) and suck the reader into the body of the article. Then after gradually building the tension to a fever pitch with several well-written paragraphs, announce the answer to the question posed by the title. Unfortunately following that particular methodology has already confused thousands of searchers looking for the answer to the question correctly answered by the title of this article: “What is the world’s most expensive domain name?”

You thought it was Sex.Com, right? Of course you did, nearly everyone does. I did! I’ve written that fact into a number of articles. But I find I was wrong. And we’re not alone, you and I.

Google the question “What is the world’s most expensive domain name?” as two thousand or so individuals do every month, and you will get page after page of misleading search results. Some of them actually have the correct answer but you have to dig to find it and why would you do that when some of them are screaming the answer in the first line like “Sex Sells!” And even more to the point, and less than halfway down to the fold, “Sex.Com: Now Officially The…” This article goes on to say that the domain sold recently for 13 or 14 million dollars. Actually, as I understand it, it sold for that price in 2006. And even if that price in 2010 were correct, it still overlooks the fact that Insure.Com sold for 16 million dollars in 2009.

Actually, according to the auction house Sedo.Com on November 18, 2010, Sex.Com went for 11.5 million dollars. Which isn’t hay either! Originally Sedo had let it leak that the domain was sold at auction for 17 million. That earlier stated amount caused a commotion in the domain world since that of course would have made it indeed the most expensive domain in the world. Apparently a lot of us article writers never got around to reading more closely.

The confusion is understandable. Who could have imagined that a domain with an innocuous name like “Insure.Com” would sell for more than one named “Sex.Com.” Repeating one of the search results, “Sex sells.” Of course it does, and insurance isn’t sexy. But it is apparently more profitable!