A handful of factors drive most domain valuation:

• Length — shorter domains are generally worth more; they're easier to remember, type, and brand.

• Keyword relevance — a domain matching a common search term or industry category ( insurance.com ) tends to carry commercial value tied to that term's traffic and intent.

• TLD — .com still commands the strongest resale value in most markets, though category-relevant TLDs ( .io for tech, for instance) can carry their own premium in the right context.

• History and age — a domain with an established registration history, prior traffic, or inbound links can be worth more than an identical-looking domain registered yesterday.

• Brandability — a name's built-in memorability or pronounceability, independent of literal keyword meaning, matters for domains intended for branding rather than direct search traffic.

None of these factors work in isolation. A short domain in an unpopular TLD with no history might still be worth very little, while a longer domain with strong keyword relevance and a .com extension can be worth a great deal.