In the latest episode of Master of Your Domain, Rob Schutz sat down with Dylan Ander, founder of HeatMap.com and SplitTesting.com, to talk about his journey in acquiring premium domain names and building successful e-commerce businesses. Dylan’s domain game is strong—he’s been buying, selling, and optimizing websites for over a decade. From nabbing expired domains to scoring category-defining ones, he’s got the playbook on how to turn a domain into a major business asset.
The HeatMap Story: AI, Revenue Attribution, and a Legendary Domain
First up, Dylan gave the lowdown on HeatMap.com. This isn’t just another click-tracking tool—it’s all about the money. “Other click maps out there just show clicks… no one cares about that. They care about revenue,” Dylan explained. HeatMap.com is built to track revenue attribution, using AI to analyze trillions of data points and shoot users a weekly email with tips to boost their website’s performance. Super slick.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Dylan didn’t just stumble upon HeatMap.com—he hustled to get it. The domain had been around for 20 years, with a dusty old heat-mapping tool built on it. Dylan used what he calls his “email bombing” strategy, sending a bunch of urgent emails to the founders. Two weeks later, he was wiring money to buy the entire business. It wasn’t a huge acquisition, but the domain alone was worth a fortune. “I knew the domain alone was worth a quarter million,” Dylan said, knowing he struck gold.
The $4,000 Domain Score: SplitTesting.com
Before HeatMap, there was SplitTesting.com—a domain Dylan and his team grabbed for a cool $4,000, and it was worth every penny. They’d been brainstorming domain ideas for their new CRO (conversion rate optimization) company and looking at everything from SplitTesting.co to SplitTests.com, but nothing was clicking.
Then, boom—Dylan’s COO found SplitTesting.com available for just $4,000 on Namecheap. Dylan didn’t even hesitate. He threw his credit card across the room, literally, to make sure they bought it on the spot. And just like that, they locked in a name that would define the company.
What made it so valuable? Dylan’s all about SEO, but this domain wasn’t just about search rankings. It was straight-up descriptive. “I like people to know what my company does before they even visit the website,” Dylan said. And with a name like SplitTesting.com, it was obvious—they were the split testing guys. No explanation needed.
Why a Great Domain Matters
Dylan’s pretty clear: a solid domain gives your business credibility right out of the gate. Whether it’s SplitTesting.com or HeatMap.com, the right domain can make you look like the leader in your space, even before people know what you do.
But Dylan’s got some advice: don’t go broke buying a domain. “I always had a business going before I bought the notable domains,” he said. His point? Make sure you’ve got the cash and the business to back it up before you drop serious money on a domain. And yeah, $4,000 is a lot of money—but it turned into a huge return for SplitTesting.com.
Wrapping It Up
Dylan Ander’s domain game is next level. Whether it’s scooping up SplitTesting.com for $4,000 or hustling to grab HeatMap.com with a few urgent emails, he’s got the strategy nailed down. If you’re thinking about buying a domain for your business, take a page out of Dylan’s book: have a solid business first, get the cash flow going, and then go after that perfect .com. It might just be the thing that takes your brand to the next level.
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