For the second day in the row a online media source announced plans to change its URL from a .com to a shorter .Co address
Today Urban Times whose URL is theurbn.com writes that effective September 19th, its moving its site to the domain UT.co
“Urban Times, which as of 19th September will be redirecting from the vowel-dropping obscurity of theurbn.com to the simple clarity of urbantimes.co.”
“Along with this, we will be launching a shortener of our very own: UT.CO. We have some special plans for it; think link-shortener for optimistic forward-thinking.”
As we said before we think domaining 6.0 is all about branding.
Yesterday we wrote about Techcocktail.com changing its domain name to tech.co with the .com now forwarding the .co address.
We still think the future of domaining is all about brandable domains and we are adjusting our own portfolio based on this theory.
At least they are not wasting the millions Overstock.com wasted making this bonehead move.
It’s a good move if you’re looking for free publicity, however short-term it may be.
But the real interesting thing about this is, that if you go to UT.CO right now, you’ll see that it’s for sale at a “premium price.” So is this a way to get publicity for their .COM site, or really just a way to try and sell UT.CO before their “September 19th” deadline? I’m betting it’s a little of both.
“As we said before we think domaining 6.0 is all about branding.”
They keep flunking at branding. It is absurd. Branding is the residue of SALES!
Facebook is branded but SALES is their problem.
Pets.com was well branded but SALES was their problem.
Go down the list. In each and EVERY case it was SALES that put them in the grave.
Branding is for folks that are not capable of making a sale.
Marketing and branding only count when sales are made.
So we have an entire generation focused on the wrong end of the equation…..AGAIN!
The headline – “UrbanTimes.com Moves To UT.co On September 19th”
The article – “Urban Times, which as of 19th September will be redirecting from the vowel-dropping obscurity of theurbn.com to the simple clarity of urbantimes.co.”
So I am assuming that “UrbanTimes.com” has nothing to do with it as it appears to have a different owner.
I guess it is an upgrade, from theurbn.com at least, but the fact that “UrbanTimes.com” was listed just illustrates the confusing nature between .CO and .COM. In that battle .COM is always going to win.
Brad
“Today UrbanTimes.com writes that effective September 19th, its moving its site to the domain UT.co”
this statement you made proves everything that is wrong with new gtlds and why some chase them
it’s not urbantimes.com at all as they don’t own it, although you would assume they must be mad to have even considered developing without it
which they are
and you made the freudian error by typing it
seems it is owned by someone else
so they drift from some ugly unmemorable .com theurnb.com or whatever to some .co to something else next year lol
nothing wrong with a shortcut but all they have done is created themselves confusion and lack of direction
get the .com you want BEFORE you develop people
all that happens is they have a number of urls before they have really got started as not that a busy site, and not one decent one!
just my 2 cents
yep Rick and Brad , totally agree
‘TheDomains’ seems to be getting more and more depserate in their new gtld stories
is rapidly dropping down the order in the better blogs imo
was once very good, now I rarely stop by
too much pumping
Here is the second problem with using 2-3 letter domains instead of BRANDING your actual name.
Yeah, when you are American Airlines you can use AA. That’s after 50 YEARS of branding American Airlines.
The problem is they have yet to brand the Urban Times name. It is not a household name. Most folks never hear of it and now probably even less. Say what you want, but these are all TERRIBLE marketing and SALES decisions.
I can figure out what Urban Times is, I have no idea what ut.com or ut.co or ut.ut is. It means NOTHING!
It means University of Texas!
It means Utah, Colorado.
It means JACK!
“Here is the second problem with using 2-3 letter domains instead of BRANDING your actual name.”
As far as branding goes, shorter is not always better.
It is very hard to brand an acronym for a random company hardly anyone has heard of it.
Brad
Lastly,
This is ALL a smoke screen by you know who and you know why.
The REAL story is how many .co’s dropped TODAY!
That’s the REAL story!
So ask Juan instead of pumping this bullshit, how many domains DROPPED at .co in the past 24 hours????
The next 24 HOURS!!??
This is the INDUSTRY story not some propaganda like this to cover the real story up and then the BOGUS numbers a few weeks back BEFORE the massive drop THUS WEEK, This month,
Stop swallowing bullshit folks. We are investors not shit eaters!
Rick
Elliot wrote about the renewal rate a week or so ago
http://www.elliotsblog.com/co-seeing-strong-renewal-rate-1725
I don’t know why you think every good piece of news for .co is fabricated
The Cruises.co sale for $81K we wrote about last wee was confirmed by the buyer today in a UK publication:
http://www.travolution.co.uk/articles/2012/08/22/5954/cruise-co-uk-gazumps-adore-cruises-in-battle-of-valuable-domain-deals.html
Techcocktail.com already changed its URL to Tech.co and it forwarding its .com to the .co
This is another site that is going to use a shorter and arguable better .co domain
@Rick,
More wisdom was shared in your last two posts than 90% of the crap people write here. Gracias.
Everyone knows that UT stands for Unreal Tournament….. right ? …..
Congrats to the owners of UrbanTimes.com.
Even UT.shop or UT.web won’t fix their branding problem – and UrbanTimes.co and UT.co – well that is an admission of being naive.
Brian
If you do a Google search for urban times its this site that comes up as number 1
Don’t even see urbantimes.com on the first page
Mike,
I don’t think it is fabricated at all. Let’s see what all these folks do in a year from now if they even survive it.
In this particular case I just think the timing is to distract from the real issue.
Just like the one on July 20th touting their renewals BEFORE the big dump day. Nice try. Do we have to swallow?
I want to see the headline from them TODAY, tomorrow and next week announcing how many registrations are dropping. I am sure everyone is curious.
I still have some .co’s. But I can’t bring myself to make the same marketing mistake all these folks are doing and has been proven by overstock.
One large aftermarket domain sale does not equate to the thousands of .co domains that are dropping.
I am sure a new flock of pigeons will come in to eat the leftovers. 😉
.CO registry does a great job of marketing. Can’t take that away from them. But a great sales and marketing effort does not overcome the marketing problems an end user will have to deal with and as domain investors we see it as a very limited upside because of that.
They are changing their name to “Utah.Colombia”
“Google search for urban times its this site that comes up as number 1”
You let me know how you put that information on a billboard, print media, tv advertising and other media sources – lets say like an infomercial
Don’t know how .co will turn out but just wanted to say I admire Rick Schwartz for always speaking his mind regardless of how unpopular his opinions are. I try to live my life the same way and know how hard that can be.
.Co is better than most of the many new proposed TLDs, and its very well managed, branded, and marketed, and makes great sense in many ways. And with all this juice we can barely find any serious corporations dumping .Com in favor of .Co, just a few exceptions to note. So .Co is essentially hurting, not reaching its ultimate destiny, therefore all other new TLDs will do worse than this, but for a few exceptions out of hundreds, short.
“Mormon.Narco”
I think they might brand as UT.co but we all know the O.co story and how it end – I give then 3 months to see how there traffic holds.
@Guy
anyone that has a vested interest in the new gTLD’s is going to spin and “pump” them.
I agree with Rick and others, this is one sale of millions of .Co registrations. What relevance or impact does it have for those holding the other thousands of worthless domains in this extension? Why the hype?
And this is news? Somewhere some site not many people know of, and less care about, is switching from one crappy domain to another.
This morning I skipped breakfast – had an apple around 11….where’s my thread?
It’s not just how many of .co’s are dropping. Just look at the quality of these domains-> even if they were .com’s now I’d not want to register them in the first place.
I myself let a few dozens of my .co’s drop because of that (ashamed to admit it 🙁
If what Schwartz, the domain king, is implying is true, and that is that Berkens maybe pumping TLD’s and gTLD’s to the detriment of our sector, or industry, then we must not only make sure he never wins another award from our industry, we must make him return the ones he got already. I’ve been visiting his blog and admonishing him to slow it down with the gTLD stuff, and he practically ignored me. But, is he going to ignore Rick too?
Guys
The news is the news we publishes stories in favor of the new gTLD’s and against
We publish stuff when it comes out.
I don’t work for .Co not on the payroll, they don’t pay me to write or not to write.
Jacek –
“I myself let a few dozens of my .co’s drop because of that (ashamed to admit it )”
Congrats – You have taken a huge step toward success in domain investing – as I did years ago – and admitted to myself my mistakes.
Into my 14th year, my records show I haved owned 24,323 domains and sold or traded 838. I now have about 5,000 .com’s meaning I have made 18,500 “mistakes” (i.e. drops).
Point is I do not get caught up in:
Hillary’s Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
Romney’s Vast Left Wing Conspiracy
OR MOST IMPORANTLY
the Vast “non.com” Conspiracy
“If what Schwartz, the domain king, is implying is true, and that is that Berkens maybe pumping TLD’s and gTLD’s to the detriment of our sector, or industry,”
Whoa Kemosabe!!
That is NOT what I am saying at all. Let’s be clear.
The Pumper and Dumpers are the registries and registrars and WE as an industry are the Fish biting at the bait. That is the point!
Mike reports information as it is available. It is OUR job to label bullshit what it is. But he is not the originator of the bullshit or the motives behind it. That is our job to dissect. I see pro and con every day and there is even one today on .com study. So go to the SOURCE not the reporter.
We see domains and we also Hear domains.
One consideration with any new tld is how it will sound.
In this case, will the public hear:
“you tee dot ko”
“you tee dot see oh”
“uht dot ko”
“uht dot see oh”
As the Internet continues to become more audio-visual, this will become increasingly more important.
Hello MHB,
An important point to be considered is why would a .Com Virtual Business Foundation consider a .Co address?
Desperation mostly !
It is always a sign that things are not going well back at the Ranch.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
I agree with what RICK DID NOT SAY: TheDomains spews a considerable amount more favorable hype about the new gTLD’s than it does any negative press about them. Unlike Fox News (Lol) TheDomains Blog DOES NOT report the news in a fair and balanced manner.
Dean,
I just think Mike follows it more closely than anyone else and has since the beginning of all this.
I mean he is the “Go to guy” with anything having to do with that sector.
I get more news from Mike during the day than anywhere else.
I’m lazy, Mike works like a dog, and scours the net for things most of us are too lazy to go find out.
In business, learning about something early is a huge key to success.
Mike an I argue every day of the week about the future of this and that.
We argue. But we don’t argue for either of us to win. We argue to figure out the answer and that is the way to do it.
Each passing day there is new info and we factor it in the soup and see if it changes the taste.
@Mike @Rick Elliot’s blog just recycled the COinternet blog post without analysis. That is a very dangerous thing to do when dealing with domain statistics. If you look closely at the blog post you might see some things that are rather odd. It deserves to be examined closely.
“For domain names acquired prior to our launch on July 20, 2010: we have a 97% renewal rate for all grandfathered names; a 96% renewal rate by brands who acquired domain names during the Sunrise period; and a 92% renewal rate for names acquired during the .CO Landrush, which includes a 98% rate for names sold during the Landrush auctions.”
Now grandfathered domains are going to have a high renewal rate. The Sunrise phase, when trademarks and other intellectual property domains are registered, is going to have a high renewal rate. But Landrush auctions? This is strange because the Landrush starts when a TLD opens to the public for general registrations.
“For domain names acquired after our launch, which represents the large majority of our domains, the renewal rates are also very strong. Domain names registered on the day of our opening for GA currently have renewal rates of 77% — which is huge!”
That 77% figure sounds good, doesn’t it? But that’s just one day. And that’s the start of the Landrush. The Landrush in a new TLD does not last for just one day. It can actually stretch out over six months. And it is not unusual to see small portfolio owners dumping their entire portfolios during the anniversaries of the Landrush periods. The real losses will only become apparent over September 2012-November 2012. The first GA anniversary was 20 July 2011 – not 20 July 2012.
Before the start of the Landrush, the high value keyword domains were long gone. The average domainer hadn’t a hope of getting them. Some of the domains registered on the first day of Landrush may be owned by small portfolio domainers who managed to get the crumbs that were left. But for these domainers, and many more, the next few months offer a simple gambler’s choice: hold’em or fold’em.
But there’s also a hidden problem for .co ccTLD. Because .co was being pitched, to some extent, as a typo of (or alternative to) .com TLD, there was a lot of brand protection by small businesses worried that .co would be a complete success. However after the o.co traffic leakage fiasco, they may consider that they don’t have to protect their business name in .co ccTLD. That may add to the losses.
And the oddest thing of all? Apart from the nebulous ‘almost’ 1.4 million figure, there is no other number. That 1.4 million figure covers two years.
Rick,
I agree TheDomains is the Authority on domain related news, it’s probably by far the most read blog in the domain sector. I just think the scales are tipped in favor of certain agendas and viewpoints particularly anything to do with the new gTLD’s. That being said, I acknowledge It’s probably near impossible for anyone to write or report anything without personal bias.
To quote Rick –
“The Pumper and Dumpers are the registries and registrars and WE as an industry are the Fish biting at the bait.”
Why would most media (mainstream or otherwise) write articles in support of what the US Legal process, ACPA, UDRP, Complainants, Complainants Lawyers and other courts have PERMANENTLY buried into the heads of the worldwide consumer – i.e. .com ? – so instead they need to “genius” themselves and their readers – in this case new.coms.
Some of these new registries will make fortunes – specualtors on these domains will get burmed 🙂
the amer
Ya gotta admit, though, this whole progression is pretty comical.
A company that calls itself “Urban Times” and begins life on “theurbn.com” (shitty domain name decision #1) is apparently mistaken referenced as “UrbanTimes.com” in an article that announces their move to UT.co.
Toot toot!
All aboard the Dick Train!
Nothing funnier than when clever people try to ‘outwit’ irrevocable consumer sentiment. In my office on the wall, I have what I call my ‘gallery of metaphors’ that I can always look towards and no matter what question I may be pondering, they will furnish the correct answer.
One of those ‘metaphors’ is a can of “New Coke” from 1985.
“Toot toot!
All aboard the Dick Train!”
Oh my God that’s funny!
Dean
We spend a lot of time covering the new gTLD’s we have positive and negative stories and we have often said no one know how its all going to come out or what the effect on current TLD will be.
Considering ICANN just collected 1/3 of a billion dollars just in application fees which I would venture to say is 3 years worth of all reported aftermarket sales of domains, I don’t see how the new gTLD are not going to dominate the headlines for years to come.
.co is well known for timing press releases, it isn’t real news. It is deflection news. Some unknown company has gone from a bad URL to another bad url. That will not change a thing for this extension. The meltdown has started .mobi 2.0.
Rick,
if you can not see, we are helpless. This is the only blog on internet which is constantly highlighting “positive news” related .co and new Gtlds. He already published Domain 6.0.
I will not comment on that now. We can discuss about it after 1-2 years.
New domainers blindly follow these blogs (at least there is some discussion here). But, just go through last 100 posts – He is positive on these new gTLDs just like frank.
Some fools will blindly follow them and burn their fingers.
As usual, someone buys a .co and “domainers” want to
try to rip them apart for not choosing the “.com”…
@Brad “As far as branding goes, shorter is not always better.”
Actually, it is!.. (providing that meaning is not lost, in the
shortening process).
On a positive note, try to be glad for Urban Times, and their
obvious intent to become more well-known (so they can
identity themselves as UT credibly).
No, they’re no longer hitching a ride on the “.com” band-wagon,
but so what?!
The only people who ‘care’ about “.com” anyway, are domainers
who are up to their neck in “.com” inventory, that they are trying
hard to unload on to the next guy!
@ri.sk
The best time to buy shares is when nobody wants them -> that’s when they are available at the lowest prices. The question is: Is there any correlation between stocks and domains?
Besides its good for the average guy who wants to build a website based on .co
The best time to buy shares is when nobody wants them -> that’s when they are available at the lowest prices.
////////////////////
Therefore people should buy enron stock and polaroid? Sometimes things do not come back.
@ri.sk – ” “As far as branding goes, shorter is not always better.”
Actually, it is!.. (providing that meaning is not lost, in the
shortening process).”
How can you say ‘actually it is always better’ and then immediately state how it isn’t? Using brackets doesn’t allow a free pass to talk nonsense.
And in the scenario being discussed, your proviso comes into play anyway.
MHB –
I cant believe you force people to come here and read your articles, what a total bastard you are.
@JamesD
It was simply a ‘qualifier’, or an appendage, to a
simple comment. It doesn’t make the preceding
remark, that was made, wrong in any way and
that’s how the English language tends to work
sometimes James… 🙂
I’m sorry that you’re confused by it ‘though!
@ri.sk
I’m not confused – it’s quite clear.
Brad’s statement:“As far as branding goes, shorter is not always better.”
Is absolutely correct.
But you said that it was wrong by saying; “actually it is [always better]” and then you proceed to say in which way Brad’s statement could be right, and therefore your statement, was wrong.
Qualifier schmalifier!
@ri.sk
PS. that train’s left now, but there’ll be another one along soon!
@JamesD
Oh dear James, you really are having a difficult time with simple
language aren’t you?
Now, given that the underlying skill in ‘domaining’ is knowing
a little about the English language, and that you seem to have
quite a bit of confusion in this area, could I suggest that you stop
whatever it is you’re doing with domains for a little while, and
take an English language course?….
This will help you to understand comments that are made on
many of the forums, and may well help you to acquire better
domains.
It’s your pocket-book that I am thinking of here!
Hello MHB,
When anyone buys a .Co extension replacing a Prime Located Virtual Business Foundationin the Top Tier Traffic Channel .COM extension, they are admitting to the world their utter failure at running an online business.
Its the same as stamping F A I L U R E on your forehead expecting others to read Success. .Co is for failures nothing more.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Ri.sk –
What kind of person comments under “ri.sk” and “www.tl” and sometimes ussesss both on the same post – and yet you expect anyone to respect your ‘genius” and “knowledge”
JamesD – on the note sometimes you cannot fix what is meant to be broke.
@Brian
I’m sorry you’re living a small life, and I genuinely hope it gets
better for you. On the subject of respecting my “genius”, and
“knowledge”, I have never said anything of the kind.. anywhere.
I do think it’s important, however, that people respond to the
comments others HAVE actually made… It’s clear that you just
want to insult me ‘though, and just like you, JamesD is defensive
because of his inability to make a point.
@ri.sk – @www.tl – @Richard Haigh ….
Exactly – the point is someone who forces his hacks “ri.sk” and “www.tl” on posts – sometimes using both (or more) on the same post suggests someone who has significant Schizophrenic conversations with himself – and what is does suggest is somewhere along the line horrible wriong turns have been made.
How can anyone respect an of the jibber (oops “genius” on “knowledge”) You And Yourself offer – that is all.
@Brian
As I say, Brian, I know you have problems and I did ask you
a while ago on here to ignore my comments unless you had
something to say.
Please now do as I request, and keep your pathetic delusions
to yourself…
@ri.sk – @www.tl – @Richard Haigh ….
Of course I ignore all your comments – as does virtually everybody ewlse – because the ponly reason you are on this blog is to promote your domain hack garbage – that you offered to sell me 1 year ago and I am sure countless others.
@Brian
Yes, it’s all true Brian, I have many aliases… and all of your
comments make COMPLETE SENSE… now do you think you
can leave me in peace? 🙂
‘Toot toot’
Here she come’s ri.sk…show the guard your ticket…ooh, looks like you’re in first class!
@ri.sk –
Thanks for your desparately needed support – I have been having a hard time jerking off lately – even in front of the mirror 🙂
Anyone that promotes their domain hacks while offering commentary on a post – cannot be “left in peace” and cannot be taken seriously 🙁
Whilst it’s always heartwarming to watch people spray misplaced vitriol, just thought I’d weigh in with some facts.
Unfortunately the original post was misleading: Urban Times’s domain is moving to urbantimes.co, whereas UT.co is being used as a LINK SHORTENER only. This information was in the original article in the directly quoted portions, but the rest of the accompanying text was inaccurate and contradicted it.
That’s all.