Today Google began running an ad on its home page, right under the search box, to promote its Nexus One mobile phone.
According to Gene Munster, research analyst at Piper Jaffray, the value of the homepage ad is between $4 million to $5 million per DAY.
We discussed the other day that Google inexcusably failed to secure the domain nexusone.com before announcing the product.
According to Alexa that domain already ranks in the top 38,000 of all sites, which is a lot of traffic to lose out on especially compared to the value of its own space its giving up to promote the phone.
snicksnack says
They could have bought the domain for far less than 4 million, I assume.
Tony says
Google Phone is a perfectly good name for their phone…
Or even GPhone…
Google is a household name as there is. Their arrogance in not using it is amazing.
Suneedh says
Are you sure the Alexa rank is 38,000 ?? Because I see it is 353k .
Phil says
I’ve never seen another ad on google’s homepage. Who cares what’s the possible value when they don’t sell that ad space and therefore don’t waste/spend $5 mil a day.
There is another more interesting fact: Google has so much free ad space that they could conquer any market and beat any competition. They are already listed on top for all mortgage related keywords.
Soon they will be for phone related also.
Phil says
Not securing nexusone.com might be strategic. If someone goes to nexusone.com looking for the new phone and doesn’t find it the next step is to google. It’s not good for domainers if google is trying to control and get rid of the address bar. I’m sure everyone has friends that never use the address bar but type the domain in google.
Breaking News Blog says
.
I’ve already found the page google.com/phone just… googling… but there is no ad yet on the Google’s home page
.
sc says
Good Grief.
JS says
Michael, why can’t major software/internet corporations hire a domainer on their staff. Things would be much simpler and they’d have somebody to blame when things like this happen. 😉
Seriously, when you have 10+ brands/TM all related to computers and communication, you’ve got to start playing the domain game.
Google is not leading by example here.
Tony says
JS, I think Google does know the domain game. They own 9,000+ domains mostly to protect their brand. I think they’re trying to kill the domain game though because as others have said over and over, anyone one types in their search words and adds a .com is bypassing their service.
That’s perfectly understandable and logical to me. My only issue here is they already built up their Brand and are not taking advantage of it for their phone. They own GooglePhone.com. Why not use it? Everyone knows It’s not just about domaining here. I don’t think they’re stupid. Therefore, I have to assume they’re arrogant.
MHB says
Suneedh
Your looking at the 3 month average.
You need to look at the chart which shows the current traffic in 2010
BAS says
I wonder if google did not get the Nexus one domain because they plan to come out with different phones and give each phone a different name, I have a few domains I wonder if they would be interested in them, here are the ones that I think they might be able to use,
GOOGLEPHONE.NAME
GOOOGLEMOBILEADS.COM
GOOGLECELLPHONESTORE.COM
GOOGLEMOBILESTORE.COM
GOOGLEMOBILESTORE.MOBI
GOOGLEPHONESTORE.COM.CN
GOOGLEPHONESTORE.MOBI
GOOGLEPHONESTORE.NET
GOOGLECELLPHONE.COM
GOOGLECELLPHONES.COM.CN
GOOGLEMOBILEDEVICES.COM
GOOGLEPHONS.COM
GOOGLETEXTADVERTISING.COM
GOOGLEWIRELES.CO.UK
GOOGLEWIRELES.COM
GOOGLEWIRELESSWORLD.CO.UK
GOOGLEWIRELESSWORLD.COM
GOOGLEWIRLESS.COM
GPHONEVIDEOADS.COM
IGOOGLEWIRELESS.COM
GOGLECELLPHONES.COM
GOGLEGPHONE.COM
GOOGGLEPHONES.COM
domain guy says
this 5 million ad per day is a non issue because this is an internal accounting…not a place or figure that a competitior can use as advertising space.i think this may be an intentional move by google to devalue the use of a domain name.nexusone.com and what does this accomplish? piss off,loose potential customers. nexus one already does not use 3g therefore inferior to the iphone.google does not need to hire a domainer on staff it will be interesting to see if google buys the domain nexusone.com or simaliar name post launch like apple did with the iphone.stay tuned for branding 101 unfolding…..
jp says
They are only taking up 5M of space if there was another buyer for the space at the time
John says
Completelty agree with Tony, what’s wrong with Google Phone or GPhone…
MHB says
Jp
This space is not available for purchase by any outside companies.
registerdomain says
Hi this is registerdomain.
That’s perfectly understandable and logical to me. My only issue here is they already built up their Brand and are not taking advantage of it for their phone.
MHB says
Looks like the Nexus One is now history:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/mobile/07/19/nexus.one.discontinued/index.html