WebSiteMagazine.com apparently thinks the new gTLD program launched in 2011, as it put it on its list of the “Biggest Web Blunders of 2011.
Website writes:
“”Vanity Domains“
“The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) used 2011 to try to push customized and expensive top-level domains (i.e. Volkswagen buying .vw or Wells Fargo buying .bank). “
“This wasn’t a wildly popular idea, partially because they cost companies around $185,000 apiece and partially because no one wants to do the work of rebranding and trying to direct users to .car or .music when they have already established themselves with a .com domain. “
“The result? A few companies bought up vanity domains so that their brands wouldn’t be in danger and then didn’t even use them, and a lot of businesses found themselves having to pay up for .xxx domains so that their brands weren’t associated with more nefarious content on the Web.”
Of course the application period for the new gTLD program hasn’t even opened yet.
I know there are a lot of naysayers that think the program will fail, but that is certainly only a prediction at this point.
2011 the only new extension to launch was .XXX and that wasn’t under the new gTLD program or Vanity Domains as Web Site Magazine calls them.
The Magazine also apparently doesn’t know that there will be no two letter new gTLD strings as they cite .VW as one example.
Two letter extensions are reserved for country codes.T
The publication really screwed it up and doesn’t seem to understand that no one applied for the program last year because they couldn’t.
They clearly know what they’re writing about. This gives me confidence in exploring their magazine for more accurate stories.
Nice one Michael.
It will change the face of Internet forever.
It decentralizes the power away from the domain, which it should, and puts the focus back on
to the content.
as long as you have great content, people will remember your site and domain.
Therefore, the shorter the better. Cheers to:
.Co
You misunderstod, Michael. The crux of the article was that the concept is doomed to fail.
People only want .com.
Either register a .com domain OR prepare to give 25% of your future trafic to the guy that did.
Your choice.
It’s really that simple and the ICANN gtld proposal will not change that.
This simply reflects the mainstream level of interest in the details of the new gtld program.
Outside of those who are looking to cash in on new gtlds (e.g. domainers, consultants, registries, registrars), few care about “new gtlds”. And why should they? They are not desperate for new domain extensions. What they want is traffic and conversions. But the self-proclaimed “experts” tell them they need domain names and SEO.
More confusing domain names to worry about is not going to help the situation. Most businesses do not embrace chaos and uncertainty with eager anticipation.
Of course consultants revel in chaos and uncertainty. It creates fear in their clients. And that means more business.
The gtld expansion program will be a success for those who are looking to cash in. But it will not be a success for registrants or for users.
And when some rush to defend the program claiming it will benefit businesses, it only becomes more obvious that they are invested in it and, truthfully, it is they themselves who will benefit, not registrants and not users. Otherwise they would not need to defend the program. If it’s going to be as great as they say, and they know it, then they should not need to defend it.
There was recently a post on CircleID about “Names Outside the DNS”. It got over 12,000 views. From what I’ve seen that is around ten times more than what other postings usually get. And over twice as much as the most popular posts get. Why did so many people click on that link? I don’t think the post was about what they thought it was going to be about.
Maybe businesses are waking up to the fact these domain names cost pennies to maintain – essentially the cost to the registry of some datacenter space. And that anyone could offer a DNS service. And without paying ICANN $185,000. And that prices to registrants could be set much lower.
Then again, maybe not. Who knows why that article got over 12,000 views?
they will be much less than expected
The only extension other than .com that seems to be used mainstream is .tv – I saw several .tv domains advertised (product ads) on various channels over the weekend.
I doubt that the gTLD program will gain any sort of meaningful traction. Seems to me, it’s either .com, .tv, or forget about it.
That’s funny. Over the years there have been so many incorrect predictions of the potential of new top level domains. We will only know when launched.
Bob
No I didn’t understand the article.
The article was about what happened in 2011.
Not a prediction about 2012.
Website Mag got it right, excpet for the year!
Oversight may not be their strong suit, but nor is it yours based on the title of this article
”
WebSiteMagazine.com Thinks The New gTLD Program Started Last Year, As its Places It on its List of Biggest Web Blunders
its places it…ok