If you’ve done a Whois search this afternoon using DomainTools, it’s likely you noticed that the DomainTools website underwent a major redesign. Along with the redesigned website, the company also revealed a new, black and white logo.
The tagline in the main image states “every online investigation starts with DomainTools,” and I believe the tagline gives away who the company is targeting with this redesign. Domain investors use DomainTools religiously. Most people who are professionals probably couldn’t function as well (or as comfortably) without using DomainTools. The number of domain investors pales in comparison to the number of lawyers or private investigators who also use DomainTools, and I think the redesign reflects this.
I reached out to DomainTools CEO Tim Chen to ask about the redesign, and he essentially confirmed the redesign was to target a different audience. “Over the last 2 years we have seen increasing interest from the network security and cybercrime investigation realms, and wanted to speak to that audience more directly,” he said.
From my vantagepoint, it does not appear that the company is launching any new tools or services along with this design update. In fact, it looks like all of the tools that were in the header before are still listed, with a different design overlay. Just about all of the tools I use every day can be found under the Products link in the top header. Landing pages for Whois look ups and and the Whois history tool do not look like they’ve been changed, aside from the redesigned skin.
I do not like the black and white logo. 🙁 Looks grainy on their website.
Yup the older logo looks better than the new one. They need to do something different with it. Also on the mobile version the logo goes outside of the content and it needs some revisions.
I can confirm I didn’t design anything on DomainTools.com. 😀
Regarding the old vs new argument, they have shared their reasons: a change of target audience.
So let’s all get used to it.
“The redesign was to target a different audience”:
Never forget your roots.
My feeling is that I don’t care how the site looks as long as I can easily find the tools I use daily.
Hey Elliot,
I liked the old design better but I am not much in the norm for designs. I like color and to use your imagination.
When building a website I think its like carrying a conversation.
1. It needs to have life. (color)
2. has be to to follow or navigate. (Navigation and fine what you need.)
3. Can capture the audience. (Coded, color, and navigation.)
Elliot, Your Blog as always been a nice one to have you hire the right people and I am sure you do some your self of the design and placement of banners which give it color and vibe. (@TiaWood and @Acro)
I can give you a recent example of poor build, healthcare.gov, while it had color and was needed its somewhat hard to navigate and use due to crashing.
While the new design of DomainTools is coded well and responds quickly when you hover, I still prefer more color. Either way I will use DomainTaools still.
I don’t have the background to give commentary on the design of their site. Their tools are still the best, and as long as those are there, I will continue using them daily.
Design is fine but they have to stop that annoying drop down on the whois page.
Every time I visit a whois page the content shifts down because I moused over the products or solutions tab.
I can’t be the only one this affects.
Noticed it this morning. I’m not really concerned what it looks like. Yep, it’s that good.
Nice article.