This evening, Donuts posted the video below to the company’s YouTube page. The minute long video is informational in that it explains why a new gTLD domain name would benefit a business or organization. The video suggests that a company would be better off purchasing their ideal keyword or brand domain name in a new TLD extensions rather than a settling for alternative keyword or brand domain name, presumably in .com.
I don’t know how Donuts plans to market or share this video, but it’s similar in nature to the 1 & 1 television commercial currently airing. With more than 300 new gTLD applications, Donuts is going to play a prominent role when the new TLDs roll out.
I watched it with an open mind.
Though interesting, one because I am curious, I got the feeling that I as a consumer can register whater I wanted right of the dot. I looked for .stud, and I had no luck, so the ad over promised there; The consumer still has to select from an available list of .whatevers.
Second, I could only get information on the .whatevers by going through good ol’ faithful: er, dot com; be it Google, Bing, Yahoo, even Ask!
Finally,I thought the video was tastefully done, and technically superb. I also have found the CEO of Donuts (Stahura) to be a classy guy, tho I don’t see how he pulls this one off. Yet, I wish him luck.
That is a good point, and they should offer some clarity.
The other interesting thing is that Donuts doesn’t have a retail registrar (to my knowledge at least), so they won’t be doing the actual direct to consumer marketing that registrars will do.
Donuts has a ‘strategic partnership’ with Demand Media though, which may give at least some of their TLDs the channel that they need through name.com and eNom. It will be interesting to see too how eNom’s reseller channel will pick up new gTLS, since usually selling new things into a domain reseller channel isn’t all that easy and largely depending on consumer demand.
http://domainincite.com/9358-demand-media-applies-for-26-gtlds-partners-with-donuts-on-107-more
That strategic partnership was due to Rosenblatt and Paul’s relationship. Both are out of Demand. Donuts’ strategy may be one of the key factors why Rosenblatt is out to begin with. IMO, don’t think it looks too good for Donuts.
Let’s see:
Domainers will snatch up all the good keywords day 1 as usual. Endusers will have the same problem getting them as they do now in .com.
Most people will never see them, since the only way they even see extensions, is thru a website. Not enough quality development out there.
Will be hard for people to find them. Imagine scrolling thru hundreds/thousands of extensions.
.com already won, a countries country code has already won. Serious businesses use .com. These are novelty extensions.
Most businesses have original names, original names are usually reg fee in .com. If it is some other name, you can usually buy it for low x,xxx. You can just use keyword combos = reg fee.
Most smart businesses think long term. Again, usually can get a reg fee .com with original name, keyword combos, coming up with something original.
Travel sector, Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz = something got creative = reg fee.
TravelNow, TripAdvisor, TravelChannel = keyword combos = reg fee.
Businesses today already have their .com, so this will be for new business.
It’s tough enough out there. How many new businesses have the time and money to see if some new extension is going to work? Why take that risk when you don’t have too?
I am sure that is a concern registries will need to address. There’s a fine line between selling as many as possible (to domain investors) and ensuring the domain names they sell get developed to foster the growth of the registry for the betterment of registrants.
Maybe donuts should also include the gtld confusion video as well.
http://bit.ly/1d91WvX
Yeah, like that stupid ass video will make people actually want a gtld. I see no reason in the world why anyone would ever want one. It is .MOBI regurgitated.
I don’t think the Donuts video is all that compelling.
The video posted by DomainInvestor above is a lot more representative of the reality that will unfold. It explains the reasons to just avoid the confusion.
Brad
The video seems to bring the message of a new wonderful internet world which will give much more opportunity for everyone.
With all the debate of new .whatevers there is a very important key which in most comments across all blogs and news outlets do not bring enough attention.
While cctlds target there respective country’s, they are also used by searchengines targeting specific IP areas and language settings. The .DE , .IT , .FR and other cctld domains show up in the search results in there targeted language and area.
With .com .net .org .info there is no specific area or language targeting. They can be used in any country and target any language. There are no limitations and out of my own experience there is no downfall or problems ranking these on search-engines. They are neutral and have no specific meaning except for one thing, they are recognized as a address on the internet and on anyone’s internet no matter where in the world.
Many new .whatevers are not neutral. They are targeting a specific service or product and that is bringing a much larger problem. That problem is language which I think most are underestimating.
Just a very small example:
.camera
.architect
.attorney
Hardly anyone outside the english speaking world will have need or want for such extensions which is putting a limit on possible exposure.
This example of language applies the opposite way only with much lesser chance of making it:
.cologne (Who in the world would use .cologne? A native German wont because they spell it Köln or Koeln.
.saarland ( A small state in Germany. Who outside they’re population needs or wants such extension?)
.bayern ( This also applies to this extension, Bavaria state population 12,5 mil.)
.immobilien ( .realEstate in German )
With .IDN extension this gets much more complicated. If you want to set up your personal email to your domain? Here is the next problem. Try understanding the email address of someone telling you the name by phone or the word of mouth. In some cases you might understand all the “!*§$%&§$? “ But you still might not be able to write a email because your keybord is missing certain keys of the respective language.
So anyone considering using a new GTLD should think about what there goal is, do they only want to do business in there neighborhood or intend to be available and use a meant to be, barrier free WorldWideWeb.
The video may be short and possibly addressed to businesses. But watching it as a consumer, I feel like the stick figure with the “.wtf?” text hovering over its head.
As @Domenclature points out: “…The consumer still has to select from an available list of .whatevers.” And @Duane echoes it from a language perspective.
People go online to look for answers to whatever as quickly as possible. And now they are supposed to stop and think if “bespoke” (as an example) has a .bike or .whatever site to get more info? As some have pointed out…maybe in a few years.