MarkMonitor is one of the leading brand protection and domain name management companies. The company has many Fortune 500 customers, and it also works with a variety of businesses of all sizes – from startups to major corporations. In its position, it has a very good view of the domain name landscape and can offer a unique perspective.
This afternoon, the company tweeted about its New gTLD Quarterly Report for the first quarter of 2020:
What’s your #gTLD and #TLD strategy? We review what’s new and what’s changed in the .Brand landscape by industry. Download the report here: https://t.co/SQMBwVtEUY#gTLDs #Domain #DomainNames
— Clarivate MarkMonitor (@markmonitor) May 27, 2020
In order to be able to download the report, you need to provide some contact information to MarkMonitor and its parent company, Clarivate. I was fine doing this, and I downloaded the free report.
The report highlights some .brand extensions, including .Fujitsu, .NTT, .Canon and others, sharing some examples of how these brands are using their .brand domain names. The report also offers an overview of new gTLD usage by industry. For instance, the Auto industry has seen the most growth (led by Audi’s .Audi registrations), and the combined Banking & Financial Industry lead the way with the top 10 .brand registrations by industry.
Because of MarkMonitor’s position in the corporate-focused domain management business, I like to read their perspective and insight about domain names. The free Quarterly Report is a relatively quick read and offers some interesting nuggets of data.
I downloaded the report and it’s always interesting to read another perspective from a significant name in the industry.
Are we still at the point where people are saying things will never change and it will always be .com or have people accepted that the change to the web is here to stay?
Whether some new domains live, die, decline or rise, it seems quite clear that it’s no longer justifiable to claim that new Gs will disappear.
Nothing is ever permanent, and I don’t think it is even possible for them to disappear.
I still only invest in .com domain names though. Companies continue to be willing to pay a premium for them.
Completely understand and agree from an investor POV. There’s narrow room to make consistent flips or count on the long term investment strength of a specific new domain or new G – but that’s because it’s still unproven.
There’s so little data and that doesn’t mean that sales aren’t happening. But the registrars are mostly the ones making those sales of premium new domains and they have that data. Just because they aren’t all shouting each and every premium sale from the rooftops doesn’t mean that they aren’t happening. Some anti newG folks would have others believe that registrars not shouting about every premium sale means they aren’t happening.
My experience with my .nyc strategy is that it’s paying off. I’m confident that my growing revenue, well beyond my steady costs, has enabled me to weather the initial risk through the launch and early life of the TLD.
The other part of this is that while .com have been the go-to for domain investors and something that new investors are shepherded towards, there is huge competition. So an investment in a .com isn’t the sure thing that some folks would have you believe.
I believe that some investors may have some skills in identifying domains (new Gs, ccTLDs or .coms) that will be in demand in the short term or long term.
Essentially that is what this business is all about isn’t it?
1. What levels of demand are there on different TLDs, individual domains in auction or individual names free to reg or BIN?
2. What price can I buy them at?
3. What price can I sell them at?
4. What is the risk? (assessment of never selling, market, likely sales price, likely timeline to a sale)
While I still maintain that new Gs are currently a better proposition for end users than investors, I think that calculus will change. You only have to check the crazy GD auction prices for .coms and think how can the average guy risk $9k on a domain he may have to hold for a few years… Maybe putting $20 on energy.supply or $10 pt.miami is worth a shot.
At some point those shots have so much less risk that they become investments and not gambling or buying a lottery ticket.
New TLDs = No TLDs for me.
All our domains are dot-COM except one .org
Humorous how you feel it’s necessary to come say the same things on every nTLD blog post. What you have to say, is rather irreverent right now? I mean, read the post? You aren’t even responding to anyone. Just here to spout your .com pump everywhere.
If I were to go to EVERY .com thread an say ‘screw .com! nTLD all for me!” I would probably get kicked off pretty fast…and everyone would think I have ‘problems’. That is, spamming my ideology everywhere while rather off topic.
Sorry, you feel that way.
I am just expressing my experience. I used to defend other TLDs just like you. I have burned myself enough with .us, .mobi, .info, .net etc that I feel completed to share my experience to help others.
I don’t think .com needs any pumping.
Timing is EVERYTHING…and NOW is the right time…
New TLDs are like Rain in the Monsoon. They will come and go 🙁