TechRadar.com covered the new gTLD program telling people that new gTLD are available to be registered now.
“New top-level domains now available”
“.online, .web, .ltd, .website, and .blog just some of the suffixes available”
The publication clearly has confused a pre-registration that many registrars and back order providers are offering with a domain registration.
Of course none of the string mentioned by TechRadar; “.online, .web, .ltd, .website, and .blog are available for registration.
Matter of fact all of these extensions mentioned specifically in the story have multiple applications submitted and no one knows which company will wind up running any of these strings.
Any reader of the publication would get the idea if they do to the registrar of their choice and place “order” for one of these new gTLD’s they are going to get the domain.
The story goes on to quotes Robert Hoffman, CEO of 1 and 1, which started rolling out national commercials during NFL games yesterday telling people over 700 new domain extension were coming as saying:
If you’re based in Wales or you’re a law firm, it’s time to think about reserving domain names in the new top-level domains that tell your visitors – and search engines – a bit more about your business, according to of web hoster and domain registrar 1&1. ”
The landscape will change, because the domain will tell you more about a business than it does today.”
The story closes with this:
“If there is a TLD and a domain you have your eye on, reserve it with a registrar soon because the first new TLDs will be working by the end of the year.”
No where in the story does TechRadar chat about pre-registrations at all, the fact that all a customer can do now is put in an expression of interest which give them nothing and guarantees them nothing.
The story doesn’t chat about that fact that many of the new registries will be holding back its best domains as premium domains that will not be available to simply be registered and that many that are available may have to be ordered during a Land Rush period, and will go into auction if more than 1 person puts in an application during a landrush.
Grim says
September 9, 2013 at 9:01 amWell, it’s good to see (for the registrars) that there will potentially be a big untapped market for these things. Unfortunately though, local small business websites should consider themselves lucky if they get 1 or 2 visitors per day, with some periods of time going days without a single visitor.
I set up a site for an ex-girlfriend’s family tax firm, and that’s about what I saw them getting. A cousin who’s a lawyer has a site that sees about the same.
They were both doing more than fine though, both business and money wise, before having a website. Adding a site didn’t really affect their performance in those areas, but I guess it made them feel better, (at least initially), just in case anyone ever asked if they had a site.
Kevin Murphy says
September 9, 2013 at 10:06 amDid you notice the branding on the page?
“TechRadar.pro”. Not even registered.
Michael Berkens says
September 9, 2013 at 10:11 amKevin
No I missed that one they probably registered Techradar.blog today
)):
ontheinterweb says
September 9, 2013 at 10:36 am@Grim
what you just described is done all the time and not exclusive to gTLD’s… i dont need a website but i have one as a placeholder and i can use the domain as the email address.
Tom Gilles says
September 9, 2013 at 11:03 amMeanwhile . . 40% of over 1300 respondents polled at pcadvisor who are aware of new tlds plan to buy one.
Michael Berkens says
September 9, 2013 at 11:10 amTom
I’m keeping my eye on that one waiting for it to hit 2,000 votes
Tom Gilles says
September 9, 2013 at 11:16 amI’ll look forward to the comment thread when you update/post 😉
Grim says
September 9, 2013 at 11:17 am@ontheinterweb
You can also just as easily use Yahoo Mail, Gmail, or the equivalent for email. One doesn’t need to get a domain to get an email address, in fact it’s far easier for the average less-technically inclined business owner just to go with either of the above. Or just use Facebook for that matter, for both business info and email. Or a Google Site. There are a lot of free solutions for small business already out there.
ontheinterweb says
September 9, 2013 at 11:24 am@Grim
you dont need to, but some do and will continue to. what will likely change are what these web addresses look like since there is an onslaught of them coming.. and when you say:
“in fact it’s far easier for the average less-technically inclined business owner just to go with either of the above.”
mostly… but thats today and right now, before the first onslaught on them has been unleashed.
Grim says
September 9, 2013 at 11:51 am@ontheinterweb
I think if you’re a local business, it’s better just to stick with the phone, anyway. Email is so impersonal and can often be back-and-forth in nature, (kind of like responding to people on forums such as this one), taking far longer to respond to or get an answer for a question than one would get with a phone call. Plus with a call, you can connect better and more personally with your customer.
It’s kind of like how a good number of people tend to text message people these days rather than call. Sure it’s easier and quicker, but it’s a shallow and less personal form of communication. In business, you want to be personable and available to your customers. The biggest complaints I hear from clients is how many companies just don’t understand that. I always call or take calls. It’s far easier to turn a customer into a ‘friend’ that way.
ontheinterweb says
September 9, 2013 at 12:45 pmi dont wanna be friends with my customers.
Ramahn says
September 9, 2013 at 1:00 pmGrim 100% agree with you on the matter of customer interaction by phone. I think its a basic human desire that most companies fail to address.
100% disagree with you about using Yahoo, Google or Facebook as a business solution. Those are good tools but in no way would I consider those solutions for serious business. I just think that is horrible advice for anyone reading this forum interested in domains. I remember when people used AOL and MySpace for the same thing. Can’t rely on G, fb, Yahoo, etc.