New gTLDs:
The Practicalities
of a Domain Launch
Roland LaPlante
Senior Vice President and CMO
Afilias
February 11, 2014
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New gTLDs:
A Quick Background
• 2001 - 2004: ICANN allowed 14 new generic Top Level
Domains (gTLDs) into the Internet (info, mobi, pro, aero,
asia, biz, cat, coop, jobs, museum, name, tel, travel, xxx)
• 2011: ICANN approves new program to allow virtually
unlimited applications for new gTLDs
• 2012: 1930 applications submitted for new gTLDs
• Brands, Cities, Generics, Communities, etc.
• 2014: IDNs, cities, generics begin to go live. More than
100 now live in the “root” and hundreds more to go live in
the near future.
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These launches yield
important learning
• Domain market is finite — but growing — in the short term
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Share or market expansion?
• Market is growing about 10% annually since 2009
• +27M names per year
– … includes ccTLDs and com/net—tough competition
• 16 new TLDS have gained a 7% market share to date
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Broad appeal TLDs: volume
Broad appeal = cities, generics, .IDNs
• Only .ME has sold >1M names since .MOBI
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Broad appeal TLDs: distribution
• Distribution is critical to nTLD success
6 TLDs
100 - 400
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Broad appeal TLDs: adoption
• Success eventually found in USAGE
– … and traffic (harder to measure)
– Usage drives renewals
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Broad appeal TLDs: learnings
• Volume: large volume will take time
• Distribution:
– Get your distribution right at the beginning
• Distribution>awareness>sales>usage> acceptance>more sales
• Launch is the BEST reason to offer your TLD NOW
• If launch is slow, momentum will be hard to regain
• ICANN cannot compel registrars to carry you
– Channel knowledge is essential
• WHO to talk to; WHAT to talk about
• Adoption:
– nTLDs are new product launches (must build awareness/trust)
– What makes you unique and better?
– Monitor indicators (usage/traffic/other)
• Admin: do policies right, once
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.BRANDS are different
• Volume not the key
• Distribution not as critical (or even desired)
• Adoption IS KEY
– Usage trend must be planned and controlled
• How to (eventually) migrate all that .com traffic?
• Do NOT give up your heritage sites (e.g. .com) yet!
– Every brand will be different
• Many lessons yet to be learned, but experience still
counts
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Brand TLDs: real and inherent
benefits!
• If you applied, you are a VISIONARY!
• Brand Owners are Registry Operators, who can control
• Eligibility: WHO is allowed to use a domain name in their
TLD
• Usage: HOW each name is used
• Rewards/penalties: YOU can take the site OFF the Internet
• DNSSEC: Technical encryption is REQUIRED by ICANN
for EVERY new TLD to stymie hijacking and phishing
• At last…
Control and Security!
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Be Advised …
• If you don’t have your own domain — or plan to get one in
the next round — your competitors likely will have one
• The competitive advantage places TLD owners literal
years ahead in establishing unique Internet presence
• Potential results of owning a domain:
• Migrating customers to your own social network(s)
• Controlling “big data” about YOUR customers
• Establishing brand as an innovator in digital space
• Reinforcing consumer trust in your brand
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Beyond your business strategy:
administrivia!
• Having a business strategy for domain of paramount
importance
• ICANN “regulates” the Internet naming system. It will
“regulate” you as an “ICANN Designated Registry
Operator”:
• Compliance
• Policies
• Security
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Compliance
• ICANN-required Registry Website
• ICANN Point of Contact
• Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) Coordination
• Registrar Accreditation and OT&E
• Registry Analytics and Reporting
• 24x7x365 Customer Service Support
• URS Procedure Compliance
• Registry Code of Conduct Compliance
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Policies
• ICANN Policy Issues
• IP Rights Protection Administration
• TMCH (Trademark Clearinghouse)
• URS (Uniform Rapid Suspension)
• PDDRP (Post Delegation Dispute Resolution Procedure)
• More …
• Escrow Coordination
• Registry-Registrar Agreement Compliance
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Security
• Security Policy Administration
• Website Security Section
• ICANN Security Reporting
• Abuse Point of Contact
• Security Feeds and Subscriptions
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Other Security Considerations
• Phishing
• SPAM
• Malware
• Botnets
• FastFlux
• … even if you don’t expect any!
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Nothing’s Impossible … but
Knowledge is the First Step
• Build your brand’s education so you can educate your
consumers effectively and take the leadership role
• Digital Marketing &
gTLD Strategy Congress
NYC, March 3-4, 2014
• www.gtldworldcongress.com
• Afilias is a proud sponsor
• www.afilias.info
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Questions?
For a copy of this presentation,
please send an email to:
matt@momentumevents.co
or rlaplante@afilias.info
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