Google chose a ".com" again, instead of its ".GOOGLE" dotBrand new gTLD.

Google just launched its Artificial Intelligence engine and it is named "Bard". Surprisingly, Google decided to use a third level domain from its Google.com to launch this new service when it could have used its own .BRAND Top-Level Domain.

Bard can be tried at https://bard.google.com

What about Bard.google?

Well, first, at the date of this post's publication, it does not work and points to an error. Let's have a little imagination and read the front page of this product, it says; "Bard is an experiment and may give inaccurate or inappropriate responses. You can help make Bard better by leaving feedback."

Considering that it is an "experiment", let's hope that using a subdomain for such a big project is part of the experiment. I will definitely leave a feedback.

New gTLDs: so, what happened in April 2023?

A few things that I noticed, checking the real new gTLD numbers, in the end of April 2023:

• In BRANDS, the .DVAG Top-Level Domain dropped 1400 second level domain names.
• In FINANCE (rhe report), the .CREDIT Top-Level Domain keeps growing (the .LOAN too).
• I can't talk about the one I like the most in the COMPANY new gTLD report but I can say that I don't believe that the figures from .ONLINE are real (not fake). 
• My eye focussed on the .VOTO new gTLD in POLITICS (...)
• In SPORT, it is the .SPORT new gTLD I keep an eye on with the hope that they reconsider their tules one day. This TLD is the one for sport worldwide and has lesss than 10,000 names created. This number should be 100,000 at least.
• The CITY report is a really boring one as all numbers stagnate and one only has more than 100,000 creations (the .TOKYO new gTLD). The thing with cities is that in many cases, the cities themselves don't even use them for their own service: in Paris for example, the first one that comes to my lind is www.mairie.paris. Cities should show the example.
• In LUXURY, .YACHTS and .VIP keep growing but .WHOSWHO is a question mark to me: I don't understand where such a project is going after 9 years with less than 1000 second level domains created.
• In LAW, the .ESQ new gTLD (by Google) just launched: let's see where this is going.
• In CARS, the .AUTOS new gTLD, which cohabits with .AUTO, grows too (surprisingly).
• In HEALTH, the .SKIN new gTLD grows a lot too.
• In MUSIC, the .LIVE new gTLD grows A LOT but the one we are ALL looking at is .MUSIC which...has launched.
• In CATERING, both .BAR and .REST new gTLDs don't do good and dive.
• In PHOTOGRAPHY, both .PICS and .STUDIO keep growing for good.
• In the FRENCH APPLICATIONS, I am sad that www.saucisse.alsace has not launched yet ;-)
• In COLOR, only .GREEN has grown since January 2023.
• In ALCOHOL: could .VIN catch up with .WINE ? Looks like.
• In ADULTS, only the ugly .WTF performs well.

All reports are available here.

I deleted a few TLDs from the .BRAND - CARS and REAL ESTATE new gTLD reports:

1. .ABARTH
2. .ALPHAROMEO
3. .FIAT
4. .MASERATI
5. .LANCIA
6. .LINDE
7. .MACYS
8. .NEXUS
9. .LOFT

A few things I noticed on March new gTLD stats

Once a month, I update new gTLD reports but I believe that I would find it rather boring if I wasn't told where to look at on these when there is an update. Here are a few things that I noticed on some reports:

1.  On the FINANCE report, I am surprised to see a constant increason on .BET and .BID new gTLDs: I wonder who buys these. 
2. On .BRANDS new gTLDs, many Trademarks have now more than 10 domain names created. Note that this was absolutely not the case in the early beginning of the new gTLD program. The .DVAG is to me an excellent demonstration of how a .BRAND new gTLD should be.

Creating a new gTLD? Why choosing a Retail Registrar as your provider makes sense!

This is the English summary of a French article I recently wrote on the reasons why it is important to select a new gTLD service provider who also owns one or more retail Registrars before creating a Registry dedicated to selling domain names through the network of accredited Registrars. If submitting the application to ICANN was the difficulty in the first round of new gTLDs, sales figures have clearly demonstrated - 10 years after the first round of new gTLDs -  that the main difficulty in the next round will be “to sell”.

To avoid being listed next to the 760 existing extensions at most Registrars, here are a few tips I would do when choosing my service provider prior to launching a new Registry in the next round of the ICANN new gTLD program:

• Some providers offer the full range of services: writing of the application (knowledge with legal and financial aspect of the procedure), mandatory back end registry provider (including other services such as Escrow solution...) and existing retail registrar(s). Why then choose different providers if one can make it all? They are not many on the internatinal market but they exist and are probably the ones with the best knowledge and offer.
• Some retail Registrars now own their own back end registry solution provider (this did not exist in the first round of the ICANN new gTLD program): since retail registrars have no obligation to promote a TLD instead of another, negotiating your new gTLD’s presence at your retail Registrar’s provider makes sense instead of choosing a provider who cannot offer such a powerful tool. Remember two things:
• Your objective is to sell domain names.
• Your provider wants you as a client: your negotiation capacity is strong.
• Some retail Registrars sell lots of domain names worldwide and you want to be seen on their front page (and not listed on their list of hundreds of other suggested extensions). If your TLD is generic enough to interest them, negotiating visibility or marketing can make a strong difference in the success of your project.
• Your chosen provider does not necessarily have to be a back end Registry provider owning a Retail Registrar. If he is a retail Registrar with an offer and the price offered to create your TLD is interesting enough, he can be a partner of choice for the success of your project. What matters is his capacity to give visibility to your extension when it launches.
• Presence, promotion and visibility at the retail Registrar are important in the negotiation to become his client (or not) but direct and repeated promotion at his clients by email or through its newsletter can also be an advantage. Remember that combined marketing makes the both of you earn money. If your new gTLD provider doesn't care about your visibility as a partner, then...investigate the contract he wants you to sign: a partner who doesn't care about the success of yout project is not a good partner. A new gTLD must develop and you don't get into such an expensive project to find out that you have had less than 10.000 domains sold after 10 years of existence, or do you?
• Be careful with announcements to your partner’s clients: retail Registrars have the capacity to seriously promote your extension at their clients, and this repeatedly. Corporate registrars don’t do such promotions, they often just “announce”.
• Be careful with too much “blabla” when it comes to selecting a provider, the legal, technical and financial knowledge have now propagated enough and a provider must be able to answer all questions and the better when he has experience but what really matters is the project:
• Developing a Registry and selling domain names or,
• Using the full potential of a .BRAND extension (not dedicated to selling domain names).

There are not so many service providers to offer the full range of services to create a new generic Top-Level Domain dedicated to selling domain names (not "dotBrands"). The main services I'd definitely look for a project would be:

1. A capacity to fill in my application until validation at the ICANN, with the necessary knowledge would something unexpected happen (objection, auction...);
2. A backend registry solution provider;
3. A famous retail Registrar.

Interested in having Jovenet Consulting to take care of all this for you? Contact us.

Round 2 of ICANN new gTLDs will start no later than 1 August 2023

This is an official publication from the ICANN dated 16 March 2023:

"As part of the resolution, the Board directed ICANN organization (org) to deliver a comprehensive implementation plan, including a work plan, information for the infrastructure design, timelines, and anticipated resource requirements to achieve the necessary work to open the next round of gTLDs no later than 1 August 2023".

What does it mean?

Well, first, it certainly does not mean that this date will let new gTLD service providers submit their client's application(s). One would even be tempted to think that this is the publication's date of the awaited Applicant Guidebook so service providers clearly know what to tell their clients; but wait...nope...this is not what it means since deliverable 4 says something which ends with : "...that will impact the next Applicant Guidebook".

Still unclear

If only the person to have written this publication understands what it means, what matters is that this date is given by the ICANN and no other organization. Let's no forget that official dates provided by the ICANN were a real problem in the first Round of new gTLDs: many published "possible timelines" extracted from ICANN work groups and other participants to the program. This was a real problem since no one was then able to provide official dates to interested parties: lesson learnt from Round 1 of new gTLDs: "don't tell or write a date until it was first written by the ICANN".

Let's make it simple: after more than 10 years, we now have a date but let's make it clear: what potential new gTLD applicants need to proceed is:

1. a methodology: the next new gTLD Applicant Guidebook (also called "AGB"),
2. an official date to submit their application.

Read ICANN's official announcement here and contact Jovenet Consulting to prepare your project.

New gTLD reports for January 2023 were just updated

New gTLD reports are monthly domain name registration volumes' captures according to specific groups, businesses or industries. On the last day of each month, we take a snapshot of these numbers so one can see if they increase or decrease form a month to the other. This method is a good way to see if these domain names meet with adoption...or not.

1. 
   New gTLDs for TRADEMARKS, also called ".BRANDs" or dotBrands (ie: ".audi")
2. New gTLDs for POLITICS (ie: ".vote")
3. New gTLDs for LUXURY (ie: ".yachts")
4. New gTLDs for MUSIC community (ie: ".band")
5. New gTLDs for CATERING and CULINARY (ie: ".kitchen")
6. New gTLDs for PHOTOGRAPHY (ie: ".photos")
7. New gTLDs for CITY names (ie: ".london")
8. New gTLDs for COMPANIES (ie: ".email")
9. New gTLDs for LAW (ie: ".legal")
10. New gTLDs for FINANCE (ie: ".capital")
11. New gTLDs for COLOR (ie: ".green")
12. New gTLDs for SPORT (ie: ".hockey")
13. New gTLDs for ALCOHOL (ie: ".vodka")
14. New gTLDs for REAL ESTATE (ie: ".house")
15. New gTLDs for RELIGION (ie: ".catholic")
16. New gTLDs for CARS (ie: ".autos")
17. New gTLDs for HEALTH (ie: ".hospital")
18. New gTLDs for ADULTS (ie: ".porn")
19. FRENCH new gTLD applications (ie: ".leclerc")
20. Singular VS Plural new gTLDs (ie: ".deal" and ".deals")

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