New gTLDs: an interesting agenda

The .BRAND & Domains conference is coming and I went through the agenda to check "what more" one will find that other conferences are not offering yet. First, it is interesting to note that the conference is not one offered by a single service provider (ie: a Corporate Registrar) demonstrating its long expertise. Second, it appears that some .BRAND applicants, service providers and many insiders from the ICANN new gTLD program will attend.

What's of interest?

I discussed with some of the speakers to learn a little more about what their plan is. One stayed "vague" and some are taking their venue very seriously. For example, I was informed that this conference will be the right to hear the following answer: why did L'Oréal withdrew its application for the .LOREAL new gTLD. Some participants will be coming from "far away": the United States (an old European colony), from Australia and Canada. Even the ICANN is sending its officers. Funny: the people from ".com" will be there too. I went through the agenda and I stopped on some conferences:

On Monday

• There is a conference with the new gTLD guy from ICANN. It will be explained - with precision and no ICANN acronyms - where we are in terms of reviews and how applying for a .BRAND will be made easier for applicants (Martin Sutton). Look for "Panel: Dot Brand Landscape" in the agenda. In simple words, this panel will help potential applicants to estimate when they can submit their application.
• "How does a dotBrand provide better customer protection and fights against counterfeit": you want to learn the real benefit of applying to a .BRAND and what an homograph attack is? That's the place to be.
• There are 9 panels in total on Monday.

On Tuesday

• Interesting: "Howto: Leveraging Keywords in dotBrands". If "what to do with a .BRAND domain name extension" is a question, this panel should help and Ramon Raudenbrauch will explain in 30 minutes. You don't now who Ramon is? :-)
• SEO: "How do you migrate to a dotBrand without effecting SEO? How can you improve SEO? Find out as we explore the effect on search": an expert will answer questions adding to the advantage of operating a .BRAND new gTLD.
• Real Life: "Launching of dot brand". Some Brands will explain how they launched and what they learnt from this.
• There are 9 panels in total on Tuesday.

Reminder

1. When: 2 - 3 October 2017;
2. Where: GRAND HOTEL AMRATH KURHAUS - The Hague, Netherlands;
3. Online: http://brandsand.domains