What I think about .BRANDs

There is a lot of interest about .BRAND new gTLDs for the ICANN Round 2 of new gTLDs to take place in 2026 but to me...for the wrong reasons.

I won't list all reasons why it makes sense to create a .BRAND Top-Level Domain since all service providers already do that but here is what I think at the moment:

1. .BRAND new gTLDs interest Trademarks who want to exist but the level of knowledge is still very low about what one can do with a .BRAND and my fear today is that many are going to throw their money by the window submitting a new gTLD application because they don't have a project. Numbers never lie.
   A single domain name to operate en entire website can cost less than $10 a year : why would a Trademark pay $25,000.00 a year, just in ICANN taxes, to own a .BRAND if it has no project to develop its own portfolio of domain names? Just "brand protection"? Come on...
2. Owning a .BRAND makes sense for many reasons and an important one is the availability of generic keywords...geographic ones too. This availability also means that the number of domain names available is unlimited.
   Volume is key here: if creating a multitude of domain name redirection makes no sense to me (I don't see the real SEO advantage, I only see the zero branding one), using "dotBranded" domain names included to an online platform makes much more sense: such a service can be "sold and renewed" like domain names are, once a year. Owning a .BRAND can be very profitable is the domain name comes renewed with a service attached to it. When adding the domain name to a service, the domain name is marketed/promoted every time the service increases in value.
   The difference with a generic application is that a .BRAND Registry decides if his "client" can use his platform (also its domain name) or not. Therefore, the .BRAND Registry is in charge of marketing its service since it cannot use the network of accredited Registrars. Welcome to Domain Names As A Service.

To consider your upcoming new gTLD project with creativity (and not waste your time and money with Web3 domains), Jovenet Consulting can help you innovate for the next Round of the ICANN new gTLD program.

The “intentionally broken” DNS server

Extracted from the introduction to the AFNIC service: 

"Afnic, the association in charge of the .fr top-level domain and several other French overseas and generic TLDs, announced today the release as free software of its tool named IBDNS, standing for Intentionally Broken DNS."

More here. 

The .MUSIC OECD Program

New gTLDs : want to connect with the Middle East?

Talk to Mohammad Alammuri :

Latest new gTLD questions asked to an AI

Below it the list of questions related to the upcoming round of the ICANN new gTLD program that we have asked an Artificial Intelligence. Many returned very well-structured answers with very true contents. I noticed that the work returned by ICANN working groups for the next ICANN new gTLD round to take place in 2026 is present in most answers and pretty accurate.

List of questions asked:

1. What are the risks when submitting a new gTLD application to the ICANN?
2. What is Jovenet Consulting offering?
3. Can you list 10 ICANN new gTLD Consultants?
4. Who should I ask to create a new domain name extension: to an accredited Registrar or directly to a backend Registry provider?
5. Can you list 10 existing backend registry providers to use for the next round of the ICANN new gTLD program?
6. How much does it cost to contest a new gTLD application in the 2026 ICANN new gTLD program?
7. What happens if two applicants apply for the same string in the next round of the ICANN new gTLD program?
8. Does the $25,000 ICANN annual fee remains for dotBrand applicants in the 2026 round of New gTLDs?
9. Are there extensions prohibited from being registered in the ICANN new gTLD program?
10. How much does it cost to create a new domain name extension?
11. Why should Trademarks consider applying for a dotBrand new generic Top-Level Domain?
12. New gTLDs: what is a mandatory backend registry provider?
13. How is the INTA important in the ICANN new gTLD program?
14. Will there be a .SEO new gTLD application submitted in the 2026 ICANN new gTLD round?
15. List five mandatory backend registry providers for the ICANN new gTLD program
16. What is the ICANN ASP program?
17. Where are listed the existing new generic Top-Level Domains from the previous round of the ICANN new gTLD program?
18. Which budget to create a new generic Top-Level Domain with the ICANN?
19. How many questions are there to submit a new gTLD application to the ICANN?
20. How long does it take the ICANN to validate a new gTLD application?
21. How old must a Trademark be to be submitted as a dotBrand type of application in the 2026 round of the ICANN new gTLD program?
22. What is the Trademark Clearinghouse in the ICANN new gTLD program?
23. What is a new gTLD backend registry provider?
24. How many domain names the owner of a new Registry should sell to be profitable?
25. What is a new generic Top-Level Domain?
26. What is a second level domain?
27. What is a ccTLD?
28. What is a domain name?

You can find all answers by checking The gTLD Blog. We question the AI frequently.

Those domains you don't know what to do with

You probably own domain names that have been in your portfolio forever and you've never found a use for them. Well, I have.

Just a tip

I am referring to these domain names waiting in your portfolio : these you always wanted to keep because they are your family name, your Trademark of that fantastic generic keyword that you have had for years and never found the time to build something around it.

Here is what I did

I use OVH as my Registrar where a small hosting space is offered with each domain name purchased. A free SSL certificate is part of that hosting (both need need to be activated). The thing I added to this "tip" is Artificial Intelligence. 

I went to these few domains names I own and, as an example, I will use one with my family name for my demo: guillon.eu.

I did this:

1. I went to my domain name at OVH and activated the hosting,
2. I got an email from OVH confirming activation with FTP hosting and password,
3. It caused a mess with my previous redirection so I re-initiated my zone file and pointed it to the right hosting at OVH. I waited and it worked (you don't need to do that if you never touched your domain name),
4. I went to Gemini (the AI from Google) and provided info about me and Jovenet Consulting : the idea was to create a single HTML page with written content to point on other websites of mine : for traffic I guess. Not to forget: I gave sources of info (URLs) for the AI to investigate and gather content.
5. Gemini created a single HTML file to which it included its written content (not mine).
6. I re-read and modified a few things. The content written by the AI was 90% excellent.
7. I downloaded the index.html file on my computer.
8. I transferred the file using a FTP tool to my hosting at OVH.
9. Website was live. I had the same approach with other domain names.

With more time, I will ask the AI to rewrite some texts because I pasted the same texts behind other domains I own (not a good idea to optimize indexation in search engines).

I use this a method a lot on www.gtld.blog : new gTLD lovers should have a look.

Public Comment Upcoming Proceedings

Next Round Base gTLD Registry Agreement : estimated time frame is June 2025.

Extracted from source: "As part of the New gTLD Program: Next Round, ICANN is preparing the Next Round Base gTLD Registry Agreement (Next Round RA). Approved applicants will be expected to execute the Next Round RA in order to become a registry operator and operate a gTLD. ICANN is opening its first Public Comment proceeding on the draft Next Round RA and encourages early engagement from the community".

Learn more.

How old should your Trademark be for Round2 ?

It is a question we've asked the AI :

How old must a Trademark be to be submitted as a dotBrand type of application in the 2026 round of the ICANN new gTLD program?

Read its answer.

Joke of the day

This is what is being sold on Sedo at the moment 😂

New gTLDs : did you ask the AI ?

Something very unattractive about the ICANN new gTLD program is that you have to search for common basic questions like: "how do I proceed to create my domain name extension?", "who do I talk to?", "how much doe it cost?", etc.

You will notice that absolutely no service provider will show any price on their website.

There are several reasons for this : an easy one is: "the ICANN new gTLD applicant guidebook has not yet been published, so we can't give you a price".

With my experience learnt from the first Round of the ICANN new gTLD program in 2012 a price is difficult to produce because no one can tell what is going to happen.

Once applications were submitted in 2012, I also read invoices increased by ten times compared to what some other applicants had paid ! Some projects could absolutely not be profitable for this reason and some filed.

Today, the AI starts to offer good answers about what one must do or pay. Legal and Financial questions are important too and the AI starts to be a very good tool to help in the application process. We answer many of these questions on www.gtld.blog, the AI will answer - and publish - your answers too if you want to send them to us.

3 applications submitted

Three applications were submitted for the new gTLD Applicant Support Program (ASP). Twenty one were sent but only three are in review: "Applications submitted and in review refers to applications that have submitted application information for evaluation" (updated: 21 April 2025.

Reminder:

The ASP is intended to make the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program: Next Round application and evaluation processes and fees more accessible to entities that would like to operate a registry but would otherwise be unable to apply, because of financial and resource constraints.

Learn more.

Numbers : new gTLDs are doing good !

The DNIB Quarterly Report Q1 2025

Extracted from the Verisign report : "Total new generic TLD (ngTLD) domain name registrations were 37.8 million at the end of the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 1.0 million domain name registrations, or 2.6%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. ngTLDs increased by 4.5 million domain name registrations, or 13.5%, year over year. The most recent combined renewal percentage estimate for ngTLDs was 34.2%."

Read the full report.

New gTLDs and naive thinking

It is naive thinking that one will create millions of new domain names with another new generic Top-Level Domain in 2026 : I don't believe in this since numbers prove the opposite (see https://www.gtld.report).

What I think about the next Round of the ICANN new gTLD program is that to earn money in 2026, the direction to take is to fully control a niche market using a dotBrand, not a generic, a geographic or a community TLD.

The network of accredited Registrar "does not sell", Registrars are a vitrine in which all new applicants think they will show up. Thinking Registrars will do the job of "selling" is naive : numbers don't lie.

The one to develop his business on his dotBrand (.brand), create domains added to a service, and control which domains to allow comes with something new...that sells.

Ask Jovenet Consulting for more.

Just updated, new gTLD reports for the month of April 2025

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 for a month to the other. This method is a good way to see if these domain names meet with adoption...or not.

We update 22 categories and .BRANDs is one of them.

New gTLDs : LOCAL = city names

I am probably sure that many noticed...that the first new gTLD applicant guidebook (and probably the upcoming one for the 2026 ICANN new gTLD Round) blocked interested applicants for submitting an application for the .LOCAL new generic Top-Level Domain.

It is the chosen one for innovative project "John Wolley" which focuses on city names but we have to take a different approach since this TLD is blocked.

Generic Names

We all know that one advantage to create a new domain name extension, a generic one, a dotBrand (or any other), is to benefit from the availability of "to be created" generic second level domains : domain names such as shoes.tld (".tld" is an example here), product.tld , mobile.tld or paris.tld

A real benefit

If the real SEO (Search Engine Optimization) benefit of using a generic name relies on what Google says, one think remains certain : the benefit of using a generic name is clear on a leaflet, a visit card, in the paper or online press. Reading a generic domain name is nicer and easier to comprehend than reading a descriptive domain name, and by the way : the shorter, the better.

City names and local visibility

Can generic city names such as "boston.tld" benefit for local content in search engine optimization? if - again - "Google decides", the benefit remains in the title : a word is a word and "boston" alone as the second level domain name says it all : a website with this generic domain name is probably going to be about the city of Boston. I asked that exact same question to an AI and this is the answer received :

"...notably Google, explicitly state that geoTLDs are treated like other generic TLDs (.com, .org) and do not provide any direct algorithmic ranking advantage for local searches based on the TLD itself. Keywords within the TLD also offer no direct SEO benefit. In contrast, country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) like .uk or .ca do serve as strong geographic signals for country-level targeting."

Scary, isn't?

Now, it also says this:

"Potential benefits of city TLDs like .boston are primarily indirect, stemming from branding and user perception. They can strongly signal local relevance, potentially enhancing user trust, reinforcing community connection, and possibly improving click-through rates (CTR) from local searchers who recognize the geographic identifier."

Much nicer.

Conclusion

Using city names as second level domains for local content makes sense in the next round of the ICANN new gTLD program. Industrializing such domain name creations using a .BRAND Top-Level Domain makes the project a cash machine if the minimum annual income per domain is $40. To learn more about this project : talk to us.

The CTO shares it factsheet about next round of new gTLDs

The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is the oldest and largest Commonwealth intergovernmental organisation in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Its focus is on transforming the future with ICT, one nation at a time.

The CTO shared a factsheet on the Latest news from the ICANN82 conference held in Seattle - April 2025. Factsheet written by Peter Mujtaba – Technology Consultant.

Learn more.

Are you a Registry Service provider?

To ensure you have the proper qualifications to be a Registry Provider, The ICANN created the RSP Evaluation Program. It is closing in 20 May 2025.

Extracted from the article: "All New gTLD Program: Next Round applicants must use RSPs that have been successfully evaluated through the RSP Evaluation Program. The RSP may be the same entity as the prospective applicant, or the gTLD may outsource services to a third-party".

Learn more here.

Reminder : ICANN seeks qualified vendors

ICANN New gTLD Program: Next Round Sourcing Timeline

June 2025 (RFI) : String Similarity & Variant Justification

Description: Conduct algorithmic and linguistic evaluations of applied-for gTLDs, identifying similarities that could cause user confusion and ensuring unique and distinguishable strings.

Q3 2025 (RFQ) : Background Screening

Description: Conduct comprehensive due diligence on applicants, ensuring compliance with eligibility criteria, including criminal history checks and business due diligence.

Learn more here.

Latest ICANN Board Workshop at ICANN82

Extracted from the article : "New gTLD Program: Next Round: The Board reviewed the implementation status of the next round, including the development of the gTLD application processing project, progress on the new Base Registry Agreement, the approval process for vendor contracts, and upcoming milestones for the Applicant Guidebook".

Learn more: https://www.icann.org/en/blogs/details/recap-of-the-march-board-workshop-and-icann82-07-04-2025-en

New gTLDs in Domain Reputation Update Oct 2024 - Mar 2025

This is a report from Spamhaus with a focus on Domain Reputation. Since we focus on new gTLDs "only", there a re a few things in this report that caught my attention:

• Slide three : .TOP continues to be plagued by abuse.
• Slide four on .XIN new gTLD : this TLD also appears later in the report in relation to abuse where cybercriminals are using hyphenated domains.
• Slide 6 : some TLDs are typically known for being low cost, with some promotions offering domains for as little as $1.
• Slide 7 : the Top 20 TLDs used in new domains.
• Slide 8 : The Top 20 gTLDs by % of zone file that are new domains.
• Slide 10 : Trending terms in new domains.
• Slide 12 : Eight out of the top 20 gTLDs by percentage of zone file belong to one registry:
• .town
• .pizza
• .pictures
• .loans
• .academy
• .plus
• .gold
• .legal

Read the 22 pages report here.

From the .BEST to web.Best

Building on the .BEST Top-Level Domain foundation, the team embarked on developing the Best mobile application, which became the cornerstone of web.Best for capturing likes on short-form videos.

Today, web.Best is designed to enhance attraction, engagement and conversion on your own website.

Learn more here.

The .MIT new gTLD : 10 years after

The famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology just renewed its contract with the ICANN : it's been 10 years ! One of the most prestigious university in the world has yet not found a use for its own domain names and has created two after ten years of existence. I found one of them and it is this one : https://nic.mit/.

Just in "ICANN taxes", it cost the MIT $25.000 a year (plus "the rest").

Check the renewal notice here.

Event : Opportunities in the Next Evolution of the DNS

For the first time in more than a decade, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is preparing to launch the application window for the Next Round of generic top-level domains (gTLDs).

On April 9, 2025 at Civic Hall, join ICANN for a discussion on the opportunities for nonprofits and businesses to create their own exclusive, descriptive, and memorable label on the Internet through the operation of a gTLD.

Register now.

Round 2 of new gTLDs : need to check the numbers?

It is difficult to estimate the potential of a niche new gTLD project but "comparing" with existing extensions from the first Round of new gTLDs is an excellent approach.

Check the numbers !

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 for a month to the other.

Check the monthly reports here (next report to be published will be March 2025).

New gTLD providers : more visibility for Round 2 ?

Round 2 of new gTLDs is an important moment for new gTLD service providers to increase sales and reach out to new customers. The objective here is to develop visibility and "sell".

The offer :

This offer is to develop visibility prior to the launching of the next ICANN new gTLD Round to begin in 2026. This offer is to promote service providers' contents related to new generic Top-Level Domains.

Learn more.

How much to operate a .BRAND ?

An fundamental question

If the question about the cost to submit an application is now known, the cost to operate one is now the important one in a .BRAND new gTLD project.

As an approximate guide and depending on how many domains you plan to register in your TLD, this provider answers that question - per year - to operate your dotBrand gTLD, depending on the level of support and outsourcing you require.

Learn more in this article.

Meeting : Next Round of New gTLDs (South Africa)

South Africa: Cape Town Stakeholders breakfast meeting co - hosted with Girl Hype regarding ICANN's upcoming Next Round of New Generic Top-Level Domains (ngTLDs) and the associated Applicant Support Program (ASP). This session aims to create awareness and provide visibility into these exciting initiatives that will shape the future of the Domain Name System.

Learn more here.

DotBrands : Title and Description policy ?

When reading a text, I find mistakes awful ; the same when forgetting a capital letter to a first or family name : it appears to me like a poorly marketed product.

The "Title and Description" policy

I recently checked the indexed pages of a .BRAND Top-Level Domain in Google and noticed a few things were missing. Isn't a branded domain name ending in ".brand" (instead of ".com") a way to identify as a Brand? 

Were missing a Title of the page : it appeared in Google's results with the full domain name of the page, including the "https" in the Title. As a description of the indexed page, I could read : "No information is available for this page. Learn why", with a hyperlink on a Google support page, explaining the reason why there could be no information available".

In control

Well, when in control of all domain names, I believe that insisting on a good Title and Description of a page to be indexed by search engines is an efficient way to promote a Brand. It is a matter of setting up a policy in place for all domain names creators from that Brand.

Since adding the Brand's name in each Title for example, and a minimum characters for the description repeating the brand's name at least once, is an easy way to proceed, why aren't such policies in place?

Forgive my easy way to criticize, especially when it is important to add that not all brands are the same : some are regional ones and some are much bigger at an international level, with probably much more people allowed to created a domain name.

In reality, this demonstrates one thing to me : it is still early in the .BRAND history and if dotBrands are clearly a fantastic tool to better identify online, it is still to be found how to use them.

EURALO Round2 Table: some questions answered

A few things caught my attention :

1. 30 applications received from the Applicant Support Program,
2. 40 applications received from the Registry Service Provider Program,
3. Round Two is more expensive than Round One,
4. Bring new gTLD to operation = $2 million,
5. A lot of bad actors,
6. The "Infermal" study : a must read to understand better bad actors and how to unwelcome them to registering your TLD's domains.
7. Funding, Market Research and Security are essential,
8. Read new gTLD studies !
9. By 2026, new domain names my surpass 50 million registrations.
10. In terms of DNS abuse there are things you must do and things you can't do.
11. Becoming a Registry, important things to consider :
1. The purpose of the TLD,
2. How do you distribute your domains,
3. Policy development and pricing,
4. Registry launch,
5. Keep it private until you sign NDA.
12. At 34mn : GoDaddy provides feedback on differences between Round 1 and Round 2.
13. EURALO stands for European Regional At-Large Organization,
14. Undeserved regions and communities are not included in this program according to a participant.
15. Many French speakers in this presentation ;-)

Jovenet Consulting is here to help you with your questions. We are based in Paris - France and operate worldwide.

The Applicant Support Program application submission period...has begun !

Below is an interesting read for entities interested in submitting an application through the ICANN Applicant Support Program - "and pay less". The 19 pages "ASP Applicant Checklist" clearly informs about what the administrative work consists in : good luck to all applicants. The application submission period is expected to close 19 November 2025.

This is Table of Contents Organization Information of the ASP Applicant Checklist :

• Organization information :
• SECTION 1: APPLICANT ENTITY INFORMATION
• SECTION 2: APPLICANT ENTITY USERS
• SECTION 3: PAYMENTS
• SECTION 4: ULTIMATE CONTROL
• Public Responsibility Due Diligence
• SECTION 5: ACTIVITIES & AFFILIATIONS
• Financial Need
• SECTION 6: NARRATIVE STATEMENT
• SECTION 7: FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS
• Financial Viability
• SECTION 8: NARRATIVE STATEMENT
• SECTION 9: DEPOSIT
• Eligible Entities
• SECTION 10: NONPROFITS, CHARITIES, OR EQUIVALENT
• SECTION 11: INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (IGOS)
• SECTION 12: INDIGENOUS/TRIBAL PEOPLES’ ORGANIZATIONS
• SECTION 13: SOCIAL IMPACT OR PUBLIC BENEFIT MICRO- OR SMALL-SIZED BUSINESS
• SECTION 14: MICRO- OR SMALL-SIZED BUSINESS FROM A LESS-DEVELOPED ECONOMY

3 Sunrise Periods start...soon !

3 new Sunrise Periods were just announced by the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers for those who still don't know.

The 3 new generic Top Level Domains belong to Amazon and are:

1. The .NEW new gTLD,
2. The .HOT new gTLD,
3. The .SPOT new gTLD.

Dates are the same for all Registries:

1. Sunrise Period: 2 Apr 2025 to 2 May 2025
2. Trademark Claims Period: 12 May 2025 to 17 Aug 2025

More here.

ICANN latest video about Round 2 of new gTLDs (2026)

Round 2 is coming : compare your new gTLD project's figures

Interested in learning if your upcoming new gTLD application "will sell" in 2026 ? Compare your project with real figures ! One year in review from January 2024 to December 2024 : www.gtld.report

Learn more at Jovenet Consulting.