AUGUST 2023: new gTLDs reports were just updated

New gTLD reports are monthly captures of domain name volumes 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.

We now update 22 categories. Check the SPORTS category: https://www.gtld.report/sport

Registries: where is the Holy Grail?

There are multiple registries I follow on LinkedIn and there is an hitoric one, Identity Digital (ex "Donuts"), I particularly like to check publications since their number one objective is to find ways to install their domain names and have clients to renew them. This is to me the Holy Grail every Registry is looking for and the job of Rachel Sterling, latest CMO at Identity Digital.

I read a lot of publications from Registrars, Registries and Backend Registries but as a Marketing guy, I also have my opinion on where this Holy Grail could be. I listed below standard and innovative methods to develop a Top-Level Domain focusing on meeting with adoption.

Traditional methods:

Registries, when they can afford it, essentially use the same methods:

• The network of accredited Registrars (when Registrars want them as a TLD to sell),
• Premium domain names
• Press Release
• Auto promotion in the online press
• Give away for one year
• Promotion at Registrars
• There are probably other ways but I try to be fast in my publications.

New and innovative methods:

1. I believe Registries can sell more and meet with adoption when they already have a network willing to buy "now" (and this information should be validated prior to creating the new gTLD application). It is precicsly what community TLDs try to achieve but numbers don't lie and - with experience - I believe this method would be much more efficient if community applications were just generic applications.
2. Poiting the Registry DNS to a CMS (Content Management System).
1. It is what the .TEL Registry attempted to do prior to the first Round of the ICANN new gTLD program in 2007. They succeeded and then failed. They were settlers but I was a serious fan of .TEL and kept using and renewing mine until Round 1 of new gTLDs in 2010. The .TEL was a directory solution which required to buy a domain name, use a second login and password to access its CMS, which then required to set up the directory: quite complex at the time but very innovative and exciting for the owner.
2. It is what the .BEST Registry (participant in Round of new gTLDs) is achieving right now after acquiring the TLD from its initial owner. The domain name is then automatically set-up when downloading the APP onto your mobile: https://app.best/. By the way, registrations are increasing in 2023.
3. Using a .BRAND to offer a service using a CMS: the method here is quite simple, it requires to sell a service, not a domain name. If this method does not benefit from the network of accredited Registrars, it kills all other problems met by the .TEL Registry in 2007: one login and one password "only" and operating costs reduced. Want to check for an example?

Round 2 of new gTLDs could be announced as early as 2026. Thinking that submitting another application in the huge list of already existing TLDs will be a success - without a studied project - is naive. Jovenet Consulting will help you prepare your project.

New gTLDs: "Reminder"

A few things that I noticed about new gTLDs recently:

• ICANN: "...we anticipate that the AGB will be finalized in May 2025, which enables the application round to open in Q2 2026 (with the goal of April 2026). Any delays to the timeline of the Policy Implementation work stream will cause delays to the opening of the round" (source).
• The .MUSIC Sunrise Period starts 11 September 2023 to 15 November 2023 (source).
• It is over for Jean Lassalle, Former Deputy in the National Assembly of France, to complain about the .LASALLE new gTLD, the Trademark Claims Period eneded on Jul 2023 (source). Note that this is a joke.
• On the .HOTEL Independent Review Process (IRP) documents, there is something new dated July 2023 but good luck with this reading (source).
• The .SPORT new gTLD was transferred in July (source).

July new gTLD Reports:

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.