Anyone getting scared of New gtld's yet?

[Puckerhuddle]

Developing may be the best way to increase the value of domain names. There is only so much Google and others can do with all their computing prowess. New and original content is what the searchers are looking for and if its not available by a google search then people will look elsewhere.

 

[Gerry]

The new extensions are just for domain speculators and new business (not smart ones).

Since when are companies like Google and Pepsi domain speculators?

 

[ImageAuthors]

In some ways, the advent of so many new gTLDs may elevate the importance of the domain name itself.

1. People will relearn the value of typing in the domain name directly rather than sifting through search results. If a business advertises Chicago.hotels or New.app through non-internet media like television, radio, or print, wouldn't you expect people to try typing the new domain into the browser rather than searching for the words separately? This habit could be beneficial for direct type-in traffic across the board, including .com and other existing extensions. And it could, in a small way, circumvent search engines like Google.

2. Search engines, to stay relevant, will have to emphasize websites whose domain name corresponds to words that are searched for. Otherwise, if I am looking for Chicago.hotels by typing "Chicago hotels" into a search bar ... and I don't find the domain I'm looking for, then I will tend to rely less on search. As plenty of people have remarked, since Google has gone after so many new gTLDs, it is certain that the new gTLDs will rank well in Google. But how? Perhaps Google will tweak their algorithm to weight exact-match domains more highly. The component words in the domain name could become more important over the coming years, if search engines are to mirror the expectations of people who are searching for words on both sides of the dot.

Hard to predict. Definitely no more than 50% convinced by anything I say myself. But this does seem a possible scenario -- and a boon to quality domains of all kinds.

 

[JB Lions]

Since when are companies like Google and Pepsi domain speculators?

Talking about domainers who will buy the publicly available domains. And Google has always had a history of trying things out, getting into new markets etc. Some work out, some don't. I'm still waiting for 1 good reason why a company would give up their .com. Haven't heard 1 yet from anybody.

 

[ImageAuthors]

I'm still waiting for 1 good reason why a company would give up their .com. Haven't heard 1 yet from anybody.

1. If the company's .com is less than ideal and they're considering an upgrade, they will find 2 options: (A) A very expensive premium .com and (B) a relatively affordable new gTLD. Perhaps they should choose option A. But it's conceivable that some will choose option B.

2. If a startup company needs a domain or if an existing company wants to start a new spinoff website, they will have the same two options: A and B.

The domain aftermarket isn't so much affected by people keeping vs. giving up their .com's as it is by people purchasing domains. I think the "give up their .com's" argument is a bit of a straw man, honestly.

 

[JB Lions]

1. If the company's .com is less than ideal and they're considering an upgrade, they will find 2 options: (A) A very expensive premium .com and (B) a relatively affordable new gTLD. Perhaps they should choose option A. But it's conceivable that some will choose option B.

2. If a startup company needs a domain or if an existing company wants to start a new spinoff website, they will have the same two options: A and B.

An upgrade wouldn't be a new extension. An upgrade doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg either. Check out Domain Name Wire, every now and then they post up companies and the .coms they're buying. Most of them for low x,xxx. Plus, you could always just make up a name, pay $8.

The domain aftermarket isn't so much affected by people keeping vs. giving up their .com's as it is by people purchasing domains. I think the "give up their .com's" argument is a bit of a straw man, honestly.

Talking about Fortune 500 Companies or Top 500 Internet Merchants, 99% .com. Even smaller ones, mom and pops. They don't need these new extensions. Alternative extensions have always been available to them. A lot of companies think beyond search engines and know when it comes to marketing, it's just easier with a .com.

 

[ImageAuthors]

Rather than cavil at particular points, I'll just say that I see plausible arguments on multiple sides of this debate.

 

[Anthony Ng]

I think anything you can do to become less dependent on Google is a good thing.

It has become REALLY difficult to ignore Google, with Android ruling over half of the mobile market. And like it or not, mobile WILL take over web traffic in just YEARS from now.

 

[ImageAuthors]

And like it or not, mobile WILL take over web traffic in just YEARS from now.

I'm skeptical about that. Like you, I believe the mobile share of web traffic will grow. But I strongly doubt it will take over. Some immutable factors just favor regular web traffic:

1. My fingertips are too thick to make searching the web via phone a comfortable experience. And typing on a real keyboard -- laptop or stand-alone device -- at a table is far easier than any mobile device can ever be. So any serious web browsing will tend to be done without a mobile device.

2. Most people work 9-5 M-F at an office with a desk and a computer. And they spend part of their time officially and unofficially surfing the web. This huge segment of web traffic will never be mobile.

 

[dcristo]

It has become REALLY difficult to ignore Google, with Android ruling over half of the mobile market. And like it or not, mobile WILL take over web traffic in just YEARS from now.

Nonsense. Will it become an important focus for online marketers? Perhaps. Will it take over web traffic? Heck no. The screen is just way too small to become a real contender, but I can see how industries like online gaming would want a piece of the action, with punters being out and about and wanting to bet on a game. But this is not applicable to most industries or general web surfing where after a minute you will feel like pulling your hair out. Also keep in mind a ton of mobile users don't have huge disposable incomes, getting one of those new smartphones is a bit of a fashion statement, but after buying the phone their broke.

 

[Gerry]

Nonsense.

I think some have the misconception of "mobile" is only pertaining to smartphones. With more and more tablets offering WiFi and 3g/4g, these are also mobile devices.

Perhaps that is why Google is releasing the new Nexus 7 and Apple is (egad) releasing a 7" iPad this fall...after declaring the 7" tablet was dead.

 

[dcristo]

Ask the tablet guys what they primarily use their device for.

 

[Gerry]

Ask the tablet guys what they primarily use their device for.

Don't need to. I work with them daily. You are failing to see the largest segmented growth of tablet usage on the globe. Truly astounding growth with no end in sight.

 

[dcristo]

Well if you answered my question you'd see my point. Tablet sales growth is fairly irrelevant.

 

[000]

… mobile WILL take over web traffic in just YEARS from now …

... I believe the mobile share of web traffic will grow. But I strongly doubt it will take over. Some immutable factors just favor regular web traffic:

1. My fingertips are too thick to make searching the web via phone a comfortable experience. And typing on a real keyboard -- laptop or stand-alone device -- at a table is far easier than any mobile device can ever be. So any serious web browsing will tend to be done without a mobile device.

2. Most people work 9-5 M-F at an office with a desk and a computer. And they spend part of their time officially and unofficially surfing the web. This huge segment of web traffic will never be mobile.

I'm with Anthony on this one. The current global traffic split is about 90/10 in favor of desktop. There were more than 1 billion mobile‐broadband subscriptions worldwide at the end of year 2011, up 40% for the year. Emerging markets are driving global mobile traffic growth, where the offline data hungry population is staggering. The desktop/mobile traffic split in India today is about 52/48. IMO big keyboards, big glass screens and desk jockeys will go the way of the Edsel.

sources
http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_vs_desktop-ww-monthly-201106-201206
http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_vs_desktop-IN-monthly-201106-201206
http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/statistics/material/pdf/2011 Statistical highlights_June_2012.pdf

 

[JB Lions]

"IMO big keyboards, big glass screens and desk jockeys will go the way of the Edsel."

Nope. Some people are posting as if they are in competition with each other, when it's more a complement/option. If I'm out and about, I use my Iphone. If I'm travelling and might do some business, I bring my laptop. Now, when I'm home, I'm using my desktop. Nice big screen, nice audio system, and a keyboard built for a human being. That'll never change for me. I can't do any real work on some little device.

 

[Puckerhuddle]

Mobile devices might be great, but if you have big fingers and poor eye sight the small screens suck. I am most comfortable with my 24" imac, comfy chair and Dragon speak for mac.

 

[Gerry]

I'm with Anthony on this one. The current global traffic split is about 90/10 in favor of desktop. There were more than 1 billion mobile‐broadband subscriptions worldwide at the end of year 2011, up 40% for the year. Emerging markets are driving global mobile traffic growth, where the offline data hungry population is staggering. The desktop/mobile traffic split in India today is about 52/48. IMO big keyboards, big glass screens and desk jockeys will go the way of the Edsel.

sources
http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_vs_desktop-ww-monthly-201106-201206
http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_vs_desktop-IN-monthly-201106-201206
http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/statistics/material/pdf/2011 Statistical highlights_June_2012.pdf

That 52/48 report pretty much mirrors a graph that I saw plotting the points at which the rise of mobile traffic and the decline of PC traffic is about to cross...one will continue up and the other will continue down.

Getting back to the original question of the thread, Anyone getting scared of New gtld's yet?, I have to emphatically say no. There is nothing to be scared of because about 1/3 will be privately held and will not be released to the general public and the remainder will be purely for the speculative side of things...quickly followed by auctions of shill bidding by the investors or their cronies and other scandals that is pretty much the norm in the industry. The question people need to ask of their registrar is, when you flounder and collapse who will take control of our names?

 

[000]

... Nope. Some people are posting as if they are in competition with each other, when it's more a complement/option. If I'm out and about, I use my Iphone. If I'm travelling and might do some business, I bring my laptop. Now, when I'm home, I'm using my desktop. Nice big screen, nice audio system, and a keyboard built for a human being. That'll never change for me. I can't do any real work on some little device.

Yes, internet users in developed nations love having devices for every occasion but my point is that mobile traffic will soon overtake desktop due to emerging market growth. A fire hose today, a tidal wave tomorrow. For every person like you there are 10 kids ready to bust out of the third world using a smartphone. These X billion new users want and need desktops as much as a 12 year old in Houston wants a Conrad-Johnson monoblock power amp to drive Bieber tunes. Voice input, image projection and lean thinking will chew up and spit out whatever emerging markets don't flatten.

Getting back to the original question of the thread, Anyone getting scared of New gtld's yet?, I have to emphatically say no...[/I]

Agree!

 

[JB Lions]

"mobile traffic will soon overtake desktop due to emerging market growth"

Great, but what's that got to with anything? There was a response bringing that up with me saying "I think anything you can do to become less dependent on Google is a good thing." Post 36 explains what I was talking about in regards to that.

In regards to mobile traffic going up, even taking over desktop, well of course. Some people just use mobile, people with desktops like myself, also use mobile. When I'm at home, again, I use a real machine.