3 Predictions For A Post New gTLD World

Love them or hate them they’re coming. The new gTLDs will change the domain world and the Internet world and whether you think it’s all doom and gloom or if you think it’s going to make .COMs turn from gold to platinum. I sit in the middle with new gTLDs and can see both sides of the equation. I have to say I’m more excited about them than terrified but that’s mostly because I love change and the dynamics that come with it.

I do think that there are a few things that will happen no matter how well, or poorly received the new gTLDs are. Below are my predictions for life in a post new gTLD world:

  1. Greater awareness about the domain market – less than 1% of my friends knew people were buying and selling domains until I told them. More and more people will be inspired by domains with a zillion new TLDs and that means more people finding out about our industry and the domain market.
  2. Massive Trademark problems – you think there are trademark issues now, just wait. There will be an explosion of trademark violations many of them unintentional by people that know nothing about UDRPs. I don’t think Domainers will be the biggest offenders, I think it will be ordinary people who don’t know any better and they will learn the dangers of TM infringement.
  3. Decreasing value of .NET – sorry but I’ll be the first to say that I see .NET in particular taking a big hit in value when the new gTLDs come out. Sure, if you have a company that specifically has to do with networks and you think .NET is a great fit for your brand, I get it. Otherwise I think with a million other alternatives to .COM there is going to be a deflation in .NET pricing.

These are my predictions, things I think will happen, but in reality nobody knows. That being said, I always like to hear from you so feel free to share your predictions below or agree with or refute any of my predictions.

Morgan Linton

Morgan Linton