Nominet Haults Plan For .Uk Domain Names, For Now
According to a post on its blog, Nominet.org.uk, is stopping with its plan to sell the shorter, “direct.uk, domain names for now.
Nominet says there will be studying the issue over the coming months.
The plan which would have allowed Nominet the company that runs the .UK ccTLD to start selling domains ending in just .UK rather than the current .co.Uk came under attack by domain holders and others in the domain space.
According to the announcement listened to the “feedback” and decided it need to examine the issue more closely.
Good call in our opinion.
Here is the announcement:
“Following our Board meeting yesterday, we are not proceeding with our original proposal on ‘direct.uk’ but we will respond to feedback by looking at whether a revised proposal will address issues raised in the recent consultation.
We received extensive feedback from a wide range of stakeholders including formal and informal responses. We listened and carefully considered all the points made.
All responses were available to the board, along with a report on the feedback that contained a summary of responses and analysis of the data.
It was clear from the feedback that there was not a consensus of support for the direct.uk proposals as presented, with some concerns cutting across different stakeholder groups. Although shorter domains (e.g. nominet.uk rather than nominet.org.uk) were considered desirable, many respondents felt that the release mechanism did not give enough weighting to existing registrants, and could lead to confusion if they could not obtain the corresponding domain.
The objective of raising trust/security was welcomed, but many disagreed with the proposed approach, suggesting that standards should be raised across the whole of the namespace. On individual security features, there was qualified support for options such as DNSSEC, but scepticism about whether the proposed trustmark would be effective. There was significant support for address validation, though some would like us to do more, and others would like us to do the validation process differently. There was clear support that the sale of domain names should be only through registrars who could meet a level of service and data quality.
As a result, we are going to explore whether it is possible to present a revised proposal that meets the principles of increasing trust and security and maintaining the relevance of the .uk proposition in a changing landscape.
Over the coming months, this work will explore:
- A revised phased release mechanism based largely on the prior registrations of domains in existing third levels within .uk and in which contention between different applicants for the same domain name should be reduced or eliminated. …
Domaining MBA Monday: TRAFFIC Announces One-Day Passes + Why You Should Go For The Full Event
Today TRAFFIC organizers announced the addition of two one-day pass options for the TRAFFIC Vegas show coming up next week. Their decision to offer these passes was based on requests from potential attendees who wouldn’t be able to make it for the entire show. I am definitely a fan of getting as many people to TRAFFIC as possible and think that Rick and Howard definitely made the right move here…that being said I do agree with Rick that you really don’t get the full experience in one day.
I know this from experience as I’ve attended some conferences like Affiliate Summit on day passes and found there to be a night and day difference between this and the full conference experience. This is especially true of TRAFFIC which has pre-event Cabana networking which is incredibly valuable. We went to TRAFFIC Florida early and we’re coming to TRAFFIC Vegas early, this is where the networking begins and poolside at the Bellagio is a darn good place to start your week.
I also see conferences as a progression of relationships, some that have existed for years, others that start and evolve over the course of the week. While you could jam as many meetings as you can into a single day, sometimes it’s just the serendipity that happens over beers that makes your year and changes your business.
Don’t get me wrong, like I said above, I think it’s great that TRAFFIC is offering these passes. What I will urge all of you to do is ask yourself if you’re buying a day pass because your schedule is busy, or because you want to save a few hundred dollars. If you’re going for a day to save money, what you lose in experience won’t be worth it. If your schedule really is too busy to come for more than a day then so be it and it’s better to come for a day than not come at all.
The domain industry is full of incredible people and there are only a few times for us to meet together during the course of the year. Daina and I love TRAFFIC because it not only brings Domainers together, but also brings their families with them. In fact I think Shane’s even bringing his Mom this year! If you can make it for the whole show I can tell you it is absolutely worth every penny and then some!
See you in Vegas!
Google Adwords Keyword Tool Going Away
The tool that so many domainers love to use for exact search numbers is going away. Google said today that they will be unveiling a new product called Keyword Planner.
With the launch of this new, combined tool, we will be sunsetting the Keyword Tool and Traffic Estimator in about 60 days. Please view this article for an in-depth look at the differences between using Keyword Tool and Keyword Planner. Going forward, you’ll have to log in to AdWords to use Keyword Planner, which will enable you to get customized results and estimates. We hope that this integrated workflow will help you build and grow your campaigns even more efficiently. To learn more about Keyword Planner, you can also visit the AdWords Help Center.
Certainly Google does not care about how this affects domaining, things suchs as, Domains wanted listings that specify I am looking for a keyword with 10,000 exact monthly searches will have to be tweaked. It certainly will required a few extra steps as you must have an adwords account, and you must be signed in.
Pam Anderson Official Site Drops & Is At Auction At NameJet.com; PamAnderson.com
The domain name of actress Pam Anderson official site PamAnderson.com dropped todayand was picked up by one of the registrars that works with NameJet.com where it is currently at auction.
According to Screenshots.com, PamAnderson.com was updated in just this past January.
The domain name was acquired by and owned by CMG Worldwide, Inc. in 2010, through a UDRP.
CMG Worldwide according to its site “represents the intellectual property of celebratory individuals from then, now and forever”
Well maybe not forever.
According to its site, CMG represents Ms Anderson, as well as celebrities from Marilyn Chambers to Marlyn Monroe.
The domain name went into redemption period in March.
The domain name dropped today and is in auction on Namejet.com with 37 people (including myself) who placed backorders.
There is a site on PamelaAnderson.com which also says its her official site, however that domain name is owned by “HostGator, Adam Farrar” which definitely doesn’t look as “official” as the former registrant for PamAnderson.com
If Ms. Anderson or the management company decided not to renew the domain for $10 rather than direct it to the longer PamelaAnderson.com well that was bad call.
Yesterday we wrote about the domain name ReggieBush.com which served at its the NFL’s players official site which also dropped and got picked up by a NameJet.com registrar and is currently in auction.
Again as always in these cases we wait until the drop is over before publishing information on the domain and we point out as with any famous person there are UDRP panels that have awarded domain names to the person or the estate of the celebrity if deceased, so buyer beware, especially here where the domain was already transferred to the actress by a UDRP.
Of course there is more than 1 person in the world named Pam Anderson and the domain name does have a Google Page rank of 4/10.
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TextAlerts.com On Sale At BuyDomains For $250 Sells Instead On Snap For $3,500
The domain name TextAlerts.com was on sale at BuyDomains.com just a week ago with a buy it now price of $250.
There were no takers.
Instead the domain name which was owned by Domainbox Limited of the UK, when it was listed at Afternic.com/BuyDomains.com, expired, dropped and went into a SnapNames.com auction where it sold on Friday for $3,505!!!
In the drop auction there were 63 people who back ordered the domain, including myself and there were 4 bidders willing to pay $1,000 or more for the domain and three willing to pay over $2,500
Here is a screenshot of the BuyDomains.com listing, guess it goes to show sometimes there are better buys at the Aftermarket houses then in the drop channel.
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Companies in the News: Email.biz, TRAFFIC, Directi’s .IN.NET & Michael Cyger’s SEOBlog.com
Sedo’s Great Domain Auction Ends Thursday; 345.com; mph.com, Telephones.com
Sedo.com Great Domain Auction for May ends this Thursday at Noon EST.
As of time of publication, over 70 domain names in the auction have bids led by 345.com with a high bid of $25,000 (that is owned by the same company that publishes TheDomains)
mph.com is the domain with the second highest bid at $24,999.
Telephones.com is sitting at just $99 a long way from its reserve price but is a great domain.
In all there are 6 LLL.com domain names, a two letter .tv and .nl domain and a really good .co.uk domain, dog.co.uk
Here are all the domain names with bids on them:
| Domain | Current Bid | Reserve Range | Bids |
| 345.com | 25,000 USD | 250,000 – 499,999 USD | 7 |
| mph.com | 24,999 USD | 25,000 – 49,999 USD | 5 |
| ghr.com | 10,100 USD | 10,000 – 24,999 USD | 4 |
| features.com | 10,000 USD | 50,000 – 99,999 USD | 1 |
| kjq.com | 6,500 EUR | 1,000 – 4,999 EUR | 20 |
| sbq.com | 5,099 EUR | 5,000 – 9,999 EUR | 5 |
| chz.com | 5,099 EUR | 5,000 – 9,999 EUR | 4 |
| av.nl | 5,000 EUR | 5,000 – 9,999 EUR | 2 |
| upv.com | 4,599 EUR | 1,000 – 4,999 EUR | 7 |
| ut.tv | 4,200 USD | 1,000 – 4,999 USD | 2 |
| government.tv | 4,200 USD | 1,000 – 4,999 USD | 2 |
| einfamilienhaus.de | 2,500 EUR | 25,000 – 49,999 EUR | 2 |
| 2,500 GBP | 10,000 – 24,999 GBP | 1 | |
| sportswear.co.uk | 2,000 GBP | 5,000 – 9,999 GBP | 1 |
| onlineloan.co.uk | 2,000 USD | 1,000 – 4,999 USD | 2 |
| child.org | 1,700 EUR | 1,000 – 4,999 EUR | 1 |
| addie.com | 1,600 USD | 1,000 – 4,999 USD | 2 |
| dog.co.uk | 1,500 EUR | 10,000 – 24,999 EUR | 2 |
| d-y.com | 1,250 EUR | 1 – 99 EUR | 13 |
| woman.net | 1,050 GBP | 50,000 – 99,999 GBP | 3 |
| suite.de | 1,049 EUR | 500 – 999 EUR | 4 |
| brl.net | 1,049 USD | 500 – 999 USD | 9 |
| amerika.net | 1,040 EUR | 10,000 – 24,999 EUR | 7 |
| chili.net | 999 USD | 1,000 – 4,999 USD | 1 |
| rekenmachine.nl | 999 EUR | 5,000 – 9,999 EUR | 1 |
| consulting.de | 950 EUR | 25,000 – 49,999 EUR | 3 |
| strasse.de | 799 EUR | 500 – 999 EUR | 3 |
| houseservice.com | 750 USD | 1,000 – 4,999 USD | 1 |
| georgia.tv | 750 USD | 500 – 999 USD | 2 |
| sociedad.tv | 650 EUR | 1,000 – 4,999 EUR | 2 |
| flightsto.co.uk | 600 GBP | 500 – 999 GBP | 2 |
| hotelsin.co.uk | 599 GBP | 500 – 999 GBP | 1 |
| bfc.net | 510 GBP | 100 – 499 GBP | 6 |
| signos.com.br | 509 EUR | 1,000 – 4,999 EUR | 2 |
| bet.it | 500 EUR | 50,000 – 99,999 EUR | 3 |
| maternity.co.uk | 500 GBP | 5,000 – 9,999 GBP | 1 |
| bromsgrove.co.uk | 500 GBP | 5,000 – 9,999 GBP | 1 |
| elh.net | 500 EUR | 100 – 499 EUR | 13 |
| sslweb.com | 500 EUR | 500 – 999 EUR | 1 |
| yus.net | 410 USD | 100 – 499 USD | 9 |
| good.info | 400 USD | 100 – 499 USD | 1 |
| 36.nl | 399 EUR | 100 – 499 EUR | 3 |
| sjj.net | 360 USD | 100 – 499 USD | 2 |
| tatuajes.es | 300 EUR | 1,000 – 4,999 EUR | 1 |
| 4c4.com | 300 USD | 1,000 – 4,999 USD | 2 |
| divorzio.com | 250 EUR | 1,000 – 4,999 EUR | 2 |
| moda.it | 200 EUR | 100,000 – 249,999 EUR | 1 |
| playbook.de | 200 EUR | 100 – 499 EUR | 2 |
| sport.it | 200 EUR | 100,000 – 249,999 EUR | 1 |
| wqs.net | 200 USD | 100 – 499 USD | 1 |
| exc.net | 150 EUR | 500 – 999 EUR | 4 |
| 46.net | 124 GBP | 5,000 – 9,999 GBP | 4 |
| emq.com | 123 USD | 5,000 – 9,999 USD | 1 |
| hke.net | 123 EUR | 500 – 999 EUR | 2 |
| esof.com | 120 USD | 100 – 499 USD | 1 |
| studiodentistico.it | 110 EUR | 1,000 – 4,999 EUR | 1 |
| sjw.co.uk | 100 GBP | 100 – 499 GBP | 1 |
| potatoes.co.uk | 100 GBP | 1,000 – 4,999 GBP | 1 |
| voetbalforum.nl | 100 EUR | 1,000 – 4,999 EUR | 1 |
| times.us | 99 USD | 1 – 99 USD | 1 |
| digishops.com | 99 GBP | 1 – 99 GBP | 1 |
| meaning.com | 99 USD | 25,000 – 49,999 USD | 1 |
| intelligent.co | 99 USD | 1 – 99 USD | 1 |
| liberate.com | 99 USD | 10,000 – 24,999 USD | 1 |
| condiments.net | 99 USD | 1 – 99 USD | 1 |
| casin˜.tvIDN | 99 EUR | 5,000 – 9,999 EUR | 1 |
| toyda.com | 99 USD | 1 – 99 USD | 1 |
| telephones.com | 99 USD | 50,000 – 99,999 USD | 1 |
| 4lb.com | 99 USD | 1,000 – 4,999 USD | 1 |
| 101s.com | 99 EUR | 100 – 499 EUR | 1 |
| optimists.net | 99 USD | 1 – 99 USD | 1 |
| cooky.net | 99 USD | 1 – 99 USD | 1 |
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Did Google Just Kill Off Selling SubDomains?
On Friday Matt Cutts announced that Google would soon be imposing a change in the search algorithm that would limit the number of search results coming from one domain.
The news was broke by SearchEngineLand.com, which said it will make it less “likely to see results from the same domain name, if you already have been shown that domain name in previous results three or four times before”.
“Matt explained that once you’ve seen a cluster of about four results from a specific domain name, the subsequent pages are going to be less likely to show you results from that domain name”.
:The history for domain clustering within Google is as follows:
- There was no restrictions in the number of results per domain name. This turned out to be a bad thing, as Matt explained.
- Google added “host clustering,” that prevented more than two results per domain name to be shown in the search results. Webmasters got around this by placing content on subdomains.
- Google expanded the clustering to show a max of 3 or 4 results per domain, instead.
- Google then changed this to show more diversity on the first page of results but show less diversity on the secondary pages. So you’d likely not see more than two results from the same domain name on the first page, but you can see several results from the same domain on secondary pages.
- Launching soon is a change to this to show less from the same domain, even on subsequent pages, after you’ve already seen about four results from the same domain for that query.”
It appears this is VERY bad news for those trying to sell or those who have bought subdomains.
Chicago.com has been very active and successful in the sale of subdomains, CentralNic has sold a ton of third level domains and more domain owners like Criminallaw.com have hopped on the subdomain sale train.
The sale of subdomains are going to compete with the sale of New gTLD’s domains.
Google applied for over 100 new gTLD domain names.
I’m not saying the two are related but then again Google just increased the search value of new gTLD’s and devalued subdomains.
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