SEO and the Not Com Revolution of the New gTLD Domain Names

2015 Ungagged – SEO, Dot Brand, and the Not Com Revolution

SEO and the Not Com Revolution

Hacking the New gTLDs


About Me• Senior Strategist, Globe Runner• Brand Ambassador, Majestic.com• Personal Blog: www.BillHartzer.com• Practicing Organic SEO since 1996• Affiliate Marketer… building sites since 1996


Overview• Background: What are New gTLDs?• Examples of New gTLDs• Real World Example: GR Research Study• Launch Process of New gTLDs• Brands Committed to Own their TLD• Moving to a New Domain• Expired New gTLDs, Available Domains• New gTLD Secrets


What are New gTLDs?• TLDs: Top Level Domains

.COM, .NET, .ORG, .INFO are all TLDs

• Generic TLDs (gTLDs): .XYZ, .BANK, .CLUB, 800+ more

• Generic GEO TLDs (.London, .NYC, .Vegas, etc.)

• ccTLDs: Country Code TLDs.CO.UK, .CA, .FR, .ES, .IT, .COM.AU, .ME


Total Domain Market as of August 2015


SEO Factors and Domain Names• For search, still value in using Keyword Rich domain• Keyword rich domains must be developed• Search engines use link data, keywords used in links• Domain history, reputation are ranking factors

2015 Ungagged – Examples of New gTLDs

Yeezy.SUPPLY by Kanye West

2015 Ungagged– Examples of New gTLDs

TheHungerGames.MOVIE

2015 Ungagged – Examples of New gTLDs

Lady Gaga's BornThisWay.FOUNDATION


Coffee.Club


Verified.Domains

2015 Ungagged– New gTLD Vs. .COM Study

New gTLD Versus .COM Study

• Which is better for marketing?

• .COM vs. New gTLD domain name?

• Which is better for ROI?


Methodology, Requirements• Use a Controlled Marketing Test

• Real-World Testing, Results

• PPC to Test Ads, Landing Pages, gTLD

• Landing Pages, Conversions the Same

• Test for a Certain Period of Time


How We Did the Testing• Google AdWords Ads

• Keywords the same for all ads

• Bids the same ($1.00 per click bid)

• Same Landing Page, Same Content

• Only difference was the domain name used:

www.3CaratDiamonds.com

www.3Carat.Diamonds

2015 Ungagged – New gTLD Vs. .COM Study

Keyword Examplesdiamond price chartdiamond chartdiamond quality chartdiamond carat size charttypes of diamond cutsdiamond facts

3 carat diamond ringdiamond gradediamond claritydiamond colordiamond buyer guidediamond certification


Ad Examples

Diamond Buying GuideDownload Your Free Carat Size Chart.& Learn the 4 C’s of Diamond Buying!3CaratDiamonds.com

Beginner’s Diamond GuideDownload Your Free Carat Size Chart.& Learn the 4 C’s of Diamond Buying!3carat.Diamonds


Landing Page

2015 Ungagged – New gTLD Vs. .COM Study

Results in 20143CaratDiamonds.com vs. 3Carat.Diamonds

• May 2014: Average CPC3Carat.Diamonds: $.773CaratDiamonds.com: $.81

• May 2014: Results52% Conversion Rate on .COM, 36% on .DIAMONDSEffective CPM: Costs 2x as much to advertise a .COM

*Effective CPM is the rate spent for 1000 views of an ad


Results – Sept. 20153CaratDiamonds.com vs. 3Carat.Diamonds

• Results: Average CPC3Carat.Diamonds: $.77 (vs. $.77 in May 2014)3CaratDiamonds.com: $.83 (vs. $.81 in May 2014)

• Conclusions:Sept. 2015: 22% Conversion Rate on .COM, 35% on .DIAMONDSMay 2014: 52% Conversion Rate on .COM, 36% on .DIAMONDSNew gTLD converts BETTER than .COM in 2015

Effective CPM: Still costs 2x as much to advertise a .COM

2015 Ungagged – New gTLD Vs. .COM

Changes in Conversions Since 2014

2015 Ungagged– SEO, Dot Brand, and the Not Com Revolution

600+ Brands Already Committed600+ plus brand leaders have applied for their dotBrandList: http://icannwiki.com/New_gTLD_Brand_Applications

AAAAccentureAustralian Football League (.AFL)American International Group (.AIG)Google (.android, .chrome)AOLAppleCouncil of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. (.BBB)Microsoft (.azure)Bentley Motors Limited (.bentley)Bloomberg IP Holdings (.bloomberg)Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (.bms)Canon (.canon)

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (.delta)AmazonFederal Express Corporation (.fedex)Ford Motor CompanyHitachiIBMNissan Motor Co., LTD.Jaguar Cars Limited (.jaguar)ToyotaMarriott Worldwide Corporation (.marriott)Oracle Corporation (.oracle)Vistaprint Limited (.vista, .vistaprint)Xerox (.xerox)


How Do You Get Your .Brand?.Brand TLD Fees• ICANN Evaluation/Application Fee $185,000

• ICANN gTLD Annual Maintenance Fee $24,000

• ICANN Second Level Domain names registered $0.25 per SLD• Companies to Assist in .Brand

Afilias, Instra Corporation, Verisign, Others• 2nd round coming fairly soon via ICANN


Launch Process of New gTLDs• Agreement Signed• Delegation• Start-up Plan• Sunrise Period (trademark owners)• Limited Registrations ($$ pre-registration) Best Time• New gTLDs are cheapest on pre-reg day before GA• General Availability (hand register at GA)• Some registrars offer pre-reg services (some free)


Finding New gTLDs• New TLD Stats - https://ntldstats.com/tld• Calzone - http://www.calzone.org

2015 Ungagged – Available, Expired and Dropping New gTLDs

Find Available New gTLDs with Value• Keyword Research is key• Start w/keyword in ending (e.g., “shoes” for .shoes)• Use SEMRush.com, other keyword research tools• Make list of keywords: track shoes, gold shoes, etc.• Search/Replace in list (replace space with . (dot)• Bulk search available domains at 101domain.com

• TIP: This is great for pre-reg and GA New gTLDs

2015 Ungagged – Expired Domains, Expired New gTLDs

Expired Domains – New gTLDs• Many New gTLDs out for over a year• Some really good names are dropping every day• Buyers had high expectations (developing, selling)

• I picked up Bill.Ninja on the drop, others…

2015 Ungagged – Expired Domains, Expired New gTLDs

Expired Domains – New gTLDs• The Drop List (several ways to get list of all dropping)• List of Dropping New gTLDs based on TLD

https://domainpunch.com/tlds/deleted.php

• ICANN Name Collision List:https://www.icann.org/sites/default/files/ci-monitoring/citld-current.csv

• Domain Auctions (Namejet.com, Live Auctions)

2015 Ungagged – New gTLD Tips, Tricks

New gTLDs: Don’t Share This Slide• Premium Names: Registries must hold back names

Even though names don’t appear to be available, you can buy direct. Registries making $BANK$ by selling premiums, all negotiable.

• Shop around. Same name, cheaper at diff. registrar• Domainers ARE selling plenty of the New gTLDs• New gTLDs are getting type-in traffic (e.g. gold.shoes)• Several geo gTLDs are not closed TLDs (e.g., .London)• Big opportunity with 2-character gTLDs just released• New gTLD Forum: http://gtld.link

2015 Ungagged – Thank You

Contact MeBill HartzerSenior Strategist, Globe Runner

Email: [email protected]: +1 (214) 236-4378Office:+1 (972) 538-0260

Web: globerunner.comBlog: billhartzer.comTwitter: @bhartzerFacebook: facebook.com/bhartzer

SEO and the Not Com Revolution of the New gTLD Domain Names

Technology

Transcript of SEO and the Not Com Revolution of the New gTLD Domain Names