Given the mainstream media coverage, chances are you’ve heard of the changes coming to the domain name space over the next two years. Thanks to ICANN’s decision to vastly expand the number of domain name extensions available, there’s a good chance we’ll have an entirely new view of how domain names are used as Internet addresses by 2014. I’m looking forward to previewing these upcoming changes in my HostingCon 2012 session next week, titled “Profiting From Changes ‘Right of the Dot’”.

A sneak peek

While I don’t want to give away the whole presentation, some of the major topics I’ll cover include:

  • What today’s domain name landscape looks like compared to what it will look like in the future. When I talk to our resellers about carrying more domain name extensions, they often ask me how many countries they should carry, and what to do when customers want more. This challenge is going to morph into something much greater as customers are to choose domains based on country, city, state, region, community, interest, or possibly even brand! (Hint: it sounds complicated, but it’s actually good news.)
  • An overview of the 1,409 new domain name extensions that were applied for. These applications can be divided into several categories: Generic (like .web or .blog, for instance), Brands (everything from .apple to .zippo), Communities (such as .irish), Internationalized Domain Names (like קוֹם – the Hebrew equivalent of .COM), and Geographic extensions (such as .london and .paris). We’ll talk about what applications may be successful, and which ones might look good on the shelves of web hosting companies.
  • An overview of the applicants themselves. Applicants for these new extensions ranged from investment groups to brand owners, and everything in between – including web hosting companies, registrars and even Tucows. I’ll cover who the players are and what their goals may be.
  • What happens after the application phase. Submitting an application is just the beginning – there are phases for application reviews, contention, and possibly even an auction if multiple bids for the same extension are approved. And all that is before the extension is even made live on the Internet!

With a sold-out floor and some fantastic sessions on the schedule, I’m really looking forward to the biggest and best HostingCon yet. I hope you’re able to join me Monday, July 15 at 1 pm. See you there!