With over 1,200 new TLDs available for sale, registrars have more options than ever to satisfy the domain name needs of their customers. Instead of choosing a regular .com option, businesses and content creators can now be as specific as they wish when launching their online identity.
.blog is a TLD that’s growing in popularity. Maybe you are already actively selling .blog domains or are considering adding it to your portfolio. In either case, this article will explain how you can effectively position .blog to the right clients.
Understanding the landscape of new TLDs
Currently, almost 35 million new TLDs have been registered. Since ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) approved them in 2012, we are observing a steady growth in new TLD registrations proving that the demand for new domain extensions isn’t slowing down any time soon. This is excellent news for domain resellers and registrars.
However, not all new TLDs are on the same trajectory. While most new TLDs are used for legitimate purposes, some are not and instead utilized increasingly by professional spammers and malware operators for their malicious practices. This devalues certain TLDs and turns away customers who want to establish serious businesses.
In order to find the right TLDs to offer end users, we recommend you determine the quality of that TLD by looking at the following:
- Usage rates: High usage rates indicate that most domains are used by their owner on unique, active sites.
- Renewal rates: High renewal rates signify that the owner extends the contract for his or her domain name – a sign that the website is successful and thriving.
- Lifetime value: High usage and renewal rates lead to high lifetime values of the domains. The more successful and active the sites, the better for registrars who can benefit from yearly renewals over a long period of time.
- Abuse rates: Abuse means that a domain name is used by a spammer or malware operator to do harm. If a large number of domains with a certain TLD are used for such practices, the overall trust for the TLD deteriorates.
The benefits of .blog
So, where does .blog stand in the vast landscape of TLDs? We are proud to say that over 195,000 .blog domains are registered today. Our new TLD is showing steady growth since its introduction to the public in November 2016.
What’s exciting is that over 60% of all .blog domains are unique sites with real people and businesses behind them, producing content, building communities, and sharing information with the world. And when their sites are successful, they certainly wouldn’t want to let them go. That’s why the renewal rate for .blog averages over 72%.
In addition to this, we’ve seen that 85% of .blog domains have a paid hosting plan associated with them. That’s a clear indication that customers who purchase .blog domains are also interested in other paid services, which increases the lifetime value of clients.
The solid growth, as well as high usage, renewal, and paid attachment rates, are proof for the high quality and great value that customers receive from .blog domains. This should yield strong revenue and longer-term customers with high customer satisfaction for domain resellers.
Selling .blog effectively
The main customers for .blog domains are – unsurprisingly – content creators and bloggers. We will explain where to find them and how to market to them.
Should you target new or existing content creators?
It is certainly possible to convert already successful bloggers to a .blog domain. Tim Ferriss’s tim.blog and Seth Godin’s seths.blog are great examples. We’ve also seen YouTube and Instagram influencers choose a .blog domain when they want to launch their own website. This is not the easiest customer to convert though as there are a multitude of steps to migrate a website to new domain as this process is often daunting for the average user.
What we have seen is the best conversion rates come from new content creators who are just starting out. They want to establish a fresh online identity and are often more open to trying out something new, particularly with a quality TLD that is globally recognized and is on brand.
Where to find customers for .blog
It isn’t always easy for domain resellers to identify aspiring content creators who would be a great fit for a .blog domain. What most new bloggers have in common, though, is that they spend a lot of time online to learn how to make their blog a success. They will consult already established blogs, Facebook groups, and any other online authorities that explain the topic of blogging. When you are active in these spaces, it’s very likely that you’ll reach the right audience.
In addition, you could further narrow your marketing efforts by targeting specific niches within the blogging space. If you wish to convert aspiring bloggers in the fashion niche, seek out authority websites in this space and partner with them to market your offers. Likewise, targeting specific geographic areas is also a good idea.
How to market to potential .blog customers
After you’ve identified where your target customers are spending the most time online, you can develop concrete steps to build their trust and convert them into paying clients. We have three tips for how you can achieve that.
- Offer free content that helps aspiring bloggers get started. You could explain the main steps to launching a blog online and position your service as a done-for-you solution.
- Build a landing page that caters to a niche audience of bloggers and markets .blog domains. Bobb.blog is a great example of such a page.
- Bundle other services into your offering to make it more attractive, such as a Content Management System (like WordPress, Squarespace, or Weebly).
How to keep your .blog customers engaged and happy
The success of your customer’s websites is also in your interest. Happy clients are more likely to renew their domain registration and buy other services. You can build long-term relationships with your customers by continuously supporting and helping them to do better.
Why not send some valuable content their way? Our ‘Better Blogging’ series is the perfect source of information for hopeful bloggers. Whether they are still looking for reasons to start blogging or wonder which niche they should focus on, our articles provide practical tips and valuable insights. You can share our blog posts directly with your audience. They will thank you for it.
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