I reached out to many people to see what they thought 2021 would hold for the domain world. I made it tough by requiring each to respond in just a single sentence. To get a comprehensive view from many perspectives, I included long-term and newer domain investors, business leaders, domain industry bloggers, podcasters and journalists, domain brokers, and investors with various portfolio sizes and investment styles.
I sincerely thank all who contributed responses, despite the short response time. In some cases I have edited responses to fit within the one-sentence per reply framework. The responses are arranged in alphabetical form based on the first letter of username or first name.
Abdul Basit:
Andrew Allemann, DomainNameWire:
Alvin Brown:
Arif - Ategy:
biggie:
Brad Mugford:
Braden Pollock:
Compassion - Chad Laughlin:
Corey:
Eric Lyon:
Dan Sanchez:
DnFolk:
DNGear - Swetha:
Domain Smoke:
Doron Vermaat:
Edward Zeiden:
Elliot Silver:
Equity78 - Raymond Hackney:
FolioTeam:
Giles Coley:
Gube:
Haroon Basha:
Hawkeye:
James Iles:
HotKey:
Jason Sheppard:
Joe Nichols:
Johann - Dosebuy:
Joseph Ciprut:
Josh Reason:
Jothan Frakes:
JudgeMind:
Kate Buckley:
Keith DeBoer:
Kenny:
MapleDots:
Marek at Brands.International:
Mike - Makbliss:
Morgan Linton:
Nat Cohen:
Nikul Sanghvi:
oldtimer:
Ostrados:
Rick Schwartz:
Riz M.:
Rob Monster:
Domain Shane:
Silentptnr:
Sten Lilliestrom - trelgor:
The Durfer:
twiki:
Vito:
Yogi Solanki:
WhoaDomain.com:
Some Common Themes
While many views and predictions were offered, I noted the following common themes.
So what do you think? Please share in the comments how you view 2021, but in the spirit of these responses, try to summarize in a single sentence!
Also, what predictions or outlooks most surprised you?
What do you think was overlooked in the comments above, but is important?
How optimistic do you feel about 2021 personally? Please vote in the associated poll.
My sincere thanks to all who responded with quotations for this article.
I sincerely thank all who contributed responses, despite the short response time. In some cases I have edited responses to fit within the one-sentence per reply framework. The responses are arranged in alphabetical form based on the first letter of username or first name.
Abdul Basit:
2021 is going to be a record breaking year in terms of sales with more 6 and 7 figure sales than ever, and the increased competition for names will cause expiring domain prices to grow out of the reach of some investors.
Andrew Allemann, DomainNameWire:
The general economy will be bifurcated between the haves and the have nots, and the domain economy will be one of the haves.
Alvin Brown:
I predict that in 2021
.cc domains will become the next .io/.co, installment/recurring payment plan revenue for 2021 will be 20% or more of annual revenue at marketplaces like DAN that offer it, and GoDaddy will launch a domain portfolio liquidation or expiring domain affiliate program for domain owners.Arif - Ategy:
While we saw a surge in domain sales in 2020 as many of the businesses around the world scrambled to survive the pandemic by finally getting an address on the greatest sales platform in history; 2021 in turn will forge ahead with even stronger growth, as emerging and surviving companies focus on the inevitable online and remote realities of a fast-tracked future, where physical presences and real-world addresses become less and less relevant.
biggie:
The outlook, has too many words and one sentence is not enough to contain them; therefore, there is not much one can say.
Brad Mugford:
Quality domain names continue to be a resilient investment, even showing a major increase in need and demand during a pandemic as more people are forced to compete online; and I expect this trend to continue moving forward.
Braden Pollock:
Fractional domain ownership will finally come into its own, while wholesale pricing continues to increase squeezing margins.
Compassion - Chad Laughlin:
In 2021, premium domains are accelerating in value, primed to be a safe haven for investors who are evacuating uncertain economical calamities.
Corey:
Three words, Focus On YOU: spend time and invest in your knowledge and skills, knowledge of the domain, the domain industry and learn a new skill.
Eric Lyon:
Prediction: The year of creative, out-of-the-box, micro-niche domain investing with a bigger focus on quick flip returns and sales team building strategies utilizing saturation marketing techniques.
Dan Sanchez:
2021 will be the year bitcoin and domains permanently merge as two critical asset classes no individual or enterprise can survive without.
DnFolk:
Domain names in the brandable niche will continue to surge, with exponential growth in two keyword names. and the
.co and .io TLDs will continue to do well.DNGear - Swetha:
Domain names would be a profitable asset in 2021; please hold on to your super keywords in any popular extension.
Domain Smoke:
In 2021, push yourself to the next level by making domaining into a routine and diversifying your portfolio and marketplace strategies.
Doron Vermaat:
2021 will be ripe with opportunities for domain name investors and operators as the world starts to remodel after the pandemic and many entrepreneurial efforts will have a strong focus on the digital economy.
Edward Zeiden:
A growing number of businesses, especially startups, will recognize that short, memorable names in popular extensions create instant trust and brand recall with their customers.
Elliot Silver:
I am cautiously optimistic about 2021 being a good year for domain investors.
Equity78 - Raymond Hackney:
I would say those who don't own very good domain names in 2021 are going to have to make some tough decisions about their future in domaining.
FolioTeam:
I see domain names having more use cases for new businesses coming online for the first time as some global stability sets in, thanks to the vaccine, by the second half of 2021.
Giles Coley:
I predict that
LLL.com prices will skyrocket, brandable and pronounceable LLLL.com names will continue to increase in value, and the .co extension will keep gaining popularity with plenty of good sales.Gube:
I see it positively: I would say 2021 will be a better year for domains, many sales, great acquisitions to come and a time to run more domain experiments.
Haroon Basha:
Year 2020 was a fantastic year for the domain industry, and there is a general feeling among domainers that year 2021 will outshine the previous year.
Hawkeye:
Domaining in 2021 will see a need to be more focused, selective and creative for domain investors, as aftermarket domains will keep getting pricier and pricier due to higher demand and more coming into the space, bidding and buying blindly on them (due to lack of knowledge, direction, insight, and fear of missing out), along with a lot more portfolios unfortunately filled with useless and unsellable domains, due to the same.
James Iles:
In 2021, I believe we’ll see more collaborations between leading industry companies and fractional ownership of domains will be far more widespread.
HotKey:
Don't count your domains, make your domains count!
Jason Sheppard:
In the coming year, I think we will all be thankful for the names that we paid up for in 2020 and I expect they will all seem like bargains in the face of increasing wholesale and auction prices.
Joe Nichols:
I think we'll continue to see a steady increase in domain name auction prices in 2021, making it even harder for the average domainer to stay competitive without putting in the necessary leg work to find names that offer the potential for a worthwhile return on investment.
Johann - Dosebuy:
With companies finally funding their marketing departments again, number of sales in the $800 to $3000 range will skyrocket.
Joseph Ciprut:
Since a descriptive, intuitive and memorable domain name is crucial for having a meaningful digital presence and since having a differentiating digital presence has become an accelerated requirement not only to thrive but merely to survive in an increasingly competitive world; I am very bullish on the demand for good domain names in a broad spectrum of industries in 2021.
Josh Reason:
Be ready for domains to take a giant leap forward as mainstream investments in 2021.
Jothan Frakes:
Social distancing that was a catalyst for digitalization as well as mergers and acquisitions drew more sales and attention to our industry in 2020, and as we transition to a non-pandemic world and we should anticipate more mergers and acquisitions, and a trend of hybrid remote/in-person business in 2021.
JudgeMind:
Brandable investing will continue to be a good entry point for new investors in 2021.
Kate Buckley:
Keep your eye on certain verticals that saw accelerated growth due to COVID—it's these that are bringing in funding (and thus acquiring domains!) as they compete to become leaders: eCommerce, Gaming, Digital Media, Healthcare, Crypto, EdTech, Food, Biosciences, and AI, along with the startup sectors of: Cloud, Social, and Delivery.
Keith DeBoer:
During this year of profound transformation in both culture and commerce, those who remain smart, flexible and daring, will prosper greatly for years to come.
Kenny:
With so many brick & mortars going down, demand for domains will skyrocket.
MapleDots:
I predict 2021will have one of the highest recorded .ca sales to date.
Marek at Brands.International:
In 2021, I recommend investing in the best possible crypto, blockchain and bitcoin-related domain names you can get your hands on (top
.coms as well as top-quality new gTLDs), as 2021 is the start of a whole new era in the crypto space for many years to come.Mike - Makbliss:
Personally, my sales took off in the last few months of 2020, and I'm very optimistic that this trend will continue throughout 2021 for the domain industry.
Morgan Linton:
I think that 2021 is going to be a record year for domain names with one and two-word
.coms leading the pack and extensions like .io and .co surprising with some blockbuster six-figure sales.Nat Cohen:
ICANN’s inability to efficiently adopt policies in the public interest will come under renewed scrutiny in 2021 as it begins its long overdue review of the UDRP and as industry consolidation accelerates.
Nikul Sanghvi:
A memorable domain name is the bedrock of a strong digital brand - that's why I expect 2021 to keep driving growth in our industry, as new startups emerge, traditional businesses adapt and many companies strive to upgrade their existing online presence.
oldtimer:
I believe the outlook for the domain Industry is very good as more and more people start an online business due to the pandemic, but if the pandemic is not brought under control soon the continuation of the impact that we are experiencing with the economy as a whole is eventually going to catch up with the domain Industry too, and some investors may wish to be prudent in savings.
Ostrados:
If Bitcoins are the gold bars of the future, then domains are the real estates of the present: I expect that in 2021 we will witness a boom in the domain industry, people more and more will start to appreciate domain names as valuable assets and a solid alternative investment option, especially under the current economic uncertainty.
Rick Schwartz:
We are all happy to see 2020 behind us, but don’t expect most of 2021 to be much better, the next 120 days may be brutal.
Riz M.:
Wholesale price & retail price will definitely continue to rise, and right now we should concentrate and learn how to buy names below wholesale market price, and avoid auctions unless you are not sure you are good in the assessment of the domain name.
Rob Monster:
The domain industry will see record activity in 2021 as development-grade domain assets become a preferred non-crypto based safe harbor for storing portable value during what portends to be a year with continuing uncertainty in the physical world.
Domain Shane:
Just like the decade before, people in 2022 will look back and wish they bought more great domain names in 2021.
Silentptnr:
In 2021 the domain name resale market will surge based on strong crypto and financial markets pumping more capital into small business and startups in general.
Sten Lilliestrom - trelgor:
If I were to pick one under-appreciated investment, that neither plagues nor utter madness will manage to disrupt, it’s viable brand prospect domains - because they are the soul and bedrock of modern business.
The Durfer:
There are both haves and have-nots who are attracted to domain investing, and for many the field is a struggle to be profitable or even survive, and I think that will continue in 2021.
twiki:
The pandemic has changed everything with everyone going digital; it brings more opportunities to the market, including more awareness, and creates scarcity as more domains will already be registered and the result is our good ones will get to be even more valuable.
Vito:
2020 has given the entire world much time to think about their online presence, so domain name ownership/usage will become the most important & most valuable digital assets we've ever seen in our lifetime.
Yogi Solanki:
I'm very optimistic about 2021, in my opinion more part-time investors will be full-time, which will lead to more outbound sales because, just like in any business, you need a cash flow to survive, and I firmly believe outbound marketing is the ultimate way to achieve that.
WhoaDomain.com:
Domaining or making money for 2021 is nothing but family and health is everything, never forget what's important.
Some Common Themes
While many views and predictions were offered, I noted the following common themes.
- The majority were optimistic for 2021 in domain name investing. Please vote in the poll so we can see if that holds for the broader community.
- The transformation of the economy to being predominantly online, and offering services at a distance, will drive demand for domain names.
- The focus on domain name quality is a bedrock principle valid for all times.
- Many feel that strength in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will have a significant impact on the domain industry.
- While quality
.comwill continue to have the lion’s share of sales, several see continuing growth in.coand.ioas well as some other extensions. - It seems likely that brandable domain names will continue to play a major role for many investors.
- Several people stressed the importance of investing in yourself, through acquiring new knowledge and skills.
So what do you think? Please share in the comments how you view 2021, but in the spirit of these responses, try to summarize in a single sentence!
Also, what predictions or outlooks most surprised you?
What do you think was overlooked in the comments above, but is important?
How optimistic do you feel about 2021 personally? Please vote in the associated poll.
My sincere thanks to all who responded with quotations for this article.
