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discuss 2020 Predictions for the Domain Industry

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Silentptnr

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Every year the top domain brokers and investors make their predictions for the coming year.

Let's make our predictions about domain name investing for 2020.

What do you think will happen? What do you think will be popular? What changes do you think will occur?

What new products/services will be unveiled in 2020.

I'm really interested to hear what NamePros members predict.

Make your predictions here and let's see what happens in 2020!

We have so many great minds here on NP. I look forward to learning from these predictions.
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
@ BabayS
Check the drone fireworks in Shanghai, impressive.
Happy New year
 
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Dude I've been waiting to see democracy for 50+ years, and all I see is the little that there was (doing stuff before mass surveillance was created) is disappearing faster by the day. Some people think they are escaping by living off the grid (only really applies to tribes in the depth of the amazon), but we're all gonna end up in the factory no matter what way you look at it.

This is just another control mechanism and don't you forget it. There are no true philanthropists.

Show attachment 140450

50 years ago 'mass surveillance' was color-based segregation signs, restrictive housing covenants and other institutional mechanisms enforced by the mass population / white majority. It took the advent of national broadcast TV networks, 50 years ago, showing the brutal and passive (seat on the bus) enforcement of this societal mass surveillance, and the civil rights resistance to it, over the 'public airwaves', on the nightly news, to make the nation aware enough to care enough to change.

This change continues to this day driven primarily by citizens using mass surveillance tools, from video cameras to cell phones, and the mass media -broadcast TV and the web. While I agree government mass surveillance of the private lives of citizens, in their homes and on their personal devices is wrong, the idea that 'democracy is disappearing' in the public space due to 'mass surveillance' is wrong, as the exact opposite is true.
 
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50 years ago 'mass surveillance' was color-based segregation signs, restrictive housing covenants and other institutional mechanisms enforced by the mass population / white majority. It took the advent of national broadcast TV networks, 50 years ago, showing the brutal and passive (seat on the bus) enforcement of this societal mass surveillance, and the civil rights resistance to it, over the 'public airwaves', on the nightly news, to make the nation aware enough to care enough to change.

This change continues to this day driven primarily by citizens using mass surveillance tools, from video cameras to cell phones, and the mass media -broadcast TV and the web. While I agree government mass surveillance of the private lives of citizens, in their homes and on their personal devices is wrong, the idea that 'democracy is disappearing' in the public space due to 'mass surveillance' is wrong, as the exact opposite is true.
Oh. Whites oppressed darker people. Is that all you learned?

Blacks have been oppressing blacks, Asians oppressing Asians and all religions oppressing each other since we formed collectives, up to and including the time you claim whites were the majority doing it. Not true.

I grew up in an oppressive system for 15 years.So did everyone 'white' under communism in the east, British Rule in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, off the boat and onshore to USA and just name it.

I'm tired of hearing how I am so blessed. Education, perseverance, patience and hard work. If you are blaming whites then you are an idiot. Everyone was in the crap 100 years ago.

Kings, Maharajas.. what what.. Slavery from Africa started by Arabs.. what what...

Watch and learn. The same people are doing the oppression as before. Transcription here: http://www.mit.edu/afs.new/sipb/user/ayshames/Python/PEASANT.PYTHON

 
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let there be more promo codes for registration
 
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I predict for 2020 that NP members will continue to Hype their own interest (investments) in domain categories as the best thing since sliced-bread. Then by the end of 2020 telling us the same thing but for 2021.

I do think there will come a squeeze of some sort on our little game of domaining, Perhaps instigated by Business interests outside of the World of the registration services and ICANN
 
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I predict for 2020 that NP members will continue to Hype their own interest (investments) in domain categories as the best thing since sliced-bread. Then by the end of 2020 telling us the same thing but for 2021.

I do think there will come a squeeze of some sort on our little game of domaining, Perhaps instigated by Business interests outside of the World of the registration services and ICANN

A few people hype a niche here because it gets more noobs to reg the lower quality domains in that niche. With more keywords taken the more valuable the niche "seems", artificially inflating the sense of value (but not the actual value). With end users noticing more domains taken in that field they get the impression that competition (for keywords) is high and that they should rush to purchase a decent domain before they're all taken.

I have personally been excited about a few niches and posted news etc about such, but I have seen a lot of promoting of shitty domains like "hey guys, I just saw such and such in auction... I wonder who's going to get it :xf.wink:" (lots of sleazy winking :xf.wink::xf.wink:)

And sadly people do fall for the over hyping...
 
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I do think there will come a squeeze of some sort on our little game of domaining, Perhaps instigated by Business interests outside of the World of the registration services and ICANN
This is an interesting comment on a topic not talked about enough. Would you care to write more @BaileyUK ?

Do you mean business organizations may rally against the aftermarket, or government regulations against ownership of domains for resale (as proposed but not approved for .au) or something else? The restricted TLDs (only open to those in a certain industry) and brand TLDs are neither open to domain investors, and while impact not yet much, I can see movement, possibly.

Thanks for contribution.

Bob
 
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I predict there will be an increase in Tech startup companies. The world I look at has a lot of security risks, so security and tech more and more together.

Every few years I need a new email address it seems with all the spam out there. Perhaps someone can fix that!! Id buy a share in that company!!

try ProtonMail.com
 
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It is very exciting. I tend to think ATSC 3.0 is actually Web 3.0 -as 83% of internet traffic is video. One thing that dampens my excitement is 99.9% percent of 'domaining' is non-video. And, while this is a great thread topic, the reality is these annual ritual conversations always focus on what the marketplace in the coming year is going to do to us, as opposed to what domainers will make happen in the marketplace.

To elaborate on Next Gen TV, for example, if 20% of domainers embedded a shared content video player on 20% of their unsold domains it would become the largest distributed video screen network, and get the attention of the broadcast TV and film industry where the 'number of screens' is a TV & box office metric.
Though the keyword data-point nature of a domain TV network would be its distinctive value to media producers and advertisers.

Next Gen TV broadcasters will digitally partition their spectrum, connect real-time IP encoders, and transmit a mix of sub-channels alongside the main 'Network' programming. The programs can be targeted and interactive... just like you can watch internet TV and chat alongside. Though Next Gen TV will be a bit more powerful, and 'scary' to some... as it can 'wake up' your devices (turn them on). This was done primarily for the new Emergency Alert system, Called AWARN (.org). But it will be used for ads as well.

The bottom line is... they have the tech ready to go, they just don't know how best to use it.


What is a shared content video player ?
 
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Continued growth for one word .co, .io, .ai, and even .gg, while ngtlds will continue their down slide.
agree. especially bullish on.ai with relatively mediocre .ai domains fetching 4 figure sales last week. also look for .id to begin more active repurposing to identity with privacy, encryption to major trends in 2020. .gg needs some big sales or developments to establish "global gaming" brand.
 
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No Worries, but people tend to react to exactly what they hear in the news, but you have to understand there are big donors in Vegas that have the ear of the current administration which is very receptive to forwarding the concerns of their big donors. I have seen people react to a certain news article without considering that there are always two sides to each new rule change. It might seem great for the overall masses, but there is a small percentage that is going to lose a lot of money, but the pockets of that small percentage outweigh that of the masses, but just there are always two sides to each prediction. It's 2020 it's silly certain jurisdictions in the same Country have access to it, whereas others don't from a legal point of view it makes no sense. These guys are very good at passing everything, then hanging on a single contingency for years that derails the whole process.
Yes, I'm getting some high offers on sportsbet domains...i'm waiting for legalization in california to start selling...sportsbet domains will become as valuable as cbd and crypto domains...so many sites and apps in dev or launched in states where legal...if legal in all 50 states iby 2022, could be very valuable
 
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1. Sports Betting/Sportsbook domains will got hotter. As per the previous comment, Vegas will always be a popular destination even with sports betting legal in many other places because of the atmosphere there. The Raiders coming to town next year will give another reason to visit.

2. Four digit Alpha numeric domains will finally catch on. I have had more of these sales that in any other niche this year, but they have still not caught on like the three digit alpha numeric domains have.

3. Brandable domains will continue to rise in value, with the shorter 4 letter pronounceable domains greatly rising in value.
agree with all, especially 1&3
 
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Thanks for your kind words.

So first the prediction that I am confident about: I don't know!

Now for more speculative thoughts....
  1. I think that the domain market overall will be influenced by the economic and political environment, trade friction, etc. And that is difficult to predict.
  2. I believe that dictionary word .com will continue to command ever higher prices.
  3. I am less sure about whether prices and sales of multi-word legacy will go up. I see pressure from higher acquisition prices and little movement in sales prices, with obvious exceptions.
  4. I see country-code both general purpose and restricted as having a strong 2020, possibly an outstanding year.
  5. I don't know what to predict for .org. I think it will hold it's own for this year, but with the uncertainty of the proposed sale it is hard to know for long term.
  6. I do not see another 8-figure sale but do see multiple 7-figure .com sales again in 2020.
  7. I think mixed-mode domains, at least in .com possibly in a few other TLDs, will continue to grow, especially those that start with a letter.
  8. I am cautiously optimistic about new gTLDs, but it will be slow. I do not think we will see many or possibly not even any 6-figure sales of new extensions in 2020. However I predict there will be more $1k+ and $100+ sales of new gTLDs in 2020 than in 2019.
  9. I see legal issues in domaining ever more widespread and critical, but not confident predicting more than that.
  10. I see continued consolidation and near monopolies in some elements of domaining, even though I wish it was not that way.
  11. I predict some big player none of us predicted will have a big impact on the domain business.
  12. I see domain payment plans, leases and rentals as becoming ubiquitous. Decreasing numbers of domains will be purchased outright. Some of these may involve an outright purchase but after a x month trial period.
  13. I think, finally, people will begin to see the danger of trusting their work and information in large companies on sites they don't own. Personal websites will grow strongly in 2020. Whoever figures out the best system for people to get their site up with the features people want and the security protections they need will win. While most of these will be hand-registered names, there will be decent sales as well for those who want a memorable name.
  14. We already have a lot of services like AirBnB, Uber, etc. but I see lots more growth in direct person to person services and items mediated by third party networks.
  15. Robotics and AI will automate more and more processes we did not think could be robot-assisted. There will be domain opportunities here but difficult to be sure the type of name.
  16. Physical and mental health and well-being will be highly sought with the best domain names. I see all of .com, .org and .net well represented, but also a few of the new gTLD and some of the general country code like .me.
  17. People will tire of the divisive, confrontational tone of so much of public discourse, and organizations that build respect and communities and positive outcomes will thrive. There will be domain opportunities here, but in the spirit of the organizations limited financial gains.
  18. Most people will have a side-gig and there are domain opportunities, both directly and in services like workspace sharing.
  19. Finally, I feel confident on the last prediction. MOST OF MY PREDICTIONS ABOVE WILL PROVE TO BE COMPLETELY WRONG!! :xf.cool:
Have a great 2020 everyone.

Bob
bob, i concur with most...let's see!
 
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I predict private equity will privatize GoDaddy.

That as well as the outrageous price paid

( like in the case of Salvador Mundi )

will draw incredible attention

and intense scrutiny

to Domaining.
 
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This is an interesting comment on a topic not talked about enough. Would you care to write more @BaileyUK ?

No specifics - Bob,
Just that if you think about it. The whole business of domaining is pretty much a closed-shop as far control, influence and jurisdiction goes.

I've always thought sooner or later a new out-laying perspective will come into play, There has to be minds at work out there that constantly reviewing the whole domain concept and controls. These minds may be linked to legal or technology.. I personally just don't foresee everything staying as it has been for the last 40 years. We are still in the infancy of the connected world (with all the smart concepts and devices still evolving) I just don't see how a fundamental part of this World can be left in control of the few
 
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What is a shared content video player ?

Everyone who embeds the video player on their domain(s) gets a linked content page/screen or video in the player that when clicked can lead to their onsite channel (DomainSalesTV/otismo), or an offsite domain.

I should mention, channels could be the member's YouTube, Vimeo, Wistea, etc., embed, or in-house video player options which includes multimedia TV.

I should also mention, any video ad rev the network attracts is also 'shared' among the onsite channels, and some client paid embeds. YouTube monetizes its videos; members can still profit but via YouTube.

The fragmented nature individual domains makes individual domainers weak players the marketplace.

A shared content player... would also be domainers who connect their dots to make strands on the web that are long enough and strong enough to be a (sticky) marketplace.

Thanks for asking.
 
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Everyone who embeds the video player on their domain(s) gets a linked content page/screen or video in the player that when clicked can lead to their onsite channel (DomainSalesTV/otismo), or an offsite domain.

I should mention, channels could be the member's YouTube, Vimeo, Wistea, etc., embed, or in-house video player options which includes multimedia TV.

I should also mention, any video ad rev the network attracts is also 'shared' among the onsite channels, and some client paid embeds. YouTube monetizes its videos; members can still profit but via YouTube.

The fragmented nature individual domains makes individual domainers weak players the marketplace.

A shared content player... would also be domainers who connect their dots to make strands on the web that are long enough and strong enough to be a (sticky) marketplace.

Thanks for asking.

I LOVE Domain Sales TV ! Definitely an idea whose time has come. I have done something similar in a carousel @ http://tfg.foxeo.com but you have to scroll down to "And Our Affiliated WebSites" and it of course features my domains - but video/TV is WAY better !
 
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This is not so much a prediction as it is a review of what is happening right now,

in an attempt to glean a little insight as to what we might expect going forward.

Data are from ntldstats.com, tld-list.com, domainnamestat.com, etc.

King Com @ 158 million names reigns supreme.

Top performing generic ICU @ 5.4 mil. up over one million names just in the last forty days !

No hint of implosion, it just keeps on going ! My guess is that in addition to being wildly popular,

the renew fees being cheaper than COM make it a keeper

( TOP XYZ ONE ditto but no where near as popular ).

Another surprise is BUZZ, from 264k to 475k names in the last forty days also.

ONLINE is back in number five position, finally trumping CLUB.

What is notable is that over the same forty days, ONL went from 6k to 7k names.

Big mover REST ( abbreviation of restaurant? ) from rank 245 to rank 89 in forty days.

Number three BAR from rank 122 to rank 82; number two LUXE from rank 195 to rank 147.

Many people do not have a web SITE; they have a web PAGE.

So I predict that PAGE will be a steady gainer, one day soon on a par with SITE.

Next we look at the over promotion implosion, which I will dub the namecheap.com nineteen :

LINK TODAY XIN WIN MEN OOO BID LOAN PARTY TRADE SCIENCE REVIEW STREAM DATE

DOWNLOAD WEBCAM FAITH RACING ACCOUNTANT !

None has fallen as dramatically as LOAN which one year ago had over two million names

and today barely has over twenty-four-thousand. Scary - but just over-promotion to the uninformed.

These appear to be stabilising at current levels, except for LINK which is genuinely rebounding.

I predict that the new generics are here to stay, especially as a low cost alternative for the pure hobbyist

( like myself ); but what will really end up stealing the show is two letter "country codes" :

the top twenty have over one hundred million names registered !
 
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I have no clue what will be up in 2020
I wish you all the best outcomes possible.

I'm pretty confident for the following predictions:

1) Sedo won't change anything on the domainers interface
( what has worked since 1999 must be good and change can only cause confusion )

2) More buyers will cancel the deal..
( I didn't mean to actually buy it )

3.) Low ballers keep on low balling

4.) Promoters will flood namepros

5.) Epik is not buying namepros

6.) Afternic will become more important to .com sales
( and they deserve it )
 
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an AI will become sentient launch nukes and then create super robots to kill the rest of mankind no wait! That's a movie!

an AI will become sentient trigger a global EMP wiping out the internet and all the valuable domains ever created.

Domainers will form tribes of cannibals roaming the land like packs of wolves and they have also acquired a particular taste for SEO Experts! :-P:xf.laugh::xf.wink::xf.grin:
 
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Wow. It's gonna be a crazy-ass decade. Have always wondered, which domain name a sentient being AI would choose to rest his laurels on, and use to interact with the rest of us lowly netizens with?
 
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Generic one-word names will fetch more mind boggling prices, but we'll also see an increase in activity towards niche names as mass social apps/communities and corporate conglomerates continue to experience user fragmentation.

An increased focus on dropped domains, more than ever before. By end of 2020, there will be another drop-catcher that eats a huge market share from the top catchers we've leaned on for years.
 
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