opinion Best Domain World Changes of 2023?

[Bob Hawkes]

I am planning an end of year NamePros Blog post that discusses some of the major initiatives and changes that happened during 2023. It has been a very eventful year I think.

As part of that, I want your opinions on the best change or innovation in 2023. It could be a new product or service, an improvement of some kind at a marketplace or registrar, new opportunity in terms of an extension or niche, etc. I want to hear your ideas, please!

I will separately be asking, in a different. discussion thread, about troubling or negative changes in 2023, so you will have your chance to weigh in next week if you want to comment on changes for the worse. But for this thread, let's focus on positive changes.

By the way, I say one thing, but if you feel strongly about several innovations, certainly feel free to mention more than one change.

Also, I want a sense of overall community sentiment, so feel free to write about what you feel is most noteworthy, even if someone else has already mentioned that innovation earlier in the thread.

Thank you so much in advance! I hope this will be a lively and extensive discussion.

-Bob

 

[DrJacoby]

A change that I liked but many domainers seemed to dislike was the commission reduction at Afternic (20% to 15%).

I have tripled my sales this year after moving my landers from Efty to Afternic.

 

[DrJacoby]

Another change I liked at Afternic was the introduction of the Lead Center.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

Thanks so much for your contributions, @DrJacoby!

I would really like to get some contributions on what people saw as positive changes during 2023. A lot happened. AI powered descriptions. More data and analytics. Some new TLDs. Marketplace changes..... What do you think has made a positive difference for us?

Thank you all in advance!

-Bob

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I am out of edit window for the original post, but I have now started the promised accompanying thread for 2023 changes that you feel had a negative impact – please post about negative impact changes at that discussion.

Of course some changes have both a positive and a negative impact, so could appear in either discussion, so don't worry too much which place you post.

Thanks in advance for all who post,

-Bob

 

[Bob Hawkes]

There were many positive changes during 2023 that I personally appreciated. I find the SquadHelp AI Domain Grader and Domain Insights tool really helpful in assessing potential brandable names, including information on whether the name has been previously submitted and rejected, and when, at SquadHelp.

It has allowed me to better guess which names have a good chance, and move from atrocious to OK in my success ratio for premium submissions. Not always will high SH score names get accepted by their human panel. Now they even return your submission coin for high rated names that don't get accepted.

Thanks, Squadhelp.

-Bob

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I guess it was a dull year!

Surprised that most people have not responded with changes they liked.

• Do you like that there is more data coming out of Afternic, e.g. monthly keyword popularity, sales volume by TLD, etc?
• What about all the innovations at SquadHelp? It seems something new each day.
• The free landers at NamePros?
• Some new data at dotDB, like trending?
• How about external marketplace listing of names at Dynadot?
• Auction changes at Namecheap?
• Self verification at Afternic?
• The addition of .xyz and .io for fast transfer at Afternic?
• AI domain descriptions various places like Porkbun, Dynadot, SquadHelp, etc.
• Domain grading via AI at SquadHelp?
• AI tools for branstorming available names?

Hmmmm.... a lot did seem to happen!

-Bob

ps Invite representatives to list what they consider their most significant change(s) during 2023 in this discussion. Just don't be too promotional, please! Thank you.

 

[VadimK]

Bob, let me chip in, and thanks for the questions. I think we just getting lazy here ))

• • Do you like that there is more data coming out of Afternic, e.g. monthly keyword popularity, sales volume by TLD, etc? These are definitely good movies, but execution could be much better. Like their latest add-on for views - no way to sort them out or download to analyze or rearrange columns for views etc. Same for leads - no one really understands what's going there, but some activity is shown (the one we can't really use, imo - just for self-esteem maybe).
  • What about all the innovations at SquadHelp? It seems something new each day. I generally don't like SH, I only have one single premium name with them, hanging there since 2020 )) I just don't feel all the ''noise'' of their 1000 features, but reality is that it just does not advance any sale whatsoever.
  • The free landers at NamePros? Never used them...
  • Some new data at dotDB, like trending? That's really good, I like it. Lots of delicious food for thought. Ken keeps up a good work. )
  • How about external marketplace listing of names at Dynadot? Good too. Partially using them. Simple, AI-powered and easy to manage. What is still missing imo, is statistics of any kind (I know they have it of some sort, but I am talking about stats in a comparable way).
  • Auction changes at Namecheap? I really dislike Namecheap, ever since they got involved into politics on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and started heavily promoting one side. I moved all the names out (had smaller part of my portfolio, about a 100) and never looked back ever since, never even logged in.
  • Self verification at Afternic? Good move, indeed. But I think they might have done it for themselves in the first place, tiring from tens or maybe even hundreds of emails every day, that ask the same thing - to remove old listings ))))
  • The addition of .xyz and .io for fast transfer at Afternic? .io is good, .xyz is a burst bubble that some try to bring to life. I don't see much success in this idea either with or without Afternic FT. But hey, doesn't bother me )
  • AI domains describe various places like Porkbun, Dynadot, SquadHelp, etc. Inevitable, to say the least )) I think we'll see even more involvement of AI in 2024.
  • Domain grading via AI at SquadHelp? There is an old and popular meme from the Soviet Union times: ''I haven't read it but condemn''!!). Can say similar ))) Although I actually played with it a couple times, I think it's just another estimation service that no one knows how is working, it just camouflaged with magical letters AI.
  • AI tools for brainstorming available names? Oh yeah, but just GPT itself, pretty much. The discovery of popular keywords, trends, and ideas got easier.
  
  Thanks a lot Bob for chewing it for us (and jokes apart!)

 

[DrJacoby]

I really dislike Namecheap, ever since they got involved into politics on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and started heavily promoting one side. I moved all the names out (had smaller part of my portfolio, about a 100) and never looked back ever since, never even logged in.

Do you dislike those that are against world hunger, pollution and cancer as well?

 

[VadimK]

Do you dislike those that are against world hunger, pollution and cancer as well?

You can like or dislike anything you want, but if you are a for-profit company just don't throw to my face your political views like NameCheap did.

 

[DrJacoby]

You can like or dislike anything you want, but if you are a for-profit company just don't throw to my face your political views like NameCheap did.

But it wasn't political. It's human decency ffs. Just like being against cancer.

 

[VadimK]

But it wasn't political. It's human decency ffs. Just like being against cancer.

I am not talking about their ''Support Ukraine'' banner. They closed all the accounts of people from Russia. How come it's not political and where is human decency here? It has nothing to do with being against cancer or hunger.
But generally I don't see the point of discussing it here, I made up my mind about NameCheap a long time ago, coming back to this for me personally is like touching a pile of shit with a stick. No one will change my opinion about it, and it is not my intention to change anyone else's.

 

[phaethon]

I really dislike Namecheap, ever since they got involved into politics on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and started heavily promoting one side. I moved all the names out (had smaller part of my portfolio, about a 100) and never looked back ever since, never even logged in.

That makes sense if you consider that Ukraine is where they outsource their customer service. That has been my impression all this time.

NC is not that bad actually, I have just seen they have increased their transfer prices again, Spaceship will probably be the new Namecheap.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

Well, at least there is traffic in the discussion now, which is maybe a step in some direction .

Would really love to hear what things that came in the last year that you found useful or helpful or interesting or whatever. I am sure my list is missing many things.

Thanks again,

Bob