domains Google Says .app Domain Helps Apps Get Discovered

[Rhythm8]

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-says-app-domain-helps-apps-get-discovered-shani-yehezkel

We have supported the idea that domain names influence search engine performance for some time now – the research is there.

New top-level domains create a more meaningful and memorable experience for Internet users. Having a unique and relevant URL that matches your brand name or product is priceless. The name says it all. The best way to get discovered online is to use a domain name that aligns with your purpose and makes it easier for people to find you.

The top apps on the market are already using the .app domain as the home for their application on the web. There are more than 1.5 million app publishers between Google Play, App Store, and Amazon AppStore, which means there are 1.5 million brands competing for the perfect representation of their brand with the .app domain (Source: App Annie).

disclaimer: I own diamondring.app

 

[Rhythm8]

I don't know how ICANN accept this. (And the built-in https too)

$25,000,000

 

[Acroplex]

Quite clear that Google promotes .app domains used for apps.

Ergo, it's pointless to stock up on .app domains in hopes of reselling. When will domainers learn?

 

[ComboNames]

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-says-app-domain-helps-apps-get-discovered-shani-yehezkel




disclaimer: I own diamondring.app

Well even that I own .app names , but that's not ethical to force people as a search engine to buy your TLD. I don't know how ICANN accept this. (And the built-in https too)

 

[Acroplex]

Judging by the registration threads here on NPs about .app domains, I've no doubt that thousands of .app domains were speculative registrations.

Lots of registrants also treated the Google gTLD as "generic" - which makes it no different than .XYZ in terms of reseller value.

 

[urlurl]

like many new extensions with tiered pricing - .app is marketed towards end users. and the pricing discourages resellers and domainers.

personally - i'm not going to risk paying $1000 - $5000 per name per year in hopes an end user comes along with deep pockets to take the name off my hands.

Yes there are cheaper names, but they are more of a long shot as we all know (and so does google).

Google knows exactly how to tier price each name with their vast amount of data and research.

 

[kriss05]

It was told in Google's IO 2018 session devoted to .app that websites running on .app will load faster due to HSTS preload. If Google gives preference to fast-loading sites, then it could be so by definition.

 

[bluemeteor]

I know what speed they were talking about know. If you type namepros.com into your browser. Your browser will ask the server for namepros.com, then namepros.com will redirect to https://namepros.com. Than return the https page.
.app send https version request directly.
However this won’t affect seo, cos you index https://namepros.com at google, google bot visit your https version directly. No redirection.
Better user experience though.

 

[Mopho]

More broadly, there are issues of potential conflict of interest when major search engine companies own any domain extensions. I am not saying they will act in a way that is conflicted, and Google have in almost everything impressed me with their business ethics, but it was a worry I had well before reading this thread.

I wonder what Apple think of all this? Google own .APP, but the app universe is roughly equally split between iOS and Android. Will APP somehow serve Android better?

If the world is going to a browser based client user model, independent of operating system, then owning .app would be very advantageous. It could errode Apple’s AppStore and more so it could errode Microsoft’s OS dominance. As I type this today, Windows 10 updates have for the second time in a week, deleted security settings in a program called Calyx Point that I support as an independent IT contractor. The owner of the business that relies on this program has no choice but to keep running Windows because his business programs are only developed for Windows. Under a browser based client user model, it wouldn’t matter what OS your are running, your programs run in the browser. Does anyone use Office 365 in the browser? Why do you think MS invested so much in making sure it still had the best office suite whether you were using the desktop version or the browser version. Once the developers of business programs offer browser based versions of their software, Microsoft desktop dominance will fade and the .app extension will become more important. There will be security features, more than “https” that will make .app important. To compare it to other domain extensions is relevant today because the world doesn’t use a browser based user model yet. Building a portfolio of .app domains might be best as a long term strategy. If you need any examples of how the browser based user model is evolving, just look at QuickBooks, you can run it in a browser now.

 

[kriss05]

Examples of developed websites running on very expensive premium .app domains:

$2k renewal

art

$900 renewal

at
cash
menu
pair
rj
wz

That said, .app end users are nothing different than legacy gtld/ngtld end users, in the sense they don't mind to pay premium for .app domains. It means there will be .app market as well, like we have gtld/ngtld markets now.

 

[Rhythm8]

The algorithm will probably apply to all Gtlds

So no unfair advantage, anyone can rank

 

[kriss05]

It is unlikely that domainers registered all 150k .app's. Such strong start was only possible if lot of end users got involved too. If so, we will get aftermarket for .app as well.

 

[Kate]

When somebody is selling something to you, what they are saying shouldn't be taken at face value.
We've been through this so many times, when will people ever learn ?

 

[Brands.International]

Of course there will be aftermarket for .app guys IF you have good keywords registered Remember, Google supports it...whether you like that fact or not.

There are some amazing results from EAP DAYS and from overal number of registration so far.

I also bet many end users will go directly for keyword.app, and they will not even consider buying keywordapp.TLD where TLD in (.com, .net, .org, .us, .co.uk, .de, .fr, etc)...Time will tell if I am right in this.

BtW: I personally skipped .app completely for now, too much competition for my taste atm. But everybody can see that everyone on this forum speak and buy .app!

 

[bluemeteor]

Beware those 2words app. Instead of buying .app from domainner, they could just get .other at register fee.

 

[kriss05]

Second? If that’s true. I would rather use a crap .app

Starting at 25:32 they are talking about that.

 

[Acroplex]

I've seen companies that produce apps skipping registrations of .app domains for now. They own .com domains, or ccTLDs and they don't want to add more domains to their management. Of course, I'd advise them to get the .app if it's available at a standard price, even if it's to secure it. However, premium pricing under .app is a waste of money.

Pro developers can definitely benefit from such a registration as well. It's a gTLD that represents a certain profession or industry niche.

Others, outside of these categories, domain investors included: don't waste your twenties, it's a pizza a pop.

 

[kriss05]

If such registrations are based on the relevance to the niche market, why won't they pay premium for domains that match their product/brand.

I did quick check on Google, found dozen of developed .app with renewals of between $100-$800. They seem to be fine with high renewals.

There is also large category of end users not in app niche making defensive registrations or for whatever reasons (paul.app?). One can easily verify this by taking a look at zone file. Many such registrations come with premium renewals.

 

[Lawismything]

End users: developers or companies. Such registrations are based on one commodity: relevance to the niche market, and low price - as compared to existing/taken .com domains in the aftermarket (for sale,) unless we're talking about .app premium domains that are expensive.

So no, there is no real market for reselling .app domains en masse. Not even close to XYZ.

I'm sure its not your neighbors or school teahcers buying .com's for xxK-xxxK. Companies and small businesses are. This is perfect for the mobile app world which is thriving bigger than ever. Biggest activities we have throughout the day stem from within mobile apps.

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

And regarding HSTS...
This can be enabled for any domain in any TLD...
https://hstspreload.org

 

[Bob Hawkes]

More broadly, there are issues of potential conflict of interest when major search engine companies own any domain extensions. I am not saying they will act in a way that is conflicted, and Google have in almost everything impressed me with their business ethics, but it was a worry I had well before reading this thread.

I wonder what Apple think of all this? Google own .APP, but the app universe is roughly equally split between iOS and Android. Will APP somehow serve Android better?

 

[jmcc]

End users that have an app / produce applications / function in the Google/Apple app universe.

Generic end-user registrants without app participation, got these as shortcuts, e.g. Paul.app

Without data from the zone files we can party all day long, based on registration numbers.

I'll post some web usage data later today, Acro,
The HTTPS by default is affecting things as people often use one certificate for a number of sites. Beyond apps, the gTLD has no function. That makes it very much a niche TLD rather than a generic TLD. There is some speculation but it also has a high level of PPC parking.

Regards...jmcc

 

[jmcc]

I wondered if they would give .app preference in search.

Look at the source on the "study", Raymond,
The whole idea is for a registrar to sell more domain names. Google may be many things but it would probably not be stupid enough to state that using a Google NGT would provide a benefit for registrants over using another TLD. That would cause all sorts of legal problems for Google and would confirm that Google's search engine is a Pay For Play search engine. Any hint of this kind of favouritism would have official investigations opened.

Regards...jmcc

 

[bluemeteor]

The question is, is it just compelling marketing or is Google finally admitting to the fact that top-level domains influence search engine results and ranking?

 

[urlurl]

The algorithm will probably apply to all Gtlds

So no unfair advantage, anyone can rank

i agree, since google owns and manages the .app extension they would not give prefered treatment to .app names out of fear of another class action suit.