Introducing Afternic Boost: More domain visibility, more domain sales

[GoDaddy]

We are thrilled to announce the launch of Afternic Boost, the new program that can contribute up to a 10% increase in sales performance for participating portfolios!*

We have been experimenting with how to drive more exposure for Afternic domains on GoDaddy, and we're thrilled to announce that these experiments yielded impressive results. As a result, we're rolling out Boost as a standard inclusion for all Afternic sellers starting September 4, 2024.


Why Afternic Boost Works:
We listened to your feedback and developed Afternic Boost to address your need for greater exposure on GoDaddy. Here’s what Boost provides at launch:

• Suggested search results: Your domains will gain higher placement in GoDaddy’s suggested search results, making them more discoverable.

• Verified Badges: Boost Fast Transfer domains will feature "Verified" badges on exact-match searches, aiding visibility.

• Verified Lander Badges: Eligible domains using Afternic’s Buy it Now and Custom Landers will display verified badges. Boosted domain names that aren't opted into Fast Transfer will display a "Premium" badge on Afternic's Buy it Now and Custom Landers.

• Targeted Email Marketing: Our targeted email campaigns will match your domain names with potential buyers at GoDaddy.

As the world’s largest domain registrar, GoDaddy offers a massive, continuously growing audience of domain shoppers. Afternic Boost leverages this vast customer base, ensuring that your domains are seen by a motivated, pre-qualified audience.




What You Should Know:

• • Boost begins on September 4, 2024. All Afternic sellers will be automatically opted in to Boost, ensuring your domains gain maximum exposure.
  • Additional Commission: To support this enhanced service, an additional 5% commission will apply for Boost customers from September 4, 2024.
  • Flexibility: We understand that one size doesn’t fit all. Therefore, you can opt out of Afternic Boost at any time from today (August 7, 2024) if it doesn’t align with your strategy by heading to afternic.com/account/boost.

Investing in Success:
Think of Afternic Boost as an investment rather than an expense. Online marketplaces, such as Amazon, Facebook, and Zillow, offer sponsored listings to increase sellers' exposure in search. Similarly, Boost allows domain investors to enhance their visibility in a digital marketplace, and the results are that Boost can contribute up to a 10% increase in sales performance for your portfolio*.

Next Steps:
Experimentation with Boost will continue through the month of August. On September 4, Afternic Boost will be automatically activated at the account level, optimizing your portfolio's visibility.

If you decide Boost isn't right for you, you can easily opt out. We recommend remaining enrolled to continue benefiting from enhanced visibility across the GoDaddy platform.


If you have any questions, read the launch blog post, or head to Afternic’s Help Center, where we’ve got you covered.

Want to learn more about what Boost offers? Head to our blog.

*Individual results may vary. Based on internal data of GoDaddy aftermarket sales from January 2024 through June 2024.

 

[DN_Hunter]

Ok so I have not opted out, I am willing to try stuff and see and can always opt out later.

I own TechTemps.com I purposely put in TechTemp.com because I know if someone searched my exact name it would show. I want to see the boost in play. So it seems TechTemp.com available for $12,995. Below it are TechTemp in other cctlds and new gtlds, I do see my TechTemps.com in 11th position.

So I think it needs to move up to top 3 to be worth the boost. I always use a computer a lot of people in the world use a phone, smaller screen so even harder for the name to be seen as many might not scroll down as much. It is the first day so we will see what happens but it would be nice for the boost to have you top three.

Thanks for this example.

I opted-out a few days ago, and just tried the same thing with one of my names.
Interesting that my name also showed up in the 11th position

 

[bmugford]

Oh ok well now I thought it was funny Brad that .sucks was above mine. But TechTemp.co and .org were below, to be fair I would not have a problem with the .co being above mine because it's logical to think someone searched techtemp not techtemps. But it's the .sucks and others with the distinctive mention of promoted. So I get it they are going to turn down that sweet cash. But then for us we are not really getting boosted. This is a tricky thing. More complex than needs to be but maybe not as it's dollars coming from everywhere.

The entire .sucks registry has 8k regs, including a whopping 1,500 at GoDaddy.

It's a complete waste of space where much better options could be.

I hope the registry is paying GoDaddy a lot of money for the placement, because it is taking up actual premium space for aftermarket domains where GoDaddy could collect hefty commissions.

Until the garbage is gone from suggested, the program is a non-starter for me.

Brad

 

[equity78]

Thanks for this example.

I opted-out a few days ago, and just tried the same thing with one of my names.
Interesting that my name also showed up in the 11th position

I think the thing is that we will not be above the promoted but someone on X just told me they put in just TechTemp and my name showed first, I do not see that.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831344024265084990

 

[bmugford]

I think the thing is that we will not be above the promoted but someone on X just told me they put in just TechTemp and my name showed first, I do not see that.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831344024265084990

It's 11th on my search.

Brad

 

[NameGroove]

Also, although I see 5 premiums promoted on GD - not one of them has the "verified" badge. Does this mean all 5 sellers opted out (and are being shown anyway even without paying the 5%) OR does it mean they ARE paying the 5% but aren't being given what they paid for? (which is a verified badge).

Either way... yikes. Oh and cloudtech.foo, cloudtech.sucks and cloudtech.press are all promoted above the boosted names. All except for "learncloudtechnology.com" which is promoted and costs $5 to buy.

Boost rofl!!! thank goodness I opted out of this nonsense

 

[rh2000]

If anybody gets some good results from this new Boost program, please post them. I want to see if it really works.

 

[Future Sensors]

I hope the registry is paying GoDaddy a lot of money for the placement, because it is taking up actual premium space for aftermarket domains where GoDaddy could collect hefty commissions.

Apart from that income stream, they offer .sucks domains at a discounted rate for the first year. However, the renewal cost for .sucks domains at GoDaddy is extremely high. They literally suck these poor SMBs in, and they are not likely to drop such a defensive registration due to GoDaddy's fear-mongering if you do.

 

[bmugford]

Also, although I see 5 premiums promoted on GD - not one of them has the "verified" badge. Does this mean all 5 sellers opted out (and are being shown anyway even without paying the 5%) OR does it mean they ARE paying the 5% but aren't being given what they paid for? (which is a verified badge).

Either way... yikes. Oh and cloudtech.foo, cloudtech.sucks and cloudtech.press are all promoted above the boosted names. All except for "learncloudtechnology.com" which is promoted and costs $5 to buy.

Boost rofl!!! thank goodness I opted out of this nonsense

The Boost program is essentially pay for (crap) placement.

Literally no one is looking to buy a .foo domain, yet there it is.

Brad

 

[DN_Hunter]

I think the thing is that we will not be above the promoted but someone on X just told me they put in just TechTemp and my name showed first, I do not see that.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831344024265084990

I think they actually see TechTemp as being first (without the "S" at the end)

 

[Jannes]

Also, although I see 5 premiums promoted on GD - not one of them has the "verified" badge. Does this mean all 5 sellers opted out (and are being shown anyway even without paying the 5%) OR does it mean they ARE paying the 5% but aren't being given what they paid for? (which is a verified badge).

I think you need to click on the name to see if it has that badge.

 

[Future Sensors]

If GoDaddy were truly savvy, they would ensure that Sellers’ domains always appear at the top of search results whenever Sellers search for their own inventory.

 

[bmugford]

If GoDaddy were truly savvy, they would ensure that Sellers’ domains always appear at the top of search results whenever Sellers search for their own inventory.

But, I mean think about how much money .foo is generating for GoDaddy.

It's 179 total regs at GoDaddy are surely worth that placement!

Brad

 

[Future Sensors]

Let’s just say they’re not prioritizing the best interests of SMBs, and they likely won’t even be concerned about this. Their main focus is on anything that will boost the stock price.

 

[Mister Funsky]

Their main focus is on anything that will boost the stock price.

What goes up, must come down. (at least that is what I am told by Mr. Newton)

 

[equity78]

I think they actually see TechTemp as being first (without the "S" at the end)

That's why I asked him because look TechTemp.com is also selling their name so they should show first.

 

[Future Sensors]

In the plush GoDaddy boardroom, executives leaned back in their chairs, chuckling heartily. “Can you believe it?” one of them said, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye. “These SMBs are actually buying those .sucks domains!” Another exec chimed in, “Yeah, they’re practically lining up to pay us for the privilege of calling themselves suckers!” The room erupted in laughter again, the sound echoing off the walls adorned with stock price charts. “Well, as long as it boosts our bottom line, who cares, right?” They all nodded in agreement, toasting to another profitable quarter.

 

[MasterOfMyDomains]

Its not boosting stock prices today
156.74 USD −2.73 (1.71%)today

 

[Future Sensors]

There is some confusion among Afternic sellers regarding the Boost program. Domains participating in Boost display a “Verified Domain” badge, indicating they are Fast Transfer-enabled. However, for domains that should be Fast Transfer-enabled but do not have this badge, there is no mention of this FT status. This inconsistency is causing quite a bit of confusion.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/po...nic-boost-program.1333652/page-2#post-9244135

https://www.namepros.com/threads/po...nic-boost-program.1333652/page-2#post-9244150

One Seller states:

"So does this mean that all my names that are currently marked as Fast Transfer (nearly all 6,000), are really not Fast Transfer? They've taken this away without really telling us they are taking it away?"

 

[DN_Hunter]

I opted-out last week (and most of my names are Fast Transfer enabled). I sold a couple of name after OPTING OUT, and the names were transferred almost immediately. So I guess it depends on when they turned of the BOOST from my account? Was it when I actually opted-out, or was it on the Go-Live date of the Boost program? I haven't had a sale yet since the Go-Live date. Has anyone
1) Opted-out
2) had a sale today of a name that is Fast-Transfer enabled
3) has the domain name left immediately?

 

[GoDaddy]

There is some confusion among Afternic sellers regarding the Boost program. Domains participating in Boost display a “Verified Domain” badge, indicating they are Fast Transfer-enabled. However, for domains that should be Fast Transfer-enabled but do not have this badge, there is no mention of this FT status. This inconsistency is causing quite a bit of confusion.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/po...nic-boost-program.1333652/page-2#post-9244135

https://www.namepros.com/threads/po...nic-boost-program.1333652/page-2#post-9244150

One Seller states:

"So does this mean that all my names that are currently marked as Fast Transfer (nearly all 6,000), are really not Fast Transfer? They've taken this away without really telling us they are taking it away?"

There is no change to the Fast Transfer network. Boosted domain names that are Fast Transfer-enabled will receive this extra badge for exact-match searches.

 

[davidc1]

There is no change to the Fast Transfer network. Boosted domain names that are Fast Transfer-enabled will receive this extra badge for exact-match searches.

@GoDaddy Please confirm that for those who optout for the search of the exact match without TLD the .com will not appear in search result ?

 

[Future Sensors]

There is no change to the Fast Transfer network. Boosted domain names that are Fast Transfer-enabled will receive this extra badge for exact-match searches.

Your explanation to buyers visiting GoDaddy differs and may cause confusion.

How will you communicate that domains with a Boost opt-out, but still Fast Transfer-enabled, will indeed Fast Transfer?

 

[DomainNature]

I search my Dan evasci com on Godaddy but without com, it is on 19th place.
I think this alone is unfair at all, it is placed even after net and org which are available to HR.
Shame on you Godaddy, they even copy my button words (Make it Yours) not sure maybe other marketplaces do same but I know on my website is same for instalments button.
edit: It seems I changed that to (Plan to Own).

 

[davidc1]

I search my Dan evasci com on Godaddy but without com, it is on 19th place.
I think this alone is unfair at all, it is placed even after net and org which are available to HR.
Shame on you Godaddy, they even copy my button words (Make it Yours) not sure maybe other marketplaces do same but I know on my website is same for instalments button.
edit: It seems I changed that to (Plan to Own).

I have it at the first place.
Here : https://www.godaddy.com/en-uk/domai...domainToCheck=evasci&tmskey=1dom_03_buydomain

But not here
https://www.godaddy.com/en-uk/domainsearch/find?itc=dlp_domain&domainToCheck=evasci

 

[DomainNature]

I have it at the first place.
Here : https://www.godaddy.com/en-uk/domai...domainToCheck=evasci&tmskey=1dom_03_buydomain

But not here
https://www.godaddy.com/en-uk/domainsearch/find?itc=dlp_domain&domainToCheck=evasci

No it is not for everyone, when I chk by your link it is still down, there is even a dashed (eva-sci,com) one which is upper shown.
edit: note that I list it on Dan not having it with Boost on Afternic!