The Rise (and Fall?) of Domain Conferences - Can They Survive Oversaturation?

[Ron Jackson]

A new cover story is out at DNJournal.com. The 2010 conference schedule began with 3 shows in 23 days - an average of one every 8 days! Can the industry continue to support the number of shows that are now being held? We provide a detailed history of the domain conference business and look at its future prospects in an increasingly crowded field:
The Rise (and Fall?) of Domain Conferences - For Years They Have Thrived But Can They Survive Oversaturation?

 

[Ms Domainer]

*

Begin Rant:

I don't know about saturation, but I am concerned that domain conferences seem to focus on entertainment that appeals to men only.

If conference organizers want to attract and draw more women to their conferences, then they need to create activities that focus less on soft porn and more on events that appeal to everyone, not just to men stuck in an eighth grade mentality.

I just can't take people who drool over purple-painted teeny boppers very seriously.

If I'm going to spend my hard-earned cash, I want to get the most for my money, not left out of important events because the main event takes place at the Playboy Mansion, which most women do not like or appreciate. Maybe your wives and significant others go along but it's not because they LIKE it.

All I'm saying, have your personal fun as you see fit--go off in a private corner and get BJ from whomever--but DON'T institutionalize tawdry events and then brag about them later on your blogs.

Domainers already have a bad rep. One thing they can do is run their conferences in a professional and grown up manner and, perhaps, show the world that there is a vestige of professionalism in this field.

End rant.

*

 

[enlytend]

^ What she said.

I don't know which event(s) Ms Domainer was referring to in particular but here's my take on it: I'll spend a couple of thousand dollars attending a worthwhile, professional conference if I'm convinced I'll get something out of it that I can apply to my business. I won't spend it attending a glorified "boys night out".

Sadly, most domain conferences seem way closer to the latter than the former.

 

[labrocca]

My issue is really clear with these conferences. They are designed only for a small group of domainers. It's $x,xxx entry fee just to shmooze. That's ridiculous.

There should be some tiering. And why not hold an auction day for cheap domains that are no reserve and should be in the $xxx-$x,xxx range.

TRAFFIC is setup for an elite exclusive group. To me that's part of the problem with domainers. It's why I like NP versus DNF.

Maybe I'm just cheap but I see no reason to pay about $2000 to be at TRAFFIC. I'd rather buy some good drops.

General Admission from December 1 - December 31 $1795

Most large conferences have smaller entry fees for floor only. They can charge extra for keynote or auction access. I'd go for $100-$250 just to walk around and shake some hands. Maybe speak to Sedo or other reps wanting to attract my business.

At $2k a ticket I can't see how TRAFFIC will grow beyond it's current situation.

But I digress...I might just be cheap.

 

[HeyNow]

For Years They Have Thrived But Can They Survive Oversaturation?[/url]

Oversaturation of the same old faces glad-handing each other? Oversaturation of the shill-bidding auction fraudsters and sleazy hucksters? Oversaturation of glorified typo-squatters who made lots of cash off of the trademarks of others?

It's the oversaturation of BS before, during, and after each domainer convention that will sink this hackneyed portrayal of the industry.

 

[biznews]

HeyNow is NOW my favorite member at NP.

Why can't anyone realize that these conferences are a ploy to pump the organizers personal brand via press and publicity. These conventions do little other than give their personal portfolio a boost. And those attendees pay for it without even realizing it. Or perhaps they do. Who knows?

If you have a crappy portfolio, what makes you think attending one of these high priced summer camp will help you? Most high priced domains sold at these conventions are pre-negotiated shill. Most of these events are more social then business.

15 years is a long enough time to make domains valuable commodities for the masses as real estate is. 15 years and none of these loud barking visionaries organized, licensed and legitimatized the domain industry to credibility as with other industries. All they ever did was announce their personal conquests and hold high priced conventions. Those days of "pump and dump" are over. And we have to look up to them as carving a path for lesser known domainers. Not!

The economy has seen nothing bad just yet. Wait 2 more years and watch how the depression roil the domain industry and those who predicted "domains" as an investment of choice. Ah! Those who defend their vision will always voice examples of those 1 word, high profile domain sales. Who the hell has visited that Planet lately? How many even belong to that exclusive club?

What will survive, is the "over saturation" of lies. Forget those who sold domains for X amount of money. Ask those "buyers" who bought it for Y amount of money, if they still feel their high priced investment as worthwhile.

 

[tech4]

Agree with the above posts, its about pricing the conferences to all domainers like $10 per ticket they will get like thousands.

 

[Kate]

Most high priced domains sold at these conventions are pre-negotiated shill.

Really ?

 

[MillersCrossing]

I think the market has never been more saturated than it presently is.

And a rather large reason is the fact that the TRAFFIC conferences is good if you are part of the magic circle - if not and you can afford the entry fee - sure - they'll let you in - into the conference room, but not into the closed circle of the same old same old crowd.

I have nothing against TRAFFIC personally and in fact I think Rick and Howard did the right thing by passing the torch on to Latona, but the magic circle hasn't changed in any way, shape or form.

I also very much agree with the girls above complaining that a lot of the newer conferences have a soft porn feeling to it, after all , boys will be boys, but surely that can take place after the conference for those who want to stay on and visit the strip clubs or playboy mansions, so you get my vote there for sure.

Another trend I have noticed is that there is a new breed of domainer that believes in the "selling shovels to gold diggers" mantra, and realize how lucrative holding a conference can be for their own portfolio or for many other reasons, such as winning new sponsors/advertisers for their blog.

I think that the cruise organized by Chef Patrick is a sign of the times we live in.

Knowing that conferences for domainers are now all over the place, he has tried something different - a cruise conference, planned to end just as the next major conference gets going in Miami.

I hope it pays off for him, but the Duke is right, there is certainly a saturation and as every new conference pops up - it is just another announcement on the over saturated network of blogs pushing each others events.

 

[MillersCrossing]

Why can't anyone realize that these conferences are a ploy to pump the organizers personal brand via press and publicity.

Isnt that the whole point. They take the risk, they pay fees upfront....they need to sell the idea, they need to leave their kids behind, they need to confirm sponsors and you don't think that it is right for them to grow their brand - be it their blog, their domain portfolio or anything else - its called PROMOTION.

Last I heard, promotion is legal - even if it is self promotion....

I take it you don't fall for their promotion - neither do I, but I don't begrudge people who take a risk and get rewarded for that risk.

 

[snoop]

I also very much agree with the girls above complaining that a lot of the newer conferences have a soft porn feeling to it, after all , boys will be boys, but surely that can take place after the conference for those who want to stay on and visit the strip clubs or playboy mansions, so you get my vote there for sure.

The industry has "gone a bit that way". I would say it is due to the exit of a lot of the VC money (embarassment factor of strippers at a conference no longer a big issue) and thus industry has gone back to its roots to some degree.

Another trend I have noticed is that there is a new breed of domainer that believes in the "selling shovels to gold diggers" mantra, and realize how lucrative holding a conference can be for their own portfolio or for many other reasons, such as winning new sponsors/advertisers for their blog.

I'd say the is sort of related, the gold has been largely dug so it might be better for more to try to sell shovels rather than dig.

 

[matt_bodis]

I personally don't care for any of the conferences either.

In the search industry, there is a conference called "AdTech", where all the search networks attend (Google, Yahoo, Ask, InfoSpace, and so on). The last AdTech conference had over 10,000 attendees (all business professionals with as much money in their pockets as the people attending the domain conferences).

The differences are vast. AdTech is free to attend. It's more professional. And people are friendlier and more mature.

If the domain industry does mature, which it should, then hopefully the conferences will become something like AdTech. I don't promote or work for AdTech. But I do recommend checking it out. You'll learn more about this business there than you will at the domain conferences.

 

[tech4]

Although its free to attend. Its reserved for major companies Management Team. Therefore making it by invitation only exclusive club for the rich. Besides that their sponsors are the things made of Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and the big league players.

Comparing Domain Conferences with the Adtech is like comparing a local rich boys club with an international club for billionaires only. Sure the local rich boys can host as many conferences they want, but it will never be the club for billionaires, by invitation only.

 

[MillersCrossing]

I'd say the is sort of related, the gold has been largely dug so it might be better for more to try to sell shovels rather than dig.

Correct. And that is why Chef Patrick and the rest of the gang have managed to make a name for themselves without holding or selling multimillion dollar portfolios.

The gold has already been dug!! Thats for sure. And so they look for an underserved niche and go for it.

The problem however, which brings me back to Ron's article is that the niche of conference profiteering is no longer underserved but rather over saturated.

And that is the challenge of this new breed of domainer. How to cope and stand out in an oversaturated market. Some will make the cut, some wont, it will be interesting to how it plays out.

 

[biznews]

Why can't anyone realize that these conferences are a ploy to pump the organizers personal brand via press and publicity.

Isn't that the whole point. They take the risk, they pay fees upfront....they need to sell the idea, they need to leave their kids behind, they need to confirm sponsors and you don't think that it is right for them to grow their brand - be it their blog, their domain portfolio or anything else - its called PROMOTION.

Last I heard, promotion is legal - even if it is self promotion....

I take it you don't fall for their promotion - neither do I, but I don't begrudge people who take a risk and get rewarded for that risk.

... And you might have thought, my earlier post was a negative sentiment berating those who hold domain conferences. Not at all. They serve a purpose. But, if that's the best our industry can do, then there is a problem.

No entity has come up with a STANDARD FVS - fair value system, to value domains. Domain names as opposed to real estate is primarily dependent on sellers negotiation skills and the ability of the buyer to pay, rather than a marketplace where names are valued based on a broad set of metrics.

I know a lot of shill bidding that translated into sales. Don't even ask me to spill it. Most domainers who congratulate a certain high priced domain sale, have no clue what went behind the scenes. Ignorance truly is bliss.

This is the kind of ignorance that keeps hopes of so many domainers, alive. And years and years go by and they keep reading high profile names sold all over. Everything, but their own.

So, keep dreaming. One day, your sales will be featured in the big leagues. Until then, keep believing what is being pumped in the media. They will guide you to success.

 

[snoop]

Correct. And that is why Chef Patrick and the rest of the gang have managed to make a name for themselves without holding or selling multimillion dollar portfolios.

The gold has already been dug!! Thats for sure. And so they look for an underserved niche and go for it.

The problem however, which brings me back to Ron's article is that the niche of conference profiteering is no longer underserved but rather over saturated.

And that is the challenge of this new breed of domainer. How to cope and stand out in an oversaturated market. Some will make the cut, some wont, it will be interesting to how it plays out.

Agree, I think most other areas are aswell, blogs, domain brokers etc. Today though it is more about trying to make a living than trying to get rich for the people new to the area.

---------- Post added at 07:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:35 PM ----------

No entity has come up with a STANDARD FVS - fair value system, to value domains. Domain names as opposed to real estate is primarily dependent on sellers negotiation skills and the ability of the buyer to pay, rather than a marketplace where names are valued based on a broad set of metrics.

I personally doubt there will ever be one.

This is the kind of ignorance that keeps hopes of so many domainers, alive. And years and years go by and they keep reading high profile names sold all over. Everything, but their own.

So, keep dreaming. one day, your sales will be featured in the big leagues. Until then, keep believing what is being pumped in the media. They will guide you to success.

Renewing/registering bad domains is mainly due to people who know very little about valuing domains. ie thinking names that were just registered are comparable to high quality names registered some time ago and/or seeing a lousy name sell for alot and not realising the probability of the sale was very low.

 

[HeyNow]

Agree, I think most other areas are aswell, blogs, domain brokers etc. Today though it is more about trying to make a living than trying to get rich for the people new to the area.

---------- Post added at 07:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:35 PM ----------



I personally doubt there will ever be one.



Renewing/registering bad domains is mainly due to people who know very little about valuing domains. ie thinking names that were just registered are comparable to high quality names registered some time ago and/or seeing a lousy name sell for alot and not realising the probability of the sale was very low.

Couldn't help but notice at the bottom of your post that you are auctioning shotput.com at Snapnames. FYI, you've lost at least one interested bidder due to your use of Snapnames. Snapnames is an admitted fraudster. Their recent admission of perpetrating fraud for at least 4 years on unsuspecting bidders had not resolved the issue. Use them to auction your names and you lose at least one bidder. I suspect you actually lose more, but I can only speak for myself. Good luck with shotput.com.

 

[snoop]

Couldn't help but notice at the bottom of your post that you are auctioning shotput.com at Snapnames. FYI, you've lost at least one interested bidder due to your use of Snapnames. Snapnames is an admitted fraudster. Their recent admission of perpetrating fraud for at least 4 years on unsuspecting bidders had not resolved the issue. Use them to auction your names and you lose at least one bidder. I suspect you actually lose more, but I can only speak for myself. Good luck with shotput.com.

I'm sure you were going to be the buyer......what a loss.

 

[enlytend]

Although its free to attend. Its reserved for major companies Management Team. Therefore making it by invitation only exclusive club for the rich. Besides that their sponsors are the things made of Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and the big league players.

AdTech??? Since when? I've never heard of any requirement to be on a some "major company's" management team to attend - I went on an exhibit hall pass last year and I'm not in that category these days. They don't want people who aren't in the industry just walking in off the street - same for most professional/tech conferences - but if you run a related business you're good. As for hearing things straight from representitives of "big league players" - that's the best way to cut through all the internet rumors and BS. If you choose not to believe what they're saying, at least you're basing your decision on first-hand information.

Ad Tech, SMX, Pubcon, AffiliateSummit - there are many conference venues which have more to offer and offer it in a more mature and professional manner.

BTW, for much of the "corporate" half of my career, I was in departments where I was one of the few, or in some cases, the only female in that departmental group. Some of my co-workers initially had to learn a thing or two about stereotypes and respect :D, but overall no big deal - it was just like one big, happy family with a LOT of brothers . I have no problem with "boys will be boys", BUT there's a point where a line is crossed and things turn unprofessional and disrespectful. That line seems to get crossed a lot in this industry.

 

[HeyNow]

I'm sure you were going to be the buyer......what a loss.

What's interesting about the cozy-up-to-the-fraudster phenomenon is the propensity for domainers to enable the perpetrator by continuing to feed the perpetrator its lifeblood: auctionable domains.

Also interesting is the defensive posture of some domainers who pay little mind to snuggling-up real close with a perpetrator guilty of shill-bidding, auction fraud, and who knows what else ...

The domain auction biz sure has a distinct stench eminating from auctioneer and domainer alike.