Matthew Wolf is a member of the Strategy and Advisory team at GCD. He has worked with some of the world’s most recognizable brands helping to implement a domain portfolio strategy that protects and optimizes their business online.
Posts by Matthew Wolf.
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Nov 7, 2024 - by Lauren Tracey
Trending Topics at ICANN81: Blockchain Domains, Compliance, and the Future of New gTLDs
Register for our upcoming ICANN webinar scheduled for November 21st, 2024, at 12 PM EST (9 AM PST, 5 PM GMT), where we break down all the announcements and insights we gathered. ICANN81 is just around the corner, kicking off on November 9, 2024, in Istanbul, Republic of Türkiye. Though we cannot predict all the subjects, ICANN81 will be filled with critical discussions and updates on important issues facing the domain community.
Read full postJul 6, 2024 - by Nicole DelleDonne, Heather MacNeilTen tips for domain managers to overcome complex challenges
This article first appeared on World Intellectual Property Review on June 5, 2024. Decisions taken by domain managers are often difficult, complex and time-pressured. Nicole DelleDonne and Heather MacNeil of GoDaddy Corporate Domains, with Donna Lyon of Ally Financial, offer a guide to help those thrown in the deep end. Many people find themselves thrown into the deep end of domain management after initially being part of marketing, legal, or IT.
Read full postJun 10, 2024 - by Phil LodicoHow Companies Can Use Generic Domain Names For A Competitive Advantage
This article first appeared on Forbes Business Council on May 9, 2024. Why are generic terms so valuable? Whether it is in search or domain names, a generic word carries immense opportunity since it often defines categories of information, products and experiences. Consumers using generic terms to seek content often haven’t decided which brand to choose, which presents a huge upside. A History Of Generic Domains Category-defining generic .com domains can be just as valuable, if not more valuable when used optimally.
Read full postMay 9, 2024 - by Phil LodicoDefense Is The Best Offense: Domain Names' Role In Brand Protection
This article first appeared on Forbes Business Council on April 8, 2024. The responsibility to protect one’s brand from bad actors has always existed. With the commercialization of the Internet over 20 years ago, the importance of brand protection has been ever-growing. Over the past two decades, Internet users, consumers and businesses alike have become reliant on online interactions and have expected speed and ease. In an age of 24x7 digital availability, many now engage with digital technology with ferocity.
Read full postApr 2, 2024 - by Justin FranklinNew TLD Developments: .TR and .POST
GoDaddy Corporate Domains wants to keep you updated on the latest domain launches and changes. Here’s a quick overview of what’s happening we start Q3 2024: Turkey Opens the Door with .TR Top-Level Domains Turkey has made a significant move by introducing top-level .TR domains. This expands online opportunities for establishing a localized presence in the Turkish market. Priority Registration: If you currently hold a third-level .
Read full postJan 19, 2024 - by Justin FranklinFive New Top-Level Domains From .diy to .vana
New TLDs: Cultivate Deeper Connections and Elevate Your Brand with .diy, .food, and .lifestyle The digital landscape is evolving, and businesses have a fresh opportunity to forge deeper connections and amplify their brand voice. Internet Naming Co. has unveiled five new top-level domains (TLDs) tailored to empower businesses across diverse industries: .diy, .food, .living, .lifestyle, and .vana. These extensions offer a canvas to showcase your unique identity, engage your customer base, and build thriving online communities.
Read full postOct 16, 2023 - by Nicole DelleDonneHow to operate a cost-effective domain programme
Tough economic times can offer an opportunity to reassess key aspects relating to a company’s domain strategy, says Nicole DelleDonne of GoDaddy Corporate Domains. Today, some corporations are facing economic headwinds, and with that comes pressure to ensure they are operating efficiently and effectively. This evaluation process often includes spend analysis and cost cutting, and the company’s domain name portfolio may seem like a prime cost-cutting target. However, though many domain portfolios contain outdated or obsolete domains based on earlier registration strategies, organisations must be careful to define and abide by their strategic guidelines when paring back their portfolios.
Read full postOct 5, 2023 - by Phil LodicoWhat IT Professionals Need to Know about SSL Certificates for Websites
IT professionals are expected to know everything technical, which creates a very high bar, and mistakes can be costly. Increasingly, corporate IT is asked to be more involved with website security which contains its own unique series of challenges and buzzwords. One crucially important area is Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) digital certificates, which authenticate websites' identities and enable encrypted connections. The SSL security protocol generates an encrypted link between Domain Name System (DNS) web servers and web browsers.
Read full postSep 25, 2023 - by Phil LodicoExamining .ai Domains and Their Additional IT, Compliance and Legal Requirements
Artificial intelligence (AI) has captured the world’s attention and imagination, fueled by controversial breakthroughs such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT which are forever altering life as we know it. The impact of AI has also substantially impacted the domain name world, marked by the recently-surging use of the .ai top-level domain (TLD). Dan Primack of Axios Pro Rata reported on May 31, 2023, that .ai domain name registrations were up 156% from May 2022 to May 2023, while .
Read full postAug 23, 2023 - by Staff WriterNew feature: Easier access to managing your portfolio’s SSL certificates.
In today’s digital world, security is more important than ever to your customers. And SSL certificates are essential for protecting the privacy and security of your website visitors and, further, keeping your domains encrypted and search-engine friendly. GoDaddy Corporate Domains is excited to announce the launch of SSLs as part of your domain management solution. Available now through the Brandsight platform, you will be able to select, purchase, and manage SSL certificates with even more functionality:
Read full postFeb 2, 2023 - by Staff Writer2023 Will Be An Exciting – And Challenging – Year for Domain Name Professionals
An in-depth interview with Nicole DelleDonne, Senior Director Sales, GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD) As a veteran domain name professional, what do you predict for 2023? Given the economic headwinds that we’re moving into, domain professionals are going to be asked to do even more with less. Perhaps they will be taking on additional responsibilities outside of domain management. Or they will have fewer resources which means they’ll have to cut back either on headcount, budget, or both.
Read full postJan 17, 2023 - by Staff WriterParing Portfolios? The Must-Have Data You Need Now.
Are you considering dropping domains from your portfolio? Is reducing domain management spend a goal for this coming year? We’ve written aboutkey considerations for paring portfolios in the past, but know that the data to make informed decisions may not be readily available. In particular, companies with large portfolios often struggle to accurately understand how domains are being used. They are also challenged with tracking the history of recovered domains (i.
Read full postJan 3, 2023 - by Staff Writer2022 Domain Name Year In Review
I can hardly believe it’s that time of year again – time for our annual top 10 year in review. Having been at this for more than 20 years, you’d think I’d seen it all? But with the domain name industry, things are always in flux, and I could never have predicted some of these items. So without further ado – here are the top 10 biggest stories from 2022.
Read full postDec 6, 2022 - by Staff WriterGCD Hosts Successful Second Annual User Group Meeting
GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD) recently hosted its second Annual User Group Meeting. This two-day event was held virtually and some of the world’s best-known brands were in attendance. The meeting provided GCD clients with the opportunity to: Hear from industry experts on the state of the domain market Learn about recent ICANN policy work surrounding DNS abuse, potential changes to transfer policy, access to domain ownership, and next round of new gTLDs Preview and provide feedback on the Brandsight product roadmap Attend fireside chats and panel discussions with users of the Brandsight platform The fireside chats in particular provided an opportunity for clients to hear directly from domain professionals regarding the challenges they respectively face and how using the Brandsight platform has enabled them to securely and efficiently manage their corporate portfolios.
Read full postNov 29, 2022 - by Staff WriterGCD Sixth Annual Corporate Domain Management Survey Highlights
GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD) recently conducted its Sixth Annual Corporate Domain Management Survey which was sent to over 500 corporate domain name professionals from diverse verticals including retail, manufacturing, financial services, travel, and media. More than half (56%) of survey respondents hailed from companies which own more than 3,000 domain names. Nearly one-third (29%) came from companies with more than 10,000 domain names. Many Domain Owners Are Considering a Switch
Read full postOct 24, 2022 - by Staff WriterSecrets to Successful Domain Name Management When Launching New Brands
The information provided in this article is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. Launching a new brand is exciting - it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and anticipation. However, planning ahead and thinking strategically are just as important as creating buzz and enthusiasm. Since internet presence for any new brand will be crucial to its success, taking care to obtain the right domain names prior to launch will be one of the most important go-to-market activities.
Read full postSep 8, 2022 - by Nicole DelleDonneSecurity Benefits of Working with a Corporate Registrar
Ever wonder why high-profile brands choose to work with corporate registrars? Certainly consolidated monthly invoicing, bulk management and global TLD offerings play a major factor in their decision-making process. But above all, corporate registrars provide a number of security measures not offered by retail registrars. These include services such as registry locking, single sign-on, IP access restrictions, nameserver monitoring, domain monitoring, audit logging, enterprise-class user permissions and dedicated client support. Let’s take a closer look at these services, how they work, and why they are so important.
Read full postJul 26, 2022 - by Staff WriterDomain Name Portfolio Paring – Key Considerations
Given an uncertain economy, it is anticipated that domain name professionals may soon be looking for ways to cut spending. And because domain name portfolios can become bloated over time unless they are regularly culled, paring portfolios is one way to cut costs. However, this process requires due diligence and caution. Here are 5 questions to ask yourself before making a decision. Does this domain name receive much traffic? We recommend first focusing on expensive and highly-restricted domains, because not only will they provide a greater cost savings, they are less likely to be reregistered by third-parties.
Read full postJul 19, 2022 - by Staff WriterIs It Time to Move to a Corporate Registrar?
If you are responsible for managing your company’s domain name portfolio, but are still using a retail registrar, you could be wondering whether it might make sense to move to a corporate registrar? Here are a few key questions to ask: Are your most valuable domains vulnerable to inadvertent mistakes? Are you paying for your company’s domain names using a credit card? Are you sharing login credentials to access your company’s domain management account?
Read full postJun 1, 2022 - by Phil LodicoWeb3 Identities: Opportunities and Risks
Blockchain technology has presented new opportunities and risks, and as the partner to many of the world’s leading brands, GCD is assisting its customers in navigating this fast-changing space. These Web3 identities, like GCD.ETH, are gaining momentum. We’ve seen a drastic increase in the number of identifiers such as this being acquired and at times used. These names, commonly called blockchain domains or domain NFTs, aren’t used in the traditional website resolution manner.
Read full postMay 16, 2022 - by Staff WriterEvaluating Corporate Registrars? What You May Be Overlooking.
Maybe there is something in the air, but it seems like an increasing number of corporate legal departments are starting to reevaluate whether their current registrar is still the best option for them. Many have used the same registrar for over a decade, or have ended up as a client of a legacy provider when their registrar was acquired. Regardless of whether companies are looking for better service, support, expertise or technology, evaluating other options every few years can be a worthwhile endeavor.
Read full postApr 28, 2022 - by Staff WriterGoDaddy Corporate Domains Leverages Afternic to Provide Clients with Access to World’s Largest Domain Name Sales Platform
GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD) clients are now able to quickly and easily sell unused domain names via Afternic. Afternic is the world’s premiere domain marketplace with more than five million premium domain names available for sale and more than 75 million domain searches each month—more than any other domain marketplace. The vast majority of corporate domain name portfolios consist of defensive domain name registrations – many of which of are no longer needed.
Read full postMar 29, 2022 - by Staff WriterInformed Defensive Domain Strategies Balance Risk Against Budget Constraints
The bulk of any corporate domain name portfolio are defensive registrations. In fact, it’s often true that less than 1% of a corporate portfolio is comprised of actual production sites, and the rest are defensive registrations. Dominating corporate portfolios, defensive domains can be costly to maintain. Therefore, their protective value must justify their price and that value may change over time. Companies must develop a defensive strategy that safeguards the organization’s brands while also staying within budgeting parameters.
Read full postFeb 22, 2022 - by Staff WriterSecond Annual GCD Index Reveals Increase in Adoption of DNSSEC and SSLs
To gain a deeper understanding of corporate domain name management across the world’s largest companies, GoDaddy Corporate Domains completed an in-depth analysis of the Global 2000. The Global 2000* is an annual ranking of the top 2,000 public companies in the world by Forbes magazine. The ranking is based on a mix of four metrics: sales, profit, assets and market value.** For the second year, we leveraged our own Brandsight technology to conduct our analysis.
Read full postFeb 1, 2022 - by Staff Writer.AU and .TH Launching in Q1 2022
.AU Au Domain Administration Limited (auDA) has announced the launch of .au direct. Domain names can be registered directly under the .AU top-level domain beginning March 24, 2022, through General Availability or the Launch Application Process. According to the registry, “.AU direct domain names, like getyour.au, are shorter, simpler domain names. .AU direct names are general purpose and open to anyone with a verified connection to Australia who wants to create or manage an online presence for themselves or their organization.
Read full postJan 14, 2022 - by Staff Writer2021 Domain Name Year In Review
Is it really 2022? Is it? Although many might view 2021 as another “lost” year due to the pandemic, filled with Zoom™ meetings, virtual conferences, working from home and restricted travel – there were a number of notable domain name stories which deserve to be highlighted. So, without further ado, here are the top 10 biggest domain name stories of 2021 – let’s go! 10 - GCD Index Reveals Areas Where Global 2000 Are Missing the Mark
Read full postJan 11, 2022 - by Staff WriterIn Conversation with Rob Ward, Senior Client Success Manager at GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD)
Rob Ward is a Senior Client Success Manager at GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD). In his role, Rob manages domain portfolios for corporate clients. His work entails a variety of projects including domain registrations and transfers, name server updates, and managing DNS records. Rob also acts as a consultant to advise clients on best practices for managing their domain portfolio including how to forecast budgets as portfolios expand. Below is an interview with Rob and Matt Serlin, Head of Client Success and Operations in which Rob shares his insights on emerging trends and challenges, how Covid affected domains, security concerns and innovations to meet client needs.
Read full postNov 16, 2021 - by Staff WriterIn Conversation with Trisha Ytuarte, Senior Client Success Manager at GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD)
Trisha Ytuarte brings nearly a decade of domain-specific experience to her role as Senior Client Success Manager at GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD). She helps organizations consolidate their domain name portfolios and transfer them to GoDaddy. Trisha’s work often entails creating transfer plans and updating name servers to make sure that those transitions happen seamlessly. She also handles daily requests like registering domains, configuring DNS records, and assisting with SSL certificates.
Read full postNov 2, 2021 - by Jesse MarshDrivers for Making the Move to a New Corporate Registrar
Over the last ten years, I’ve had the opportunity to help countless large companies to navigate the process of selecting a new domain name provider. While the team, group or individual are rarely the same, the reasons for making the move to a new registrar generally fall into three buckets: customer service, security and overall value. Sometimes there is pressure from an ancillary group like procurement or IT security; other times the decision to look at new vendors is driven from a specific incident with their current provider.
Read full postOct 19, 2021 - by Staff WriterGCD Fifth Annual Corporate Domain Management Survey Results Reveal Impact of Pandemic and Interest in Next Rounds of New gTLDs
Last month, the GCD Fifth Annual Corporate Domain Name Management Survey was sent to over 500 corporate domain name professionals across verticals including retail, manufacturing, financial services, travel, and media. Of those that responded, 58% had portfolios of more than 1,500 domains, and 16% had portfolios of greater than 10,000 domains. This year’s survey revealed that portfolios of more than 1,500 domains are most likely to be managed by the legal department, and portfolios of fewer than 1,500 domains are most likely to be managed by IT.
Read full postAug 30, 2021 - by Staff WriterIn Conversation with Jennifer Jargstorf, Client Success Manager at GoDaddy Corporate Domains
Jenni Jargstorf is a Client Success Manager at GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD). In this role, Jenni works with a broad base of large corporate GCD clients, assisting them with their domain portfolio management and their use of the Brandsight platform. Her clients are primarily in the fields of entertainment, consumer goods, insurance, technology, hospitality and healthcare. Below is an interview with Jenni and Elisa Cooper, GCD’s Head of Marketing, in which Jenni describes challenges facing today’s domain name professionals and how she is helping them troubleshoot problems.
Read full postAug 18, 2021 - by Nicole DelleDonneWelcome Tess and Brooke
Heading into my fourth year at GoDaddy Corporate Domains, it has become increasingly clear that the demand for secure, data-driven domain name management is continuing to grow. More than ever, we are seeing a surge of interest in the Brandsight platform as companies are looking to reduce portfolio size, streamline management, and gain deeper insights to optimize their portfolios. To keep pace with demand, we’re delighted to announce the addition of two extraordinary sales executives, both of whom bring with them years of domain name industry experience.
Read full postAug 3, 2021 - by Matthew WolfDomains on the Radio. Wait, What Did They Say?
Radio advertisers must make it a priority for their content to be concise and memorable because they cannot rely on visual aids to reinforce messages. To better understand how domains are used by radio advertisers, we recently analyzed 57 FM and satellite radio ads to identify the presence, length and syllable count of domain names. Prevalence and Frequency Our analysis revealed that 73% of all radio advertisements contained at least one domain name.
Read full postJul 27, 2021 - by Staff WriterIn Conversation with Heather Berryman, Client Success Manager at GoDaddy Corporate Domains
As a Client Success Manager at GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD), Heather Berryman is a true industry veteran. She has worked in the domain name industry for 2 decades and has worked at GCD since 2018. Heather connects with GCD’s clients on a daily basis, overseeing a broad range of activities and consulting engagements. From domain consolidation projects and transitioning clients from other registrars, to registering new domains or extensions - she is at-the-ready to assist clients with whatever they need.
Read full postJun 23, 2021 - by Staff WriterDomain Name Security 101
Security is top of mind for everyone now, but domain name professionals have their own unique blend of threats to defend against. None of the security concerns of the past 2 decades have gone away, and many new problems have surfaced. Hackers, squatters, infringers and other bad actors are still thorns in the side of domain name professionals everywhere and they can dramatically interfere with companies and their customers alike. However, through careful planning, strategy and the use of technology, domain name professionals can effectively protect their company’s domains and brands.
Read full postMay 24, 2021 - by Staff WriterGCD Concludes Successful Virtual User Group Meeting
As I write this, I hearken back to January 2020 in Austin, TX when a group of Brandsight clients got together for a roundtable discussion focusing on corporate domain name management. Little did we know that this would be the last time we’d be able to meet face-to-face with clients. Obviously, no one could have predicted what the following months would bring, on a variety of levels. Fast forward to May 2021, and we were once again able to meet with our clients, albeit virtually at our first ever GoDaddy Corporate Domains (GCD) user group meeting.
Read full postApr 14, 2021 - by Staff WriterSupporting Brands with GoDaddy's VIP (Verified IP) Program
Late last year, GoDaddy announced the launch of the GoDaddy VIP (Verified IP) Program. The VIP Program provides pre-vetted, well-known and famous brands an escalation path to address abuse. It covers fraudulent use of domain names, and infringing websites hosted with GoDaddy, among other forms of abuse. Participants are provided with a custom email address where more challenging and sensitive requests for assistance may be submitted. More than 250 companies are currently enrolled in the program.
Read full postMar 30, 2021 - by Staff WriterCorporate Domain Name Management – 6 Key Performance Indicators for 2021
Managing corporate domain portfolios becomes more challenging with every passing year. In a recent GCD survey conducted of about 60 different corporate domain name professionals with sizeable portfolios, about half of those surveyed said it was becoming more difficult to manage their portfolios. The most important goal cited by corporate domain professionals was ensuring the security of their domain names, particularly for companies when the portfolio size was greater than 10,000.
Read full postFeb 10, 2021 - by Staff WriterGlobal Corporate Domains Index Reveals Surprising Statistics
To gain a deeper understanding of corporate domain name management across the world’s largest companies, we recently completed an in-depth analysis of the Global 2000. The Global 2000* is an annual ranking of the top 2,000 public companies in the world by Forbes magazine. The ranking is based on a mix of four metrics: sales, profit, assets and market value.** We leveraged our own Brandsight technology to conduct our analysis – and the results were surprising.
Read full postFeb 3, 2021 - by Staff WriterGCD to Host First Annual Virtual User Group Meeting
Join us for our first annual GCD Virtual User Group Meeting on May 13 and 14, where we will be sharing best practices, reviewing recent product enhancements and soliciting your feedback. Look for invitations to be sent at the end of March, and if you are willing to share your experiences using the Brandsight platform with other GCD clients, we’d love to hear from you. This event is open only to GCD clients.
Read full postJan 28, 2021 - by Tyler MasonKey Elements of Successful Domain Name Policies
A strong domain name policy helps mitigate risks. The foundation of any policy starts with these basic questions: WHO can register domain names and under what circumstances? For example, are domains available to all employees and affiliates for all purposes, or should they be restricted to certain departments and use cases? WHEN should a registration request be submitted? Not everything is urgent - set service level expectations from the start so there are no emergencies.
Read full postJan 4, 2021 - by Staff Writer2020 Domain Name Year in Review
The impact of COVID on the domain name industry was felt far and wide as ICANN meetings were held virtually, travel was cancelled, TLD launches were delayed, the topic of domain name abuse was front and center, and we all tried to navigate a “new” normal. Unlike many sectors, the domain name industry was fortunate and in many ways survived 2020 unscathed. Much of our industry was able to continue working from home after an initial period of adjustment.
Read full postNov 17, 2020 - by Phil LodicoMore Exciting News
Earlier this year, GoDaddy announced an agreement to acquire Brandsight. As part of GoDaddy we have already begun taking our industry leading solutions to the next level with access to additional resources and expertise. Today we are announcing yet another bit of exciting news. We are rebranding our business to GoDaddy Corporate Domains. So why are we making this change? This new name aligns us with GoDaddy’s overall branding strategy, and signals to the market GoDaddy’s commitment to serving corporate domain name management professionals.
Read full postOct 6, 2020 - by Jesse MarshDomain Names and IP Due Diligence
IP due diligence is generally focused on identifying and assessing the value and strength of patent holdings. In support of M&A, this can be one of the most time-consuming and complex areas of evaluation. Along with patents, comprehensive reviews of trade secrets, trademarks, and copyrights are also undertaken. Domain names also represent a key IP asset, although in many cases they are not treated with the same level of care as other types of IP are – but this can be a costly mistake if valuable domains are not transferred as part of the transaction.
Read full postSep 29, 2020 - by Tyler MasonDomain Redirects and Untapped Value
Out there in the wild, I find there are far too many domain name portfolios that are teeming with untapped value. They’re the static type that lead a lonely life of exile, only to be recognized as a cost-center once every year or so. And yet, they’re also the ones that often have the greatest potential. There doesn’t seem to be a lack of awareness or desire when it comes to harnessing this potential.
Read full postSep 24, 2020 - by Staff WriterCorporate Domain Name Management in 2020: The Impact of Portfolio Size on Management, Objectives and Satisfaction
The Fourth Annual Corporate Domain Name Management Survey was sent to over 300 corporate domain name professionals across verticals including retail, manufacturing, financial services, travel, and media. Of those that responded, 18% had portfolios of less than 500 names, 25% had portfolios of 501 – 3000 domains, 35% had portfolios of 3001 – 10,000 domains, and 22% had more than 10,000 domains. This year’s survey revealed an interesting trend related to where within organizations domain name portfolios are managed.
Read full postSep 10, 2020 - by Staff WriterCorporate Domain Name Management: 7 Steps for Uncovering and Remediating Risks
Keeping corporate domain name portfolios in tip-top shape requires more than just managing the registration of domain names in support of new brands, TLDs and market expansion. It also requires periodic review to ensure that names are both secure and resolving, and that website visitors can consistently reach their destination, regardless of whether they’ve added the www, or have misspelled or fat-fingered names. Step 1: Take Inventory A portfolio review starts with inventorying all domains owned by the company.
Read full postAug 20, 2020 - by Staff WriterThe EPDP Passed an Important Milestone…Now What?
This isn’t the blog post I had hoped to write. When I signed up to participate in ICANN’s Expedited Policy Development Process for gTLD Registration Data, I knew we had a lot of work ahead of us, but I was cautiously optimistic that we would, eventually, reach a successful outcome. Today, I find myself looking at things differently. After hundreds of hours, and countless meetings and e-mails, Phase 2 of the EPDP’s work has wrapped-up with the delivery of our final report to the GNSO Council.
Read full postJul 14, 2020 - by Jesse MarshLooking to Reduce Domain Management Spend – Look a Little Deeper
It’s no secret. Most companies are being forced to look at every aspect of their business and identify ways to save money – both now and longer term. For domains, this might seem easy. Go to the lowest cost registrar, transfer all of your domains, and call it a day. While on the surface this seems like a natural solution, as with most things in life, it isn’t that simple. There are a number of critical questions to ask.
Read full postJun 25, 2020 - by Staff WriterVirtual ICANN Meetings – YES, Please.
In the early 2000’s when I began working in the domain name industry, I remember hearing from colleagues about these seemingly elusive ICANN meetings which were invariably hosted in some pretty incredible places including Rio de Janeiro, Rome and Cape Town. I remember how some of my colleagues complained about being stuck in windowless conference rooms for hours on end, but secretly thinking that they were probably going to a few meetings, but then actually enjoying a fabulous vacation.
Read full postMay 11, 2020 - by Staff WriterPractical Pointers for Paring Portfolios
As we enter the new normal, many legal departments have already begun looking for ways to reduce spend even as they are being asked to register COVID-19 domains. IP maintenance fees for patents, trademarks and domains are a natural place to start. While paring back patent and trademark portfolios can yield some significant savings, it’s well-known that most corporate domain name portfolios contain registrations that are no longer needed. Domain names for products never launched, no longer supported or campaigns that have long-since-ended are prime candidates.
Read full postApr 2, 2020 - by Staff WriterDomain Name Strategies to Get Your Brand Through COVID-19
Understanding, rationalizing and optimizing your domain name portfolio will help you to meet current challenges, and those that lie ahead. Working in partnership with our clients, Brandsight has compiled the following strategic considerations to mitigate risk and leave your brands poised to thrive during and after these uncertain times. Should I consider defensive registrations to protect my brand? You should consider registering “at risk” domains associated with your organization’s response to COVID-19 and your flagship brand(s).
Read full postMar 25, 2020 - by Jesse MarshWorking Remotely at Brandsight: Lessons Learned
As many non-essential employees are now being asked to work from home in response to COVID-19, I decided to ask Nicole DelleDonne, Brandsight’s Senior Director of Sales for her top tips to increase productivity outside of the office. Jesse: How long have you worked remotely? Nicole: Brandsight’s headquarters are in Saratoga Springs, NY. Our team does a great job getting together in person as frequently as possible, however when I’m not traveling, most of my working time happens from a home office.
Read full postMar 10, 2020 - by Phil LodicoBrandsight Celebrates International Women’s Week
In celebration of International Women’s Week, we are highlighting the many inspiring women on the Brandsight team. Many have been in the domain industry for more than 10 years. With hard work, dedication and a genuine love of all things domain, these women are striving to make the online world a little better for the organizations, colleagues and clients they work with every day. I’m delighted to tell you a bit more about them.
Read full postFeb 19, 2020 - by Staff WriterDomain Management: Who is In Control?
Having worked with domain management professionals since 2002, there has always been the question of where domain management sits within an organisation. Domains, often seen as a cost center and an administrative challenge, have struggled to find a welcoming home. Traditionally, there has been a three-way split in terms of who is responsible for managing domain name portfolios: Legal, IT or Marketing. This has mostly been driven by how a company views its portfolio - an extension of trademarks, technical functionality or branding.
Read full postFeb 11, 2020 - by Phil LodicoThe Opportunity Ahead
Earlier today, GoDaddy announced an agreement to acquire Brandsight. To say that we are thrilled would be an understatement – we couldn’t be happier about it. Over the past three years the Brandsight team has leveraged today’s technology along with deep industry experience to build next-generation corporate domain management solutions which are redefining the market. Today’s announcement will help take our business to the next level. Of course, existing clients might be wondering whether the acquisition will impact them?
Read full postFeb 5, 2020 - by Staff WriterEPDP Team Marches Toward Major Milestone
If it feels like the work of the latest group addressing registration data within ICANN has been going on forever, try participating in it! Since the summer of 2018, the team has been meeting regularly for several hours each week, participating in numerous face-to-face meetings and exchanging thousands of e-mails. Last week in Los Angeles, the team got together once again to continue our Phase 2 work creating policy that will (among other issues) govern the disclosure of non-public registration data to third parties.
Read full postDec 20, 2019 - by Staff Writer2019 Domain Name Year in Review
And so it goes, we are coming to the end of 2019, and that can mean only one thing. It’s time for another Domain Name Year in Review. And unlike years past, this year was a real doozy. So without further ado, here are the domain name industry’s top 10 biggest stories for 2019. 10. Leading Registries and Registrars Sign on to Framework for Abuse To date, 48 leading registries and registrars have signed onto the “Framework to Address Abuse.
Read full postDec 9, 2019 - by Staff WriterIn Support of the Framework to Address Abuse
As the Internet has grown, so too have the abuses that go along with one of the worlds’ most transformative technologies. For all of the positives the Internet brings, negatives like phishing, malware and child exploitation are a reality online. As of December 9, 2019, 48 registrars and registries have signed onto the “Framework to Address Abuse.” This initiative was launched last month by a number of domain name registries and registrars, just prior to the ICANN meeting in Montreal.
Read full postDec 5, 2019 - by Staff WriterWhy I Love the Domain Name Industry
I’m finally getting to an age where many of my closest friends are beginning to reevaluate what is most important to them and what really makes them happy. Two of my closest friends have made major career changes. One left a successful legal career as a partner at a prestigious San Francisco firm to become a representative in the Idaho state legislature. The other left a successful medical practice to teach French to middle schoolers.
Read full postOct 23, 2019 - by Staff WriterDomain Name Principles: Optimizing Domain Name Portfolios
Domain names can be valuable assets, but many corporate domain name portfolios consist of non-resolving domains. In a recent survey conducted by Brandsight, more than 91% of domain professionals said that ensuring domains redirect to relevant content was an extremely important or somewhat important goal. That said, it’s not uncommon for less than half of corporate domain name portfolios to point to live content. Sure, there are adult-themed domains or those registered anonymously for future use that purposely do not resolve, but those are the exception to the rule.
Read full postSep 26, 2019 - by Tyler MasonDomain Name Principles: Managing Portfolio Growth
It’s not uncommon for companies to struggle with right-sizing their domain name portfolios. In our recent survey of corporate domain professionals, 69% of respondents said that paring back bloated portfolios was a challenge. For those willing to accept the risk of paring portfolios, domain professionals first need to critically evaluate their current inventory. Understanding geographic coverage, matching trademark registrations, and numbers of registrations per brand can be helpful in identifying where to potentially cut domains.
Read full postSep 10, 2019 - by Staff WriterCorporate Domain Name Management Becoming More Difficult – Is Anyone Surprised?
Brandsight recently concluded their Third Annual Domain Management Survey. Designed to uncover issues of greatest concern to corporate domain name professionals, the survey was sent to more than 300 companies. The companies that responded spanned all verticals, ranging from financial services to high-tech to consumer packaged goods. Of those that responded, 18% had portfolios smaller than 500 domains, 34% had mid-sized portfolios containing 501 – 3,000 domains, 32% had large portfolios containing 3,001 – 10,000 domains.
Read full postAug 28, 2019 - by Staff WriterThe Utility Formerly Known As WHOIS
Muscle memory is a funny thing. We don’t even think about it really, but when we do the same thing over and over again, it just becomes second nature to us. This is how we’ve come to use WHOIS over the past two decades to get contact information for registered domain names. If you wanted to see who owned a domain, you’d simply do a WHOIS search. I’ve probably done hundreds of thousands of them during my time in the industry.
Read full postAug 21, 2019 - by Nicole DelleDonneDomain Name Principles: Security Above All Else
In a recent survey of corporate domain name professionals, more than 90% of respondents stated that ensuring the security of their domain name portfolio was an extremely important goal. But ensuring the security of corporate domain name portfolios is so much more than just requiring two-factor authentication or registry locking mission critical domains so that they are impervious to breached accounts. Yes –authenticating users and locking domains are key components, but many other vulnerabilities exist.
Read full postAug 15, 2019 - by Phil LodicoWhy Is Domain Name Management So Darn Challenging?
What is it about domain name management that makes it so challenging? For starters, much of managing a corporate domain name portfolio comes down to balancing the need for promotion against the need for protection. But every company’s tolerance for risk is different. And figuring out what to register defensively is more of an art than a science—no matter what anyone says. Identifying domains no longer necessary has also been a challenge for most companies.
Read full postJul 9, 2019 - by Staff WriterCorporate Domain Name Management: Consolidated Portfolio or Two-Vendor Approach – Why Not Both?
For close to 15 years, when it comes to domain name management, I’ve personally touted two things: 1) the importance of using a single, secure, corporate domain name registrar and 2) the importance of having a fully-consolidated domain name portfolio for even the largest portfolios. And in many ways, this made sense back then. With a single, corporate-focused registrar, domain professionals were able to access and manage all domains from within a centralized repository.
Read full postJun 10, 2019 - by Staff WriterATTN: All Domain Name Professionals - Now is the Time for a Portfolio Review
As we move further into the summer months and the demands made upon domain professionals typically ease, now is the ideal time to review domain name portfolios. And technology solutions can greatly automate this process. Ensuring that portfolios are pared, appropriate levels of security are implemented, and domains point to relevant content are all key areas upon which to focus. Paring Portfolios Always easier said than done, most corporate domain name managers freely admit that domains exist within their portfolios that are no longer needed or even wanted.
Read full postApr 17, 2019 - by Staff WriterFocusing on the Customer
No matter what our job titles are, I firmly believe that customer service should be at the top of everyone’s list of priorities. When I think back to every job I’ve ever had, I can point to a focus on the “customer” in every single one of them. Whether it was delivering newspapers in my teen years or working at a Bay Area software company, I’ve always had a focus on providing service to a client whether they be internal or external.
Read full postMar 28, 2019 - by Staff WriterThe EPDP on gTLD Registration Data: Phase 1 Down, Phase 2 To Go
The ICANN community recently gathered in Kobe, Japan for its first meeting of the year and it was certainly a busy week for attendees. Much of the meeting centered around the work of the Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) to address gTLD registration data. As a member of the EPDP team, we had been hard at work since being formed in August of 2018. Just prior to the Kobe meeting, we published the phase 1 Final Report.
Read full postFeb 7, 2019 - by Staff WriterReally, Really Understand Defensive Domain Name Traffic
For years, we’ve been talking about the need to point defensive domain name registrations to relevant content, and the importance of tracking traffic. Generally speaking, most corporate domain name registrars provide high-level traffic statistics. But here is the dirty little secret that most registrars don’t want to discuss – most of the page views being reported by registrars are the result of bot traffic. After all, who would possibly be typing in www.
Read full postJan 23, 2019 - by Staff WriterOnce Upon an EPDP
The new year has only just begun, but the work of ICANN’s Expedited Policy Development Process for gTLD Registration Data (EPDP for short) is already in full swing. The team just wrapped up several days of meetings in Toronto and I thought it would be a good time for an update on where we are in the process. Before I go any further, I would be remiss if I didn’t again take the opportunity to thank the ICANN team supporting our efforts - especially in the final weeks of last year as they reviewed and organized all of the public comments received on the initial report.
Read full postDec 21, 2018 - by Staff Writer2018 Domain Name Year in Review
Well, it’s that time of year again. The time of year when I look back at all of the biggest domain news stories from the last twelve months, and also reflect on my predictions from last year. As expected, GDPR has had a major impact on the ability to access domain ownership information. And we did indeed see a number of M&A transactions over this last year. However, there wasn’t a lot of new .
Read full postNov 28, 2018 - by Staff WriterThe EPDP Initial Report: Forward Progress Yet Much Work Remains
Here in the United States, we recently celebrated Thanksgiving and with that, we now enter the last weeks of 2018. I’ve spent much of this past year involved in ICANN’s Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) for gTLD Registration Data and I’m happy to say our group has reached a historic milestone. Just last week, the group published its initial report for public comment (https://www.icann.org/public-comments/EPDP-gtld-registration-data-specs-initial-2018-11-21-en). I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to thank the entire group for their good faith efforts in issuing this initial report.
Read full postOct 17, 2018 - by Staff WriterQ&A with Matt Serlin, EPDP Team Member
Matt Serlin is the former Chair of the ICANN Registrar’s Constituency and is currently a member of the Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) team on the Temporary Specification for gTLD Registration Data. For the past several months, Matt has met at least 2 times each week with members of EPDP team. As a reminder, the EPDP team is comprised of 31 individuals representing various groups within the ICANN community including intellectual property interests, the governments who participate in ICANN, as well as the at-large users and contracted parties.
Read full postSep 19, 2018 - by Staff WriterSecond Annual Brandsight Domain Management Survey Reveals Companies Face Challenges Managing Domain Name Portfolios
Brandsight recently concluded their Second Annual Domain Management Survey. Respondents to the survey were corporate domain name professionals. Of those that responded, 35% had portfolios that were between 3,000-10,000 domains and another 30% had portfolios greater than 10,000 domains. Fifty-seven percent of respondents reported that they manage domains out of the legal department, with the remaining respondents’ portfolios managed out of IT, marketing and other groups. This year’s survey revealed that for 53% of respondents, managing domain name portfolios has become more difficult.
Read full postAug 21, 2018 - by Staff WriterICANN’s ePDP – An Insider’s Perspective
Amazingly enough, summer is rapidly ending as kids head back to school, the temperatures in the mornings are just slightly cooler, and soon enough jeans and sweatshirts will be upon us. It also means that the important work on ICANN’s temporary specification regarding WHOIS relative to GDPR has already aged a few months. The ICANN Board adopted the temporary specification in May 2018 and it became effective on the 25th of the month.
Read full postJun 19, 2018 - by Staff WriterHeading into Panama for ICANN62
Well amazingly, it’s that time again. Next week, individuals from around the world with a keen interest in Internet policy will head to Panama City, Panama for the second ICANN meeting of the year. As always, Brandsight will be attending to follow all of the important policy work being carried out by the community. Before I head off to the meeting (which based on my research will actually be my 32nd ICANN meeting!
Read full postJun 13, 2018 - by Staff WriterLeveraging Traffic Statistics to Manage Corporate Domain Portfolios
Corporate domain name portfolios often consist of domain names that do not resolve to relevant content. In fact, it’s not uncommon for less than half of corporate domains to point to live content. Sure there are domains such as those that point to “sucks” sites or those registered anonymously for future use that purposely do not resolve, but those are the exception to the rule. Most domains that do not resolve were registered defensively or acquired via acquisition - without much thought given to where the domains should actually point.
Read full postMay 22, 2018 - by Staff WriterThoughts from ICANN’s Global Domains Division Summit in Vancouver
Last week, several hundred commercial parties involved in the ICANN ecosystem gathered in Vancouver for their annual Global Domains Division (GDD) meeting. Over 600 individuals took part in the meeting which brought together representatives from ICANN’s contracted parties. This meeting differs from traditional ICANN meetings as no policy work takes place and discussions are more focused on commercial and operational matters. Unsurprisingly, discussions around the topic of GDPR dominated the summit given the timing of the ICANN Board voting on the temporary specification towards the end of the week.
Read full postMay 15, 2018 - by Staff WriterThe Latest on GDPR and WHOIS
GDPR. It’s the four-letter “word” everyone is talking about and there are lots of questions still swirling around the topic. We wanted to provide a summary of where we are and what we believe the next ten days will bring. What we know: GDPR enforcement will begin May 25, 2018. After this date, those found in violation of the regulation can be fined up to 4% of annual global turnover or 20 Million Euros, whichever is greater.
Read full postApr 14, 2018 - by Staff WriterGDPR and WHOIS – We’ve Heard from the Article 29 Working Party, Now What?
Well, here we are on Friday the 13th and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day than providing an update on GDPR, WHOIS and ICANN. There’s lots to cover, so let’s dive right in. As we have been talking about for a number of months now, the EU’s new General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR) will become enforceable on May 25th. The ICANN community has been struggling with how GDPR will impact the WHOIS system.
Read full postApr 5, 2018 - by Staff WriterGDPR and WHOIS – Winners and Losers
I think we are all hoping that when ICANN meets with the DPAs (Digital Protection Authorities) a clear path forward will be illuminated. We are all hoping that the DPAs will provide definitive guidance regarding ICANN’s interim model, and that some special allowance will be made so that registrars and registries are provided with additional time to implement a GDPR-compliant WHOIS solution. But given that a major registry has recently announced their intention to essentially remove all contact data from publicly accessible WHOIS – things are not looking good for the future of WHOIS.
Read full postMar 28, 2018 - by Staff WriterLeveraging Trademark Data to Drive Domain Name Strategy
For years, corporate domain name portfolio managers have struggled with determining whether or not their portfolios were the “right” size. Managers of mature domain name portfolios have often felt that their portfolios were bloated, containing domains that were no longer needed. Conversely, domain managers of newer portfolios have sometimes known that gaps existed. Regardless, the question remains - just how many domains should a corporate portfolio contain? Undoubtedly, trademark registrations are a leading indicator of domain portfolio size.
Read full postFeb 28, 2018 - by Staff WriterBrandsight Podcast: Launching the Brandsight Beta
Listen to Matt and Elisa as they discuss the launch of Brandsight’s beta release.
Read full postFeb 7, 2018 - by Staff WriterPreparing for GDPR’s Impact on WHOIS – 5 Steps to Consider
With GDPR coming into effect this May, it is almost a forgone conclusion that WHOIS as we know it today, will change. Without knowing the full details, how can companies begin to prepare? Communicate Changes First and foremost, ensuring that brand protection, security and compliance departments are aware that a change to WHOIS access is on the horizon is an important first step. Just knowing that the ability to uncover domain ownership information is likely to change in the future will help to relieve some of the angst that is likely to occur.
Read full postJan 17, 2018 - by Staff WriterPaving the Path to the Brandsight Beta
It’s been a busy few months here at Brandsight. For a small and young company, we have had a lot of initiatives closing out 2017 and entering 2018. By far, our biggest focus since launching the company has been on the development and release of our domain management product. We’re getting extremely close to launching a beta version of our product and I wanted to get my thoughts about the process into words.
Read full postDec 13, 2017 - by Staff WriterBrandsight Podcast: 2017 Domain Name Year in Review
Listen as Matt and Elisa review some of the biggest domain news stories from 2017.
Read full postDec 6, 2017 - by Staff Writer2017 Domain Name Year in Review
Given that it’s been a few years since my last domain name year in review, I’ve really enjoyed looking back at this year’s biggest domain name stories, and seeing how this industry has evolved. This year in particular has seen some notable changes which are likely to impact the domain name landscape for years to come. So without further ado, here is my list for 2017: 10. Mergers and acquisitions continue to shape the domain industry landscape
Read full postNov 28, 2017 - by Staff WriterSignificant Increase in Registry Locked Names Across Top 500 Most Highly-Trafficked
A recent study conducted by Brandsight has revealed that 28% of the top 500 most-highly trafficked sites now employ registry locking. In contrast, only 15% of the top 500 most highly-trafficked sites were leveraging registry locking in 2013. Back in 2013, only 356 of the top 500 most-highly trafficked sites could be registry locked, but that number has also risen significantly so that now 396 of the top 500 most-highly trafficked sites are eligible.
Read full postNov 16, 2017 - by Staff WriterUDRPs Filed - Brand Owners Take Note
After being in the domain industry for over 15 years, there aren’t too many things that catch me by surprise, but recently a few UDRP filings have me scratching my head.
Read full postNov 14, 2017 - by Staff WriterBrandsight Podcast: Becky Burr, ICANN Board Member Shares Her Thoughts on GDPR
Listen as Matt speaks with Becky Burr as she shares her thought on ICANN60 and GDPR
Read full postOct 17, 2017 - by Staff WriterSurvey of Corporate Domain Name Managers Reveals Interesting Statistics
This summer, Brandsight conducted a short 5-question, anonymous survey to collect feedback from those responsible for managing corporate domain name portfolios.
Read full postOct 11, 2017 - by Staff WriterBrandsight Podcast: Preparing for the ICANN Abu Dhabi Meeting
Listen to Matt and Elisa as they discuss topics of interest at the upcoming ICANN meeting in Abu Dhabi
Read full postOct 9, 2017 - by Staff WriterICANN Publishes Schedule for Upcoming Abu Dhabi Meeting
The schedule for ICANN’s annual general meeting in Abu Dhabi is now available at https://schedule.icann.org/.
Read full postOct 5, 2017 - by Staff WriterGDPR and the Future of WHOIS
Why does all of the discussion around potential options for WHOIS in the era of the EU’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) feel like déjà vu?
Is it because issues around WHOIS never really go away, and become a hot topic every few years?
Read full postSep 27, 2017 - by Staff WriterBrandsight Podcast: Domain Industry Hot Topics
Listen to Matt and Elisa as they discuss .CAT, additions to the ICANN BOD, and ICANN’s new WHOIS manager.
Read full postSep 18, 2017 - by Staff WriterTLD namespaces – Manhattan versus Boise
If you are reading this, you probably already know that we recently launched our new Brandsight.com website.
When we started thinking about our new website, we tossed around the idea of launching with a new gTLD, as opposed to .COM. But it didn’t take long for us to decide that promoting our new company in .COM was the right approach for us.
Intuitively – we knew it.
Read full postSep 5, 2017 - by Staff WriterBrandsight Podcast: Matt and Elisa Back Together Again
Listen to Brandsight’s first podcast where Matt Serlin and Elisa Cooper discuss their love of domain names and their decision to join Brandsight.
Read full postAug 29, 2017 - by Staff WriterBrandsight According To Me
It’s funny…when I started in the domain industry, it really wasn’t meant to be a long-term career for me. Actually, there wasn’t even a “domain industry” at that time. It was about six weeks before I was to be married and I had been told in no uncertain terms, I could not be unemployed at the time of our wedding.
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