Jan 16, 2025 - by Phil Lodico

New Year Predictions 2025: Adapt, Optimize and Thrive with Domains

At the dawn of 2025, the domain name industry is on the cusp of significant transformation. Since domains are woven throughout an organization’s legal, marketing, and IT departments (and possibly more), they often have a tremendous impact on how the company presents itself to the world.

As opportunities and threats infiltrate the ever-changing domain space, corporations are presented with a myriad of challenges of how to leverage domains effectively in this New Year. I connected with the GCD team about their views on the primary concerns that domain managers will face as we approach 2025 and am excited to share their insights for the coming year.

AI in Domain Management: A New Era

Tyler Mason, Head of Client Success at GCD, is big on artificial intelligence as we all are finding ways to use this new technology in our day-to-day life. Microsoft’s Work Trend Index (2024) has found about 75% of knowledge workers are already actively using AI tools in their daily work tasks, and the revolution is just beginning to influence how we manage our domains.

In 2025, artificial intelligence will represent the next big leap in domain name management—it’s hard to ignore the impact it’s already having, let alone what’s on the horizon. For large corporate portfolios, AI is expected to address persistent challenges like improving DNS record hygiene and enhancing security measures. AI-powered tools will likely audit DNS configurations, flag outdated or misaligned records and automate bulk updates. These capabilities won’t just save time. They will reduce errors and improve reliability when managing complex portfolios. AI’s potential in predictive threat detection is equally significant.

By analyzing DNS traffic patterns, it could help cybersecurity teams spot anomalies that signal threats, such as spoofing or unauthorized DNS activity, before they escalate. Faster responses mean reduced risks and better protection for critical infrastructure. That said, AI isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It requires thoughtful integration and active oversight.

Domain managers will need to rapidly build their understanding of AI capabilities to ensure these tools align with business goals, protect sensitive information, and maintain brand integrity. Accurate data training and human expertise will be key to minimizing errors and maximizing impact. As AI becomes integral across all areas of business, its role in domain management will only expand. By embracing these advancements strategically, domain managers can boost efficiency, strengthen security, and make smarter decisions while staying ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Next Round of Domain Innovation Draws Near

With the new gTLD program on the horizon, it’s more critical than ever for businesses to have a solid domain strategy. Nicole DelleDonne, Senior Director of Sales has some fantastic insights on how to best prepare for ICANN’s next round.

2025 will be a pivotal year for domain managers as the industry prepares for the next round of the New gTLD program, slated for 2026. It’s a critical time to position yourself as a resource within your organization, guiding stakeholders on the opportunities and potential risks this next phase will bring. This is also a chance to connect across departments, raising awareness of the far-reaching implications of domain name policies and industry developments.

To prepare, domain managers should be mindful of these two action paths:

  1. Develop your company’s dotBrand plan: Whether your organization chooses to pursue a dotBrand or opts to take no action, preparation is vital to ensure key stakeholders are aware and to avoid surprises or missed opportunities. Some high-level steps I’d recommend:

  • Identify Key Stakeholders: Strategic planning and budgeting will require input from a coordinated group with decision-making authority.

  • Analyze Your Competitive Landscape: Understand how your competitors are leveraging dotBrands today and any known plans to apply.

  • Define Use Cases: Determine how a dotBrand aligns with your organization’s long-term goals. Importantly, this doesn’t mean moving away from your primary domain. Instead, it’s about identifying complementary use cases, such as enhancing security, creating campaign-specific domains, or streamlining internal operations.

  • Engage Trusted Partners: Seek guidance from experts on application processes, implementation, and evolving trends.

  • Leverage Industry Resources: Tap into groups like the Brand Registry Group, which provides valuable tools and insights, such as their next-round preparation guide.

  1. Refine and Vet Your Domain Registration Strategy: Beyond dotBrands, the next round will introduce new generic TLDs, adding even further complexity to the domain space. To stay ahead, it’s essential to have a well-defined domain registration strategy:

  • Set Clear Policies: Define your organization’s approach to defensive registrations to ensure a consistent and effective process.

  • Align on Priorities: Consider brand tiers, budgets, risk tolerance, and the use of brand protection tools.

  • Evaluate Cost-Effective Solutions: Blocking services can be a strategic way to protect your brand while managing costs.

In the coming year, domain managers who guide their organizations to align on a strategic approach—whether through dotBrand exploration or a refined registration policy—will set the stage for success in the evolving domain landscape for next year and beyond.

Finally, security certificates are part of the domain name woodwork. Their importance is clear given increasing security vulnerabilities that companies face, and GCD Enterprise Account Executive Michael Thomas shares his insights for these mainstays next year.

In 2025, automation, enhanced protocols, and trust-building will shape TLS (formerly known as SSL) certificate trends. Automated certificate issuance and renewal, driven by protocols like ACME 2.0 and tools from certificate providers, will become the norm, with enterprises integrating these processes into Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines for seamless scalability. Certificate validity periods might decrease further (possibly one year or less), emphasizing regular updates for improved security. The adoption of TLS 1.3 will continue to expand, offering improved security, reduced latency, and more efficient handshakes, solidifying it as the standard for secure communications.

Simultaneously, businesses like e-commerce and finance may renew their focus on Extended Validation (EV) certificates to boost consumer trust and brand credibility. The potential resurgence of EV certificates stems from ongoing cybersecurity discussions about brand credibility and consumer trust in a world of increasing phishing and spoofing attacks.

To make the most of these I recommend conducting a thorough audit of your current certificate landscape. Identify areas for improvement, such as automating renewals, upgrading to TLS 1.3, or exploring EV certificates where appropriate. This proactive approach will strengthen your security posture and enhance customer trust.

Adapt, Optimize, Thrive

My advice, to stay ahead in 2025, organizations are well-advised to conduct a thorough domain portfolio audit. This can be accomplished in four straightforward steps:

  1. Inventory and Prioritize – Inventory domains and assess their uses. Categorize assets into Core Domains (critical to brand identify/revenue), Defensive Domains (protective against misuse), and Growth Domains (supportive of future initiatives or targeting niche markets).

  2. Evaluate Performance and ROI – Analyze domain traffic, usage and alignment with business goals. Drop/sell underperforming assets and identify high-potential gTLDS for 2026.

  3. Leverage Emerging Technologies – Monitor blockchain-based domains (e.g. Unstoppable Domains, ENS) for futureproofing. Use blocking tools like GlobalBlock to prevent brand misuse.

  4. Integrate AI Insights – Adopt AI-driven tools to generate useful data which helps build efficiency, accuracy and performance.

As the domain name industry evolves, managing the organization’s domain portfolio must move beyond passive renewals to become a strategic priority. The rise of AI content and discovery combined with the upcoming 2026 gTLD round demands planning, vigilance and adaptability.

Audit and optimize the domain portfolio regularly rather than using a set-it-and-forget-it complacent approach. Protect what’s core, explore emerging opportunities, and ensure the strategy evolves commensurate with the digital landscape and crucial security considerations.

For companies which take a proactive approach, the domain portfolio can do more than merely protect brands. Domains can drive innovation, visibility, and growth so the organization can rise above keeping pace with others to lead the way going into this new era.

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Phil Lodico

With more than 15 years of domain industry experience, Phil has long been a vocal advocate for brand owner’s rights. He was most recently Managing Partner at Fairwinds Partners, the industry’s leading domain name consultancy. While at Fairwinds Partners he advised multinational corporations on their domain name strategies to increase traffic, grow revenues, and improve online customer experiences. He has been actively involved in ICANN’s Business Constituency, was a member of ICANN’s 2009 Nominating Committee, and has served as Vice President of the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA). A graduate from Hobart College, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Psychology, receiving honors for his work in Consumer Choice Theory.

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