The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has announced that the number of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) that have been delegated has passed the 100 mark.
Delegation is one of the final steps before registries, which control the domains, can start to accept registrations for names that will use the new gTLDs.
Reports suggest that ICANN is approving new gTLDs at a rate of 20 every week, which means that there will be around 1,000 new ones by the end of the year.
Among the new domains are .ninja, .pink, .email, .coffee, .buzz and .domains, which form part of one of the greatest changes to the internet since its inception.
Akram Atallah, president of ICANN’s Global Domains Division explained that the launch of the new domains has increased the number available by five times in just a few months, which translates to a greater level of choice and opportunity. “We are as eager as everyone else to see what type of innovation these new Domains will usher into the online world.”
Christine Willett, vice president of gTLD operations, added that the milestone of 100 new gTLDs is historic for the program and the internet as a whole, before noting that the year ahead will be defined by new opportunities in a rapidly expanding online landscape.
The major firms involved in the application for new domains have indicated that the concept has legs and will create a host of opportunities for businesses of all sizes.
Brands are using the opportunity of new domains to experiment and get closer to their customers and fans while expanding their digital footprint.
In addition to the new delegations, over 200 Registry Agreements (RA) have been signed by new gTLD applicants. Signing an agreement allows applicants to move onto the final stages of the Program and prepare for delegation into the DNS.
In a recent interview about how brand owners can make the most of gTLDs, CSC’s Vincent D’Angelo explained. “There’s no question that new gTLDs are daunting for brand holders, especially companies that have many different brands and operate in different areas. Like any big problem, the best way to approach it is to break it down. At CSC we use a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis to help clients formulate the right gTLD strategy.”
For more details, sign up for our upcoming webinar “Are you ready for new gTLDs?” on 30 January or contact Vincent’s Brand Advisory team for a consultation.