Domain Name Registration Search Declines - Google

I've been spending a lot of time on Google Trends since discovering how useful it is to track interest levels over time on any particular keyword phrase search. As a Search Engine Optimization Specialist, I pay a lot of attention to Google Hot Trends to see what people are searching for by the hour.

I made note about that in a post a couple of days ago and pointed out that there are usually about a half-dozen specific domain name searches in the top 100 most frequently searched terms at any one time.

But today it occurred to me that interest levels are much lower in establishing new businesses online. Now it's not about internet riches that entrepreneurs dream - but business riches based on solid business models and real services with actual utility behind a web site.

Just four years ago, the internet bubble had burst and was re-inflating. Buying domain names for cybersquatting was bigger - or just finding the last of the remaining generic domain names.

Perhaps it is because people now go directly to their favorite registrar, rather than searching for domain sellers, but that would suggest that everyone now has a registrar bookmarked and doesn't do those navigational searches I've discussed here recently. I doubt that. But one thing is clear - searches about domain name registration are far less common than they were four years ago.

ICANN's New Generic Top Level Domain Names (gTLD)

A new round of top level domains (TLD's) is being considered by the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) and they've posted a gTLD draft proposal evaluation flow chart (PDF) for "Discussion Purposes on the ICANN web site. The flow chart recommends a minimum of 18 steps to gain approval for a new gTLD as seen in the marked up version below:

OK, so new and existing registrars will be allowed to propose new gTLD's (new domain extensions such as .com, .net etc.) and submit them to an approval process which essentially breaks down into the following rules:

1. It should be good and not harmful/offensive
2. It should work for everyone politically and technically
3. Registrars should be able to perform and deliver flawlessly
4. Winning registrar pays the piper and gains approval

First here's the existing list of domain names, plus reference to the 258 two letter country name TLD's.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Wow! I want to jump in there and offer up a few ideas and proposals of my own. Nevermind that I can't deliver, can't win the auction to sell my proposed names and all that. Wouldn't it be cool if we could just have our first name as a domain? So I'd reserve valentine.mike - You know Valentine (Dot) Mike - hey! Why not? That would really be delivering domain NAMES!