The first ICANN New gTLD Application is now closed. Now is the time to start preparing your company, city or region, and your niche community for the next ICANN gTLD application window. ICANN has not yet announced when the new application window will open, but we will keep you posted when they do.

In the meantime, start educating yourself and your fellow team members on new gTLDs. Investing in a new gTLD is a strategic decision. It takes time to identify, monitor and research how organizations and communities are deploying their new gTLDs. 

How will your organization, city or region, or your niche community use your new gTLD?

In 2012, ICANN -- the non-profit organization that regulates the domain naming system for the Internet -- unleashed a new era of competition and innovation for new generic Top Level Domain (gTLD). This means that anyone with a vision, resources and a global registry services partner like Afilias will be able to own and use the suffix to the right of the last dot in a website or email address, moving the world from “dot com” to “dot anything.”

If you are considering a new gTLD during the next application window, you’ve come to the best place on the Internet for information. Afilias is the world's most experienced provider of domain registry services for new TLDs. We can help you ask, and answer, the most important questions to help build the right team, create the best ICANN application, and succeed with launching and operating your new TLD when the application window again opens.

ICANN’s mission is to ensure the continued stability and security of the DNS (Domain Name System). That’s why they put such a sharp focus on the technical parts of the gTLD application. Practically half of the application is of a highly technical nature. ICANN expects each applicant to work with a knowledgeable, experienced provider.

How do you plan to mitigate the technological and operational risks -- and costs -- to maximize launching and managing your new TLD during the next application window? You and your team will have to develop criteria to help select the very best domain registry services partner. A suitable partner will be able to answer these highly technical questions so that you can focus on all of the other aspects necessary for a successful new TLD.

To complicate matters, the new top level domain industry has become crowded with new entrants seeking a slice of the  fast-growing, new TLD economic “pie.” As you search the Internet, you may find websites of many newly formed consultancies and registry services operators. When it comes to selecting the best registry provider, how do you differentiate between the contenders and pretenders?

As the expert in new TLD registry services, our second-to-none reputation and record of performance are our best marketing tools. We believe that an educated new TLD prospect is our best customer. That’s why we invest in educational content like webinars, videos, blogs, conference presentations and e-books.

In this section of the Afilias website, you will find valuable information, insights and educational materials to help you understand the issues surrounding new TLDs and to be prepared when the next application window opens.

Once you’ve review all the materials, let’s start a conversation about your New TLD. Contact the Afilias New TLD Team today.