One conference is out but two more are in.
The domain name investor community is down to just one annual U.S. conference after THE Domain Conference called it quits this year.
But out of the ashes rise two new conferences about domain names that are also stretching outside of the domain business.
First up is NameSummit in Manhattan August 7th and 8th. The event is being organized by domain investor Steve Kaziyev and domain attorney Jason Schaeffer with the help of 32Events (led by Jodi Chamberlain).
While domain names are a topic, this conference will also cover online branding and naming.
Then, in October, Jothan Frakes (formerly with NamesCon) and Ray Dillman Neu (formerly with TRAFFIC and then THE Domain Conference) present MERGE! in Orlando.
Details are scant, but Ron Jackson at DNJournal reports “With MERGE! the founders aim to combine the best of Domain Roundtable, DomainFest and THE Domain Conference along with Legal panels, Digital Branding professionals, Website Development, End User Experience, Domain Name Investment and Appraisal, New Business Startups, IP Technology, SEO Design, Security, Hosting and more.”
The event takes place October 14-18 at Marriott’s Orlando World Center.
The trick for each of these conferences is to bring in the core domain name audience while simultaneously attracting marketing, internet and branding professionals.
Acro says
THE Domain Conference will be part of MERGE! so I would not remove them from the list of active domain conferences.
Hope to see you in Orlando!
JMHO says
The article says: “With MERGE! the founders aim to combine the best of Domain Roundtable, DomainFest and THE Domain Conference” Are you saying instead that TheDomainConference is still going on as usual but within the Merge Show? The Merge Show is an aggregator? One fee gets you into everything? I wonder how sponsors will make decisions of where they want to do their thing?
Acro says
Unless you’re a sponsor, you worry too much. The event organizers are seasoned professionals and know how to form and present a quality event.
MERGE! is a multi-discipline event in one location; hardcore domainers need to expand their horizons.
JMHO says
People in the domain industry should be able to pick belter names than THE Domain Conference and Merge Show is difficult to pronounce and doesn’t pass the radio test. And on an alternative ending? dot show?
Acro says
Radio is dead. Get on with the app/social media times. “JMHO” is also very 1995’ish.
Colin Campbell says
Merge sounds like a great idea bringing Domainers with Entrepreneurs. .The staff at .CLUB are excited to attend.
Joseph Peterson says
The more the merrier!