Big news for top level domains as .blog gets big backing.
Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, now controls the .blog top level domain name.
The company announced plans for the domain name today.
Primer Nivel S.A., the company behind My.co, won an auction for the heavily-contested top level domain name last year. Many were surprised when the company beat Google and a handful of other new TLD companies in the auction.
On April 29, 2016, Primer Nivel assigned its contract with ICANN for .blog to Knock Knock WHOIS There, LLC, which is an affiliate with WordPress. (Clever company name!) Automattic partnered with Primer Nivel prior to the auction.
WordPress’ backing will be huge for this domain name and new top level domain names in general.
Very curious to see what WordPress will do with .BLOG …
Is this first new tld essentially bought for speculation and then sold to an end user?
To clarify they did a deal before the auction to go after the domain name.
It’s obviously a very good fit and also logical that a company would go after the tld that defines what they do. Automattic might also selectively sell .blog domains to industry leaders assuming there’s interest. Although I can see .news possibly being a strong competitor.
This makes sense. I can see them including a .blog domain name for users that sign up for the paid Wordpress.com service.
They didnt “beat” Google. They just wanted it more, no one beats Google.
Yes, they’re just the first of the losers.