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GoDaddy launches Websites + Marketing

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GoDaddy’s new all-in-one online presence system launches.

Image of GoDaddy pitch for Websites + Marketing. Shows Sie Sie Benhoff with a guitar.

GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) announced its new Websites + Marketing service today as it takes aim at (or defends against) website builders like Wix, Weebly and SquareSpace.

Websites + Marketing is the company’s latest salvo in the battle, and the service seems to be an improvement on many of its attempts to date. It builds upon the feature set of Website Builder, which was originally called GoCentral.

The new service is designed to be a one-stop-shop for a business owner’s web presence. It helps them create a website and then market it.  This includes email marketing, ecommerce, SEO, online advertising, appointment booking and social integrations.

Websites + Marketing “gamifies” the process of improving a website by providing a score, which is something other web builders do.

GoDaddy announced the product in a live stream today. It was the first major public appearance for new CEO Aman Bhutani.

NamesCon calls for submissions for 2020 event

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Submit proposals to speak at NamesCon 2020.

Picture of people at a NamesCon event with NamesCon Global words and "Call for Submissions"

NamesCon is taking a new approach for its NamesCon Global 2020 event next year. Not only is it in a new location (Austin), but it is calling it The Domain Economic Forum. Its goal is to expand beyond just the domain topics we’re used to.

It’s also opening up the sessions a bit.

In an email last week, the group noted, “we’re proud of how we partner with our sponsors to create deep and actionable experiences at NamesCon Global”. This alludes to the fact that most sessions are paid sessions, not selected just because of their value to the audience.

But for 2020, it wants to augment this with other sessions. NamesCon just opened a call for session proposals. Organizers want session proposals related to three tracks:

  1. The economics of the domain name ecosystem – understanding the size and scope of the domain industry as a whole, especially the secondary market.
  2. Navigating market threats and opportunities – how alternative online presences through marketplaces and social media threaten domains.
  3. The buyer’s perspective – domain buyers’ stories and case studies

Proposals can be submitted online.

Mailchimp increases price 15%-20% for longtime customers

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Even though you’re grandfathered, you’ll still pay more.

Mailchimp logo

Mailchimp changed its pricing model earlier this year. Instead of charging based on how many active subscribers an account has, it included unsubscribed users, too.

Existing customers were grandfathered on legacy plans based on active subscriber counts. But now those prices are going up, too.

Customers received a notice today informing them of the price increase. The increase seems to be about 15%-20%.

My $49.99 per month package increased to $59.99. My $150 package jumped to $174.

Depending on how many unsubscribed users you have, this means the legacy plans could cost more than the new ones. For example, my $174 per month account has 15,000 active subscribers. Accounts with the new audience definition pay $159.00 per month for 15,000 audience members.

In other words, even though these accounts are grandfathered in, they are effectively being charged somewhat for unsubscribed users.

Customers can still get a 10% discount for enabling two-factor authentication on their account.

Google connects to domain registrars for Auto-DNS verification

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New process makes it easier to verify domain properties with Google Search Console.

Screenshot showing process of automatically adding TXT record to DNS to verify site on Google Search Console

Google is making it easier for website owners to verify their Domain Properties within Google Search Console.

One of the ways to verify a site is to add a TXT record in the DNS for the website. This is usually done at the domain name registrar.

But many website owners aren’t familiar with adding this type of record. So Google has created an automated way to do it with many registrars.

It works by going through a registrar authorization process that enables Google to add the TXT record. Update: I have confirmed that Google is using Domain Connect for this.

As of right now, it appears to work with Gandi, GoDaddy, Internet.bs, Name.com and 1&1 Ionos.

Site owners can still use other verification methods to verify a site, such as uploading an HTML file.

CentralNic reports H1 earnings propelled by acquisitions

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Topline up 225%; organic growth is 6%.

Domain name company CentralNic (London AIM: CNIC) reported first-half earnings today.

Thanks to acquisitions, its top line grew by 225% compared to the first half of 2018:

Table showing CentralNic results for H1 2019, showing 225% topline growth

Its organic growth was 6%.

The big acquisition was KeyDrive, which completed in August of last year.

CentralNic has completed several other acquisitions since then but the big ones closed after the end of the first half: TPP Wholesale, Hexonet and Ideegeo.

The company is paying for its recent acquisitions through a €50 million bond issue.