Google seems to be on the verge of making a big dent in yet another key online vertical: Domain Registrations. And, from the looks of it, the services offered will be at par or even better than most of existing popular domain registrars.
When the behemoth Google enters any online vertical, it never makes a meek entry – They enter to dominate it. While in most cases, they are among the first few to enter any vertical, in this particular case, they are entering the market as late as it gets.
Domain Registrations business is always a level playing field game. Domains have to be renewed every year and anyone can transfer from one domain registrar to another with just a few clicks and no real extra costs. Infact, in many cases you are actually incentivized to do it!
So, even though Google has made a late entry, it does not really matter.
The service is currently in Beta stage and invite-only (You can join their invite list). They are currently gathering feedback from a small set of users, but their Google+ post update suggests that the service should be opened shortly for general public as well.
Now, before we look at why Google’s entry into Domain registration business is huge deal, let us first understand what Google Domain plans to offer.
When Google starts to offer something, they not only cover all the basics, but bring in additional unique features that entices users to go with their services. And, it is the same with Google Domain registrations.
Google Domains is offering everything that most would expect from a Domain registrar – Purchase and transfer of domains, domain forwarding, creating sub-domains and Domain management tools like adding A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, PTR, SOA, SPF, SRV, TXT records to your domains.
But what will really differentiate Google from others is that their domain services will be offered on Google’s fast, secure and reliable infrastructure which undoubtedly is the best in the world.
As far as the pricing goes, Google is expected to offer it at USD 12 a pop which includes private registration as well (generally, other domain registrars offer it USD 2). So essentially, Google is offering it at USD 10, a price which is offered by most popular domain registrars.
And here is the icing on the cake – For those who buy or transfer domains to Google, they will get 100 email aliases free of cost on that domain. While this is not same as having 100 different email addresses, you get a branded email address, which would have probably cost you more if taken separately from Google!
And if that was no enough, here is something more. Google has partnered with Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, and Shopify — businesses that specialize in helping consumers build complete and sometimes even moderately complex websites in mere minutes. So, for a end user, Google is actually offering end-to-end services (sans hosting, which I am sure will come in due course!)
Why Is It Such A BIG Deal?
Most mid-size domain registrars would be pissing in their pants right now, and trust me, I am not exaggerating. Domain registrations is a difficult business to be in, with heavy competition and wafer thin margins. And I am sure the case is not too different with likes of Go-Daddy and other big registrars.
Google has brand name like no other, they are offering domains at extremely competitive pricing and to top that they are always innovating. So people who will be with Google Domains will get all the cutting-edge tech there is.
And like I mentioned before, Domain registrar business is always a level playing field. Transferring your domain from one registrar is extremely easy. I personally have about 20-25 domains names, and I will shift them to Google at the first chance I get.
Also, new top-level domains like .photography, .guru and hundreds of others are coming up, so the market for domain name is increasing exponentially.
One thing is sure, for most domain registrars, Google’s entry into Domain registration business must be one of the worst news they might have come across!
And from Google’s point of view, the following tweet pretty much summarizes everything there is to say..
Would love to hear your say on this…