How should domain name brokers behave? On today’s show, domain buyer broker Bill Sweetman of Name Ninja discusses the role of buyer brokers, seller brokers, and buyers and sellers in domain name transactions. There are a lot of shady things that parties to a transaction sometimes do, and Bill explains a simple rule for figuring out if something is ethical or not.

Also: TikTok, domain sales, Pocketbook, and more.

Sponsor: DAN.com

By now, we have a good idea about what is happening in the domain name industry due to the pandemic. But what about developed websites? The answer, unsurprisingly, is that web businesses are experiencing mixed results. Peter Askew runs three sites: one that sells onions, another that connects ranchers with jobs, and one that helps families find birthday party venues. On today’s show, Askew explains the ups and downs of his businesses during Covid-19.

Also: .Com milestone, Voice.com negotiation details, Ritual.com, crazy UDRPs and more

Sponsor: Donuts

When Sex .com was stolen in the 90s, it was most likely the most valuable domain name in the world. And it wasn’t just a routine domain theft like what occurs today. What transpired involved a lifelong conman, an early internet entrepreneur, hidden cash, prison, fleeing to Mexico, drug-fueled parties, and millions of dollars in legal expenses. On today’s show, reporter Kieren McCarthy, who wrote a book about the theft, digs into the story.

Also: CentralNic doubles down, .Org appeal process, premium sales, ad networks and more.

Sponsor: Dan.com

Rand Fishkin is an SEO expert who founded Moz. On today’s show, Rand discusses the relative importance of domain names when it comes to SEO over the past couple of decades. Rand also recounts his company’s purchase of the Moz.com domain. Rand’s latest startup is SparkToro.

Also: NamesCon, CEO change at Sedo, Sleep.com, and more.

Sponsor: Donuts

This week, we check in with Dynadot founder Todd Han. He talks about Dynadot’s new sales system, some updates on the company’s expired domain auction platform, and what’s going on in the worldwide market for domains in the face of Covid-19.

Also: Verisign’s surprise proposal, .camfusion, and reverse domain name hijacking

Sponsor: Dan.com

It’s episode #300! Whether you recently discovered the Domain Name Wire Podcast or have listened since 2014, thanks for being part of this journey. On today’s show, we’re going to listent to excerpts from some of my favorite shows. You’ll hear from the creator of the DNS, the bassist for Megadeth, and several more entertaining (and educational) guests. Enjoy!

My guest this week was the very first guest on the Domain Name Wire podcast back in 2014. Ray King runs two domain name companies: Top Level Design and Porkbun. Today, Ray talks about .gay, the new top level domain that his company is launching in general availability next month. He also discusses developments at domain name registrar Porkbun. Some of these are great for domainers: for sale landing pages and Afternic Fast Transfer integration. You’ll love this week’s show.

Also: Calculator.com and Edibles.com lawsuits, Squadhelp improvements, XYZ auction win

Sponsor: Dan.com

There are many paths to growing a business, but domain name registrar Gandi has taken an unusual one: 100% of its business is from word-of-mouth. The registrar has grown to over 40 million euros in annual revenue without spending a dime on advertising. On today’s show, Gandi CEO Stephan Ramoin talks about how the company’s tagline No B.S. (and they actually write it out!) has defined its approach to business and what the future may hold.

Also: Domain thief on the loose, GoDaddy and Wix hit customer milestones, PayPal’s domain protection.

Sponsor: Donuts

The Domain Name Association recently merged with i2Coalition, so this week I interview i2Coalition Executive Director Christian Dawson to learn more about the organization. It’s one of the few organizations to educate people about the importance of internet infrastructure...including people in Washington.

Also:Earnings season, Escrow.com’s changing business, and a battle over Calculator.com.

Sponsor: Donuts

On this week’s show, I take a look back at what a wild year 2020 has been. So much has changed since we got together at NamesCon in January. I also talk about customer service and trust in the domain business. Finally, I review the top sales of the year to date.

I also cover the past week’s top news items including a .com price freeze (followed by an increase), domain sales reports, and more.

Sponsor: DAN.com