December 15, 2006

Google Starts Selling Domains For $10 Per Year

Steve Poland

52 comments »

Google has entered the domain business with partners GoDaddy and eNom. An already crowded industry, Google has begun allowing people to register ‘.com’, ‘.net’, ‘.biz’, and ‘.info’ Web site addresses. Web sites that register their domains directly with Google for $10/year will automatically be setup to use Google Apps for Your Domain, which includes Google’s Page Creator (for easily making a Web site), Calendar, Email, and IM.

With this move, look for Google to tap more into the domain parking business using their Google AdSense for Domains product a bit more. I’d also imagine their Blogger product will integrate this announcement and allow you to easily setup a blog with your own domain for $10/year.

Editor’s Note: This post was written by Steve Poland, a guest contributor. Steve is the founder and web strategy consultant for Vested Ventures, a firm specializing in website consulting, internet marketing, and high-end custom web development.

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Comments

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DavidEzra

December 15th, 2006 at 10:10 am

Cool, and at $10, quite reasonable … especially considering the extra “goodies” that they will be offering.

Although still in “Alpha,” I offer “Personalized” “.com” domains for FREE at MobileOX.com (http://www.MobileOX.com). Although not a direct substitute for what Google is doing, I feel that my offerings have many advantages for a number of people … especially since it is free
FairNSqaure

December 15th, 2006 at 10:17 am

Microsoft’s Windows Live Custom Domains launched a similar feature last week, along with other features. They have three registrars (MIT, register.com, buydomains.com) in the sign-up flow for those looking to get a new domain. Can be seen at domains.live.com
Vik

December 15th, 2006 at 10:34 am

Dear Google:

As one of your valued stockholders, I would like to suggest that you focus on your search technology and quit trying to do anything & everything. Google, I purchase my .com domains from Godaddy for $8.95/yr. and I will not pay $10/yr. just for your sub-marginal website building tools. Please, do us all a favor and just focus on your roots.

Very truly yours,
Vik

P.S. Good job on hiring Marissa Mayer.
Vik

December 15th, 2006 at 10:42 am

#1- Thanks for your useless comment, you douchebag!
Paula Mooney

December 15th, 2006 at 10:52 am

Does Google allow users to open up the source HTML code to build their websites? Or does is disallow this, like Microsoft Office’s free website building technology?

Thanks,
http://paulamooney.blogspot.com/
Brandon

December 15th, 2006 at 10:53 am

Vik, $10 for a domain WITH private registration is not a bad deal. Private registration at GoDaddy is $4.99, bringing the total for a privately reg’d domain to $15.00.

Nonetheless, I’ll never use Google to purchase my domains only because I have so many with GoDaddy.
Brandon

December 15th, 2006 at 11:07 am

*Note, price is after ICANN fees etc. Still doesnt beat a Google price even with a discount code.
Fashion Industry Ceo

December 15th, 2006 at 11:15 am

i use godaddy for all my sites and love it…don’t plan on changing.
Lenny

December 15th, 2006 at 11:28 am

What is Google trying to do? I think they know the search engine business is not all they can do for ever, so they are falling in Y!-like trap. More and more services to keep themselves interesting; cost: A LOT of overhead! and operational cost I might add…
Randy Edmonds

December 15th, 2006 at 11:29 am

Dear #3,

You are a cheap bastard. An extra $2.95 and you get Gmail for Domains automatically setup (not to mention Calander, Pages, etc). How do you not think that is worth $3?

Truly,
Randy
Alaska Miller

December 15th, 2006 at 11:30 am

1and1.com has private domain registration for $5.99 and they’ve been rock solid for the past 3 years I’ve use them.

GoDaddy’s domain service sucks and now I’m torn between paying 10 bucks for a GoDaddy domain but I would love to get GMail for my domain.
Maureen Green

December 15th, 2006 at 11:53 am

That is a pretty good deal, but I have a code that will let you get a domain name even cheaper than that! At godaddy.com, enter the godaddy promo code ZINE3 at checkout and you can get a .com domain name for just $6.95. It also works for RENEWALS of your existing domain names. Happy Holidays everyone!
Will Dashwood

December 15th, 2006 at 12:02 pm

Alaska, you can still get Google Apps for Your Domain whoever you register your domain with. Just set the MX records as instructed by Google, unless they’ve stopped the free sign ups?
Vik

December 15th, 2006 at 12:09 pm

Dear #10:

$2.95 will buy me a cup of coffee. I need my coffee. I must have coffee!!!

Vik
Patricia

December 15th, 2006 at 12:23 pm

D’oh! let’s hope they improve GoDaddy’s templates and workability. I love the site because you can redirect easily but the tech side of it is one of the harder ones I’ve worked with.
Ed

December 15th, 2006 at 12:26 pm

Over the past several months, I’ve been moving my domains from Godaddy to Namecheap.com . About $8 per domain (find a coupon online), with private reg, much better interface, great service. I have no affiliation with them except as a very satisfied customer.

I’m not the only one. Check out registrar reviews at http://www.namepros.com/registerindex.php .
Shii

December 15th, 2006 at 1:07 pm

GoDaddy is an awful domain host. If they get complaints about your domain they will shut it down, and then you will be in tech support hell.
lisa

December 15th, 2006 at 1:20 pm

No comments on extended use of “Google AdSense for Domains”?? Parked domains means AdSense revenue without offering any valuable content to end-users. PARKED DOMAINS WITH ADS ARE EVIL!!!!!!!!!!! do no evil? ha ha ha.
Joshua Prowse

December 15th, 2006 at 2:13 pm

I think this is smart because it makes it clear exactly how easy it is to sign up for Google Apps for Your Domain. It was always a bit more nebulous to me before this announcement.
David Mackey

December 15th, 2006 at 2:17 pm

Mmm…Doesn’t seem that interesting as Yahoo! already offers the domains for $1.95/yr.
Isabel Wang

December 15th, 2006 at 2:32 pm

David (#20) - Yahoo seems to offer a choice between $9.95 domain - or free domain with paid hosting. It’s not clear whether the price includes private registration.

And Vik (#3) - GoDaddy’s total price is actually $9.20 with ICANN fee. And as Brandon (#6) points out, this doesn’t include private registration.
k0re

December 15th, 2006 at 3:06 pm

I don’t know about this. GoDaddy has a seriously bad reputation. As much as I’d like to register a domain with Google, if they’re going through GoDaddy to do this, I don’t think I’m going to.

I’m about to buy a domain, and I think I’m going to go with Namecheap. I’ve never heard a bad thing about them, and their prices are very reasonable.
xxdesmus

December 15th, 2006 at 3:23 pm

$10 per year is not cheap.

I currently pay $6 at 1and1.com
Annie Luc

December 15th, 2006 at 3:32 pm

Interesting..look what Google decided to take over today.

Annie
shortshire

December 15th, 2006 at 3:33 pm

10 dollars!, I get my sites from godaddy for cheaper. The only thing that interests me for the ten dollars is the private domain name registration that comes with it. Even then, I don’t think I would by a website from google.
Paul

December 15th, 2006 at 3:36 pm

NameCheap offers domains at $8 with a coupon ($8.88 without). This includes free private registration, and they have a bunch of extra features. Still, I would be tempted to spend an extra $2 to go through Google if it meant that the email would work “out of the box”.
cvos

December 15th, 2006 at 4:04 pm

Google does nothing lightly, and only enters new markets after considerable research. Several of their ventures have not caught on (answers, orkut, froogle) but there is much more to this.

I wouldnt doubt Ghosting.com is coming down the pike.
Santosh

December 15th, 2006 at 4:12 pm

Very useful for me, I no longer need an OpenOffice installation in my computer or no longer need to buy license for MS office, no longer need to keep all my document static in one computer.
Though I used to buy domain at lesser price but additional services from Google at $10 makes it easier for small business. Way to go Google, make web my life and PC my typing machine
Tom Gleeson

December 15th, 2006 at 4:22 pm

Do not host your site on Google Apps; as the non removable robots.txt assigned by Google stops all search crawlers (including Google) from indexing your site. What’s the point of having a web site if nobody can fine it !!

Tom
The Web Conferencing Blog

December 15th, 2006 at 4:26 pm

$10 seems pretty reasonable. Considering that most other domain site charge $5.99 per year but are no-name companies, $10 from Google and the additional value-adds works.
SurvivalShows

December 15th, 2006 at 4:40 pm

I think $10 is pretty high from *google*… the private registraton is awesome though… and I also think the interface has a LOT to do with it. Paying $6.95 from eNom with AWESOME interface and TONS more options I think i’ll stick with them.
Ross

December 15th, 2006 at 5:35 pm

Why use google when there are tons of better registrars out there:

http://www.moniker.com
http://www.dynadot.com
http://www.namecheap.com
Jon Zencovich

December 15th, 2006 at 5:42 pm

Absolutely amazing…. Everyday Google grows a bit bigger. The price is not bad, and as long as it’s not GoDaddy….

My next domain name may in fact be through Google….

–Jon Z | http://www.jzencovich.com
SZ

December 15th, 2006 at 7:06 pm

I think what really cool is the Gmail features bundled with the domain. Many low cost domain and hosting services can’t really offer a free mail service with good quality.
I’ll definitely register all my domains with Googles in the future.
Shahab

December 15th, 2006 at 7:44 pm

Hmm.. A bundled product looks good.

PS: I think you should now register TechCrunching dot com before some cybersquatter does so.
Jorge

December 15th, 2006 at 10:38 pm

Wow. All that talk about not doing evil is clearly a load of sh**.

Why else would Google partner up with the two worst registrars in the business?

Almost 90% of the spam I receive can be tracked to domains registered at eNom. GoDaddy f***s with their customers on a consistent basis.

I guess I really can’t say that I’m suprised.
Pramit Singh

December 15th, 2006 at 11:46 pm

Google is a one-trick pony. Techcrunch is covering this news bacause server space is cheap. It is a sign of times that selling domain names becomes front page news.
cpr

December 16th, 2006 at 6:17 pm

Alaska, that’s the first good reponse I’ve heard about 1and1, i’ve used them for hosting in the past and they are the worst host i’ve ever used. Don’t even ask about when I attempted to push a domain name to another user :).

Don’t think we’ll see many Webmasters using Google, probably become popular with the general public though purely due to Google’s image. Wouldn’t consider it expensive but I’d much rather use Namecheap due to it including a free whois opt out, using the coupon ‘YAFFASPECIAL’ allows you to register names for $7.98.
AXEO

December 17th, 2006 at 9:35 pm

We get converts from 1and1, godaddy, “free”, and “under 10 bucks” constantly. Cheap is never worth it (especially when it comes to Internet services), and there are always surprise charges and small print.
carl0ski

December 18th, 2006 at 7:20 pm

I’m a little disturbed by some of this

VIK you claim to own shares in google
buying a competing product does not assist in keeping your google stocks retaining value.

Google as far as i’m concerned is offering an alternative to help alleviate the extra work of registering a domain separately
microsoft live also offers a bundled domain and app package.

It also helps those that are not knowledgeable, and uncertainties of these unknown small companies.