Yes you heard it right! Google is now becoming a Domain Registrar and no doubt it would be one of the popular Domain Registrar on the web. The search giant announced Monday it is testing a custom domain registration service called "Google Domains". Google said it decided to launch the service, which is still in an invite-only beta mode, after learning that 55 percent of small businesses did not have a website. You can visit landing page for the service here and know about it's features here.
In its announcement, Google goes out of its way to emphasize the beta nature of Google Domains:-
If you are hurried to get a Google domain, you can try to get an invitation to their beta while we can only imagine that they'll make it easier and maybe even cheaper to deal with domains.
In its announcement, Google goes out of its way to emphasize the beta nature of Google Domains:-
The service is invite-only for now, but it looks like it will provide a bunch of features typically found on registrars such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc. The newly launched Google Domains will be allowing customers to buy and transfer domains. The cost is quite fair, just $12 a year. That offers the domain (plus up to 100 subdomains), up to 100 email addresses, and privacy protection. GoDaddy is about the same price, but they charge a few bucks ($5 to $8) more for email and privacy.Google Domains isn�t fully-featured yet, but we're giving a small group of people the ability to buy and transfer domains through it and send feedback on their experience. (You currently need an invitation code to do so, sorry!) We want input on all the ways we can help make finding, buying, transferring and managing a domain a simple and transparent experience. We also want to make sure our customer support and infrastructure works flawlessly, and that we have the right additional services (like mobile website creation tools and hosting services from a range of providers, as well as domain management support). We�re working with some of the top website building providers like +Shopify, +Squarespace, +Weebly, and +Wix.com to help make that happen.
If you are hurried to get a Google domain, you can try to get an invitation to their beta while we can only imagine that they'll make it easier and maybe even cheaper to deal with domains.
How To Get An Entry To Google Domains?
- Go to Google Domains
- Click the "Manage my domains" button at the top-right
- Log in
- Then hit the"Request an invite" button
- Enter your Email address and answer the question
- Finally Submit it.
Google isn't making any promises on how many people they'll let in, but it'll at least get your foot on the door.
Why You Should Buy Custom Domain?
Usually Blogger provides free sub-domain like domain.blogspot.com and merely a custom domain looks like domain.com...Read More
Google Domains proudly talks about free private registrations, 10 million resolutions per year on Google's DNS servers, branded email that forwards to an existing mail account. Google says it will support a variety of different generic top level domains (gTLD) including offerings such as .photography and .guru that are rolling out over the next few months but it should at least include .com, .net and .edu. Google will also offer easy access to additional site building services from Squarespace, Shopify, Wix and Weebly for an additional fee for users that want an all-in-one approach to building out a website. Google won't provide the actual site hosting. Partners such as Wix, Weebly, Shopify, and Squarespace will provide hosting and website building services to registrants, the company said. Of course Blogger won't probably be left behind along with the beginning of this service.
Below are some of the features of Google Domains:-
- Free private registration, allowing you to mask your name/address/etc. from Whois searches without having to pay a third-party service
- Free email forwarding from anything@yourcompany.com to your personal Gmail inbox
- Free domain forwarding
- Support for up to 100 sub-domains
- Offer easy access to additional site building services from Squarespace, Shopify, Wix and Weebly for an additional fee for users that want an all-in-one approach to building out a website.
- Plans to support all of the new domain endings that will roll out over the next few years (like .guru and .club)
Google's presence in this sector could prove groundbreaking, especially for leading domain registrar GoDaddy. While GoDaddy has 57 million domains under its management, controlling roughly 30 percent of the domain registrar market. The company revealed earlier this month that it had net losses of nearly $200 million of $1.13 billion in revenue in 2013. I might become a huge pain to other popular domain registrars.
Google is promising full phone support for Google Domain customers which I guess to be one of the best thing about Google Domain since many bloggers are tired up with lacking support on Google Adsnese. You know how many people are going to try to call that number for help, and won't reply take time! Because it's a lot. Ok leave it to manage for Google, let's hope there will be fast customer service.
Google has been an ICANN registrar for a while, but they have never sold domains before. It will also be interesting to see if Google attempts to create their own gTLD. It feels a little monopolistic of Google, one of the world's largest internet companies, to try and take control of even more of the internet. Even though its innovative and helpful to small business. That said, just because Google's trying to take control, doesn't mean they will. Google Domains sounds like a good idea. Let's just hope Google goes as on.
Final Words
Let's hope that Google Domains will be able to bring lot more features and build up consumers in a very time. Keep Blogging, Happy Blogging! Peace, Blessings and Happiness :)