If you’ve spent any time in domains the last few years you might have noticed something…
What you know stays true. The fundamentals don’t change.
Short dot coms. Keyword clean names. Strong brands. These are, and always have been important.
The basics at the core of successful domain investing haven’t changed. And likely never will.
What is changing?
New extensions are getting traction. New forms of digital ownership are emerging. And how companies approach names is evolving.
Not replacing. Broadening.
Okay let me clarify before we go any further.
When I say the future of domain names is broadening. I mean that in a good way.
Why?
Because the opportunities don’t get limited to the same old names that worked decades ago.
New options keep emerging.
Let’s dig into a few to understand why.
Ai Domains Are Here To Stay (And Feel Different)
Notice how many .ai names you see popping up these days?
That wasn’t happening a few years ago.
Why now?
Because AI is being used to power more products than ever.
It’s not a buzz word or backend tool being used by tech companies.
Businesses of all kinds are leveraging AI in their tools, platforms, services. You name it.
And when you own a business or build a product, naming becomes part of that journey.
Ai has seen a surge in popularity but also feels very connected to modern businesses.
Unlike say .tech or .online
VisionFlow.ai
DataBrain.ai
Instantly feel at home. Pointed towards a specific industry.
That’s the value of .ai right now. Connection.
This isn’t to say every AI company will use .ai.
Far from it.
But when used in the right situations. It has a natural feeling to it.
That’s because it should make sense.
Similar to when you see a great dot com. It just clicks.
Same is true for ai. When it works, it works.
Web3 & Blockchain Domains Are Different
This is where we enter into a little more
unknown territory.
Web3 brought about the concept of blockchain domains.
Domains that don’t exist inside our traditional DNS. But instead live on their own separate networks.
Got a bit dizzy reading that?
Don’t worry I did too when I first learned about them.
The premise is unique.
Own something that is:
• Direct
• Digital first
• Outside of the traditional system
Some examples can sound like:
• Owning @RandomPerson instead of randomperson.com
Pretty wild when you think about.
digital identitiesThese are .
Again, a lot to unpack here.
So for our purposes, let’s just discuss the lens of investing.
Is this a gold rush? Or a land grab?
Truth is we don’t know.
It’s early.
And while not everything here will be great. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay attention.
Which brings me to branding.
Companies Are More Open Branding Differently (Subtle vs Stated Change)
This isn’t a technology shift. But a mindset shift.
Companies are less hung up on if they can only get the .com version of their brand.
If they can’t get it, shrug. Let’s brand differently.
You’re starting to see more:
• Creative company names
• short.vowel words
• Alternative extensions
Point is there is more acceptance around brand names not being a .com. Which, if you own domains, creates opportunity.
More on that below.
Digital Real Estate Is Evolving
Digital real estate has been a popular term for a long time now.
But what has meant has started to change.
Used to mean: A digital property you own that is a domain name.
Now starts to include: Brand, digital presence, digital identity.
Shift is small. But important.
When buyers think about digital real estate. They’re not just thinking domain name. They’re thinking launch pad.
See Trends By Observing The World
This doesn’t require fancy tools. Just take note of a few simple things.
• New startups
• Product names
• Apps being released
• Industries gaining traction
Let’s say you spend 5 minutes scrolling some startup site or latest tech news. Look at the companies that catch your eye.
What do their names have in common?
Is there more .ai being used?
Are more companies opting for shortened vowel words?
Are brands more flexible with their naming?
Answers to these questions become insight.
Try this…
Take 5 minutes and jot down companies that launch in your area of interest.
What names do the companies have? What domains are they landing on? What patterns do you start to notice? What feels forced vs what feels natural?
Do this over time and you’ll start to build an eye for it. Which will help you make better decisions.
Finding balance between new and old
This new world of names can cause you to get pulled in two directions.
Go all in on the traditional stuff only.
Jump on every new opportunity you hear about.
The balance lies somewhere in the middle.
Hold your dot coms that have proven value.
Start noticing .ai names that feel natural and could have demand.
Observe what’s happening in web3 but don’t feel like you need to jump in now.
This allows you to not be knee jerk reactionary to every trend. But also not feel stuck in the old ways.
An Example Of Someone Learning To Adapt
This happened to a seasoned investor I know.
They built their entire portfolio around traditional domains.
Now not knocking any type of extension. Just pointing out that this person didn’t venture past .com.
When AI first started to take off. They noticed a lot of new startups within their niche weren’t .coms. They were .ai.
At first, their mind hesitated. But then they took their time and started branching out.
Not by buying crazy names. Just by slowly building an eye for ai names that would feel natural for these brands.
To their surprise. They soon started getting plenty of leads for these ai names.
Why?
Because while everyone was focused on the next new extension. These investors were quietly building a handful of names that would act as foundational pillar names for AI brands.
How many started to grab .xyz AI names? I’m sure many.
How many of those are getting sales?
My point with this story is growth comes from learning to adapt.
AI domains were new to everyone when they first became available.
But that didn’t mean you couldn’t understand the direction they were going. And use that to your advantage.
3 Mistakes Beginners Make When Looking To The Future
Trying to predict the future is pointless.
What you can do is understand where the landscape is heading.
Here are some mistakes I see beginners make when it comes to future-proofing their portfolio:
Waiting too long to buy into trends.
Not paying enough attention to what has always worked.
Over analyzing every decision.
Thinking success comes quick.
You never want to be “too early”.
Buy domains because they make sense for what you know today. And try to stay ahead of trends without chasing rumors.
How This Benefits You (More Opportunities)
More extensions being registered.
More variations of how companies will brand.
More ways to define your digital identity.
This isn’t diluting the market. It’s expanding it.
More startups are being created.
More ideas are turning into online businesses.
More demand will be created.
And where demand goes, buyers will follow.
TLDR; The Future Of Domain Names Isn’t Linear
There will be no secret path that reveals itself and defines domain investing tomorrow.
Ai domains will continue to grow.
Traditional domains will always be here.
Who knows what the next digital identity platform will be.
They will all continue to exist.
And you can be investing in all of them.
If you stay hungry, pay attention to the world around you, and keep building your portfolio with purpose. Something magical happens.
You stop trying to figure out where the market is going.
You position yourself in it.
