I'm off to Chicago Friday for this weekend's inaugural GeoPublishers.com Expo at the Fairmont Hotel. I told you more about that event last week and also had updates on the upcoming T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Ft. Lauderdale Beach conference on Monday and the early 2012 DOMAINfest Global conference in Santa Monica yesterday. 

There is another well established conference coming up on the other side of the pond next month. That is the 5th edition of Europe's popular Meet Domainers show that will be held at the Polonia Palace Hotel in Warsaw, Poland on Friday, October 14, 2011. 

Organizers have put together sessions dedicated to the European domain business including market trends in the host country, Poland, and the latest report from NASK, the administrator of Poland's .pl ccTLD. There will also be sessions devoted to startups and alternative investing including presentations on how to invest in wine, green energy or real estate. 

Another highlight is expected to be a three-hour workshop on How to Negotiate Domain Sales conducted by Ewa Kastory from Grupa Training & Consulting. The conference agenda will close with a live domain auction. 45 domain names (primarily in the .pl extension) will be put up for bid by  professional auctioneer Piotr Lengiewicz. Aftermarket.pl will serve as the auction's technical and escrow partner. The catalog includes Hotels.pl, Ibiza.pl and Ogrodnictwo.pl (gardening), to name just a few, and most of the domains have no reserves with bids starting at 1 PLN. Online bidding will be offered for those who register for the sale by October 12th.  

Friday (Sept. 30) is the last day to get the early registration rate of €153.75. The cost goes up to €184.50 Saturday (Oct. 1). We may have an even better deal for you. If you are a foreign domainer (you live outside Poland) and have never been to a MeetDomainers conference, organizers will give the first five of our readers who write to [email protected] free admission for the event. 

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That is a nice line up of varied night life for the show - one that will give the event a fresh feel for the New Year. The conference itself will again be held at the oceanfront Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica (a fairly short cab ride from the L.A. International Airport) If you are thinking about going you can save some money by registering by Friday (Sept. 30). That is the last day to get the $995 early bird rate (the fee goes up to $1,195 Saturday). You can see the show's full preliminary agenda here.

I will or course be covering DOMAINfest Global again (last year's show review is here) and hope to see you there.

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Scott Cleland
Author of Search & Destroy: 
Why You Can't Trust Google Inc.

With the 2011 T.R.A.F.F.I.C. conference now less than three weeks away (the show runs October 16-19 at the Ritz Carlton on Fort Lauderdale Beach with pre-show cabana networking open Oct. 14-15), organizers Rick Schwartz and Howard Neu have been issuing a steady stream of updates and additions to the agenda. Today they announced that author Scott Cleland, known by many as "the world's leading Google critic" will be a featured speaker at the conference.

In addition to being a contributing writer to Forbes Magazine, Cleland authored the book Search & Destroy: Why You Can't Trust Google Inc. Cleland, who also publishes GoogleMonitor.com and Googleopoly.net, has testified about Google before Congress three times. Cleland, a former investment analyst, was also the first analyst invited to testify before Congress about the missed warning signs of Enron's fraud and bankruptcy. 

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Geodomain investor/developers will be gathering in Chicago late next week for the first ever GeoPublishers.com Expo. The event at the Fairmont Hotel will run from Friday evening, Sept. 30 through Sunday, October 2 with most of the key players in the geo space on hand, including the Castello Brothers who will speak during lunch on the first full day of business, Saturday, Oct. 1.

I will also be in Chicago for the show, both to cover it for our 

readers and to serve as a guest speaker. Immediately after GeoPublishers President Fred Mercaldo delivers his welcoming comments Saturday morning (Oct. 1) at 9am, I'll take the stage to talk about Leadership in Local Media and how geodomains are a disruptive and driving force in that arena. 

I just got a copy of the Expo's final agenda today (subject to minor last minute changes of course) from GeoPublishers Executive Director Andrew Martin. Here's what is in store at the year's biggest geodomain event:

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DN Journal's first ever Cover Story back in 2003 was about Igal Lichtman and his innovative new domain monetization service DomainSpa.com. Over the years Lichtman's domain empire has blossomed into TrafficMedia.com, a one stop web solutions shop that offers everything from domain registration, parking, appraisals, sales and development to hosting and brand protection. 

One of TrafficMedia's most impressive products is its Vortalizer website building product that generates remarkably beautiful (and fully customizable) sites complete with graphics, content (including video) and monetization options in as little as a minute or two (you can see a sample site that he generated on the fly for me in less than two minutes here. Also, here is a page with examples from a variety of different business categories).

This morning Igal took took me through a demo of Vortalizer (currently available to TrafficMedia clients whose portfolios generate at least $100 in monthly revenue) and it was jaw dropping. Not only does the platform produce a great looking website, it also generates a matching mobile site and Facebook company page! We are no longer talking about simple mini-sites here. It is a fully realized comprehensive small business solution.

It turns out I'm not the only one who has been impressed by the system. TrafficMedia 

Igal Lichtman
TrafficMedia.com  

has just signed a Vortalizer based deal with Amdocs (NYSE: DOX), a $5 billion Wall Street company that had nearly $3 billion in revenue in 2010 alone and closed the year with $1.2 billion in cash on hand. 

Amdocs is a major global player in the Yellow Pages field and they are using Vortalizer to produce websites, mobile sites and Facebook pages for their thousands of small business customers. By licensing Vortalizer to Amdocs, Lichtman expects to dramatically increase the number of real business sites developed on the Vortalizer platform. That, in turn, will produce a flow of traffic sufficient to attract major direct advertisers giving TrafficMedia and its clients its own source of ad revenue, independent of upstream providers like Yahoo (a long sought solution for those who feel they are getting shortchanged in a world with few other viable options).

I will be giving you a much more detailed look at the Vortalizer platform that Igal, Eran Shatzman, Gal Moran and their TrafficMedia team have built over the past two years in a major upcoming article. Between Vortalizer and some other groundbreaking technology that Igal showed me today (and solutions that others are also working on), I am optimistic that a new era is dawning in which we will all be able to build attractive, full-featured websites almost instantaneously. With those sites providing a solid foundation and framework for further development, how far you want to take them will be limited only by your imagination. 

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An important election gets underway in Canada this week. Voting that will select four new members to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) - the body that administers Canada's official country code TLD, .CA - gets underway at 12 noon (Eastern time) on Wednesday (Sept. 21, 2011) and will conclude at the same time one week later (Wednesday, Sept. 28).

CIRA members will elect three new members from a Final Nomination Committe Slate and one new member from a Final Members Slate, with each new board member to serve a 3-year term.  You can see the finalists on each slate here. 

These finalists were culled from an original group of 221 applicants. Only 9 candidates made it to the Final Members Slate and one of those is a well-known and highly respected figure in the domain industry, Frank Michlick. You can read Frank's Nominee Statement here, detailing why he wants to serve on the CIRA board. 

Frank has an impressive resume that includes 5 1/2 years as a Senior Sales Engineer with popular Canadian Domain Registrar Tucows/OpenSRS. In 2007 he started DomainCocoon, a consulting business for Domain Investors, Registries, Registrars, Hosting companies and Resellers. He is also one of the managing editors at DomainNameNews.com.

Frank noted that he came to Canada as a 

Frank Michlick - one of 9 finalists 
on the Final Member's Slate vying for 
a seat on the CIRA Board of Directors.

German national in 2000 to devote his career to Canada’s Internet. "I am exemplary of this country's diverse cultural backgrounds and consider myself a true Canadian, having lived in Ottawa, Toronto and now Montreal with my wife and son," Michlick said. 

Frank added, "I will work to ensure that members and stakeholders in the .CA registry are better represented at the registry. My background and network within the domain industry will help me to achieve this goal."

I've always thought .CA was an excellent extension and its importance continues to grow as Internet users seek out local sources of goods, services and information. That in turn makes having  exceptionally well qualified people overseeing registry operations of utmost importance. Having known Frank for several years I know he would be an excellent addition to the CIRA board. 

Only one person can be elected from the nine well qualified candidates on the Member's Slate and it's bound to be a tight race, so CIRA members who want to support Frank or any of the other candidates need to make sure they cast their ballot - one vote could end up making the difference in this election. 

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The one constant you can always count on in the domain industry is change. We've certainly seen a lot of it this summer with the decline of some companies, the birth of new ones, management changes and mergers at others, etc. After the departure of several key 

executives, including President Jeff Kupietzky a couple of weeks ago, Oversee.net announced a 13% reduction in staff today. Oversee is the parent of some of the industry's best known brands including DomainSponsor, Moniker, SnapNames and the DOMAINfest Global conference. 

The official comment released by the company indicated that some new hiring would also be part of the workforce realignment. The statement  said, "As part of its plan to address new growth opportunities, Oversee.net has realigned its work force resulting in a staff reduction of 13 percent. These moves, along with pending new hires, will allow the company to leverage core assets to innovate more effectively, improve competitive positioning and achieve growth."

The company's announcement said, "This merger combines the best features from each of the platforms, further strengthens our position in the domain parking market. The move brings with it a gamut of advantages and possibilities – the combination of DomainAdvertising.com’s graphic-rich, topical templates and BigJumbo.com’s superior keyword optimization technology, more resources on the account management and optimization front, greater industry insights and access to more intelligence– just to name a few."

DomainAdvertising also had a major management change recently. Former President Dan Warner quietly left the company earlier this summer after serving in that position since November 2009. The company's management team is now being led by DomainAdvertising Founder & CEO Divyank Turakhia (who is also the co-founder of Direct i, along with his brother Bhavin) and Sr. VP for Business Development Andrew Allemann (who is also well-known as the founder of DomainNameWire.com).

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Several dozen domain investors and industry executives helped raise funds for one of their favorite charities, The Water School, by undertaking a major challenge - climbing Africa's majestic Mount Kilimanjaro in 2010 and again in 2011.  Nearly all successfully reached the 19,340-foot summit and many said the adventure (which included a visit to life saving Water School projects in the area) changed their lives for the better. 

If the possibility of participating intrigued you but you missed out the past two years, you are going to get another opportunity in 2012. The Water School just announced that Water Climb 2012 will be held March 25 - April 5, 2012. Registration has opened and will continue until December 1, 2011 when the window closes. The limited number of positions are being offered on a first come first served basis.

The event combines adventure travel with an authentic cultural experience. Past climbers have returned with treasured memories, incredible stories and the knowledge that they are part of something that both changes and saves lives.

Mount Kilimanjaro

The adventure begins March 25, 2012 when participants will arrive in Nairobi.  On the 26th and 27th they will tour Water School projects there and see how the organization's simple, cost effective water cleansing system is helping eradicate water borne diseases. On the 28th they will arrive at the Kili base camp hotel with the 6-day climb beginning March 29th and concluding April 4th. On the 5th, the climbers will head home of go off on an optional safari at the famous Masai Mara Game Reserve (the safari will be arranged at an additional cost for climbers wanting to extend their trip).

Fundraising targets will be set for each climber to work towards prior to the climb with tools and resources being provided to help reach those goals. Previous climbs have raised several hundred thousands dollars. When you consider that it takes just $50 to provide clean water for a family of six people for life, you can see how many people can be helped through the single annual event.

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I've just returned from the second annual DNCruise conference - the only domain conference held aboard a cruise ship - and this year's event (which ran Sept. 5-10, 2011) succeeded in topping last year's well received debut cruise.  I'm currently putting together a wire to wire recap that will give you an inside look at how the conference/cruise unfolded. That will be out before the end of the week, but in the meantime I wanted to share a few quick photos and highlights with those who have been waiting to hear how the voyage that was so well organized by Patrick Ruddell and his wife Zezura went. 

Our home away from home - the Carnival Inspiration - docked at Cozumel, Mexico 
during DN Cruise 2 Friday, September 9, 2011.

We left Tampa on the Carnival Inspiration last Monday (Sept. 5) and made our first stop Wednesday at Grand Cayman where legendary domain investor Frank Schilling (who lives on the island) met attendees and hosted an unforgettable day in paradise. After we were ferried ashore Wednesday morning, buses took us to a local yacht club where attendees boarded two speedy excursion boats for the next leg of the adventure. 

First stop was a sand bar where everyone entered the crystal clear water under dazzling blue skies to enjoy something that for me was not just a conference highlight, but a lifetime highlight - playing in the water with huge stingrays that were as gentle as kittens. The graceful sea creatures would rub against your legs, massage your back, allow themselves to be picked up and even offer kisses! It was an amazing thing.

DNCruise attendees swimming with Grand Cayman's friendly stingrays!

We then moved on to a second stop for snorkeling on a wildlife laden reef - then it was on to Rum Point for lunch and an informative and inspirational talk from Frank Schilling that held everyone in thrall. 

Above and below: Frank Schilling talking to DNCruise guests 
during an outdoor luncheon at Rum Point on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. 

After lunch we made the return trip to the Inspration and by late afternoon were steaming off toward our second destination, Cozumel, Mexico. We arrived there Thursday morning (Sept. 8) and attendees went off on a variety of different adventures. 

Diana and I started the day with a small group helmed by PPX Chairman Gregg McNair (wherever Gregg goes a good time follows and this was no exception). We wound up in a cantina across the harbor from where the Inspiration was docked where the proprietor offered up a unique "breakfast"  composed primarily of margaritas and tequila shooters. When I inquired about healthier alternatives something apparently got lost in translation as the proprietor's idea of accommodating my request was to bring me a glass filled with three times more liquid than those of my companions. My recollection of what happened over the next few hours is a bit foggy but the takeaway for me was to refrain from being too vocal on any future visits to such establishments!

"Breakfast" in Cozumel (left to right) Chris Waters, Jodi Chamberlain, Gregg McNair, 
Ardean Christian, Brett Lewis, Michael Gilliam (face obscured - he's obviously the smart one
in the group!), Ron Jackson (holding the Big Gulp glass) & Diana Jackson - Fri., Sept. 9, 2011

The return to Tampa took all day Friday and the day at sea was put to good use with a full slate of sessions about development and an excellent keynote address from former Oprah! TV producer  David Sams that closed the business program (Tuesday was also a day at sea that also offered a variety interesting sessions). Add in time sunning on the deck, the lively group dinners each evening, game nights, parties (hosted by Mr. McNair of course) and, best of all, networking with a great group of people (more on them in our upcoming review article), and the crowd pleasing  cruise was a winner on very level. 

The diverse group of attendees included industry veterans and newcomers alike. 
Above lead gen whiz Braden Pollock of Legal Brand Marketing gets some love from 
his fiancee, best selling author and TV personality Lisa Bloom (left) and Diana Jackson.

Patrick and Zezura put a ton of work into making it all happen and, coupled with the generosity of a large slate of sponsors, guests were treated to one of the most remarkable bargains in the conference business. 

Gregg McNair (left) greeted by DNCruise organizers Zezura and Patrick Ruddell when he 
arrived for the opening night cocktail party Monday, Sept. 5 aboard the Carnival Inspiration.

I'll have much more on DN Cruise 2 in our upcoming review, in the meantime it's not too early to start thinking about DNCruise 3 in 2012. I know a lot of this year's attendees are already planning to be onboard. 

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This will be my only Lowdown post this week as I will be away, joining dozens of other domain investor/developers onboard a Carnival cruise ship  for the 2011 DNCruise conference. I learned on last year's cruise that even though Carnival sells Internet service onboard, that service falls into one of two categories, poor or non-existent (and it's usually the latter!), so I am expecting to be disconnected from the web until the boat returns to its home port (which also happens to be our hometown) - Tampa, Florida on Saturday morning (Sept. 10).

For many DNCruise attendees, who spend just about every waking minute on the web, a break from the  internet and (and phones) is one of the things they like best about the only domain conference held on a cruise ship. There is a lot to like about this unique event and I'm very much looking forward to it and the new itinerary for 

2011. The ship leaves Tampa this afternoon (Monday, Sept. 5 - which is also one of America's biggest holidays - Labor Day) en route to the first stop - Grand Cayman where we will arrive Wednesday morning. 

Attendees are eagerly awaiting that stop because legendary domain investor Frank Schilling, who lives on Grand Cayman, will be welcoming attendees and giving a talk that day at lunch. From Grand Cayman the ship will proceed to Cozumel, Mexico where it will dock all day on Thursday. Friday will be a day at sea filled with domain sessions and seminars - just as Tuesday's day at sea will be (I'll be interviewed by Morgan Linton in a Q&A session that will close Tuesday's business schedule). As always, I will have a full review of the conference for you (and hopefully a better tan for me!) after we return.

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When I reported yesterday that Verisign's latest Domain Name Industry Brief showed total global domain  registrations jumped by almost 9% over the past year (far out-stripping the anemic growth rate of the general economy) I noted that showed that our readers were "in the right line of work."

We got further evidence of that this week when local media experts BIA/Kelsey issued a forecast that predicted small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) will spend the vast majority of their marketing budgets on digital advertising, performance-based platforms and customer retention business solutions by 2015.  

The forecast said by that year the amount of money that SMBs will allocate to traditional advertising will plunge from 52% in 2010 to just 30% in 2015. The 70% lion's share will go to digital/online media (mobile, social, online directories, online display, digital outdoor), performance-based commerce (pay-per-click, deals, couponing) and customer retention business solutions (email, reputation and presence management, websites, social marketing, calendaring/appointment-setting).

As one example of this trend, BIA/Kelsey President Neal Polachek noted, "With the advent of daily deals to drive customer acquisition, SMBs are now increasingly focused on leveraging technological solutions to engage, grow and retain a higher percentage of their customers. As this trend accelerates, these SMBs will turn to outside providers - media companies as well as pure-play technology providers - to harness simple tools, which will enable them to maximize the long-term value of each new customer they acquire." Despite the current economic malaise, there are going to be a lot of opportunities online over the next few years that can continue to keep you ahead of the pack.

(Posted Sept. 2, 2011)

Verisign (who operates the .com and .net registries) has released latest quarterly Domain Name Industry Brief, a report that is always loaded with interesting information about globaldomain registrations and trends. The new report covers the second quarter of 2011 which closed with more than 215 million domains registered worldwide. That is an increase of 5.2 million from the number registered at the close of the previous quarter. It is a 2.5% quarter over quarter rise and a very healthy 8.6% jump over the same quarter a year ago (16.9 milliion domains have been added globally since the close of 2Q-2010). 

Obviously that is a much faster growth rate

than the general economy, another indicator that most of you reading this are in the right line of work. The ten most popular TLDs (in terms of total registrations) include four gTLDs and six ccTLDs:

The only change in the order was .CN (China) moving up one slot to become the world's eighth largest TLD, and .EU (European Union) dropping one slot to become ninth largest. 

Taken together, .Com and .Net added 8.1 million registrations to finish 2Q-2011 with 110 million. That is 8.3% better than last year and a 1.8% move up from the previous quarter. Country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) added a total of 2.9 million names in the second quarter. That is an 8.4% rise from one year ago and a 3.6% jump from the previous quarter.  

The latest issue of the Domain Name Industry Brief also contains an update on ICANN's controversial  plan to roll out an unlimited number of new gTLDs. The Brief discusses what that means for potential applicants, brand owners, domain name registrants and ordinary Internet users worldwide.

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