Google finally helped fresh TLDs, but let’s not make it bigger than it really is

.App helped, but making a big deal out of a throwaway line in Google’s marketing doesn’t.

When ICANN revealed the list of applications for fresh top level domain names in 2012, it seemed that Google and Amazon would help drive the market for fresh domain names.

Google applied for over 100 domain names and Amazon applied for 76. Even though Amazon originally didn’t plan to open any of them up to the public, having two of the FANG firms make such as sizable investment was a good sign. These two firms have the power to change how the web is used.

Then it came time for the auctions, and these two firms lost a lot of the domains they applied for. Their interest seemed to fizzle.

They were slow to roll out the domains they did end up winning. (Google’s .Soy launch wasn’t exactly highly anticipated, following all.) Amazon took a curious approach to distributing its domains that made it difficult to register them.

The prior week’s rollout of .App was a sign of “what could have been.” Google can make buzz and that’s exactly what it did.

This will bring much-needed attention to fresh TLDs, but let’s not take it too far. For example, let’s not misconstrue a basic marketing statement from Google to bring up the whole search engine debate again.

I was disheartened to see this post.

Google must feel like a politician with its choice of words carefully examined…and subsequently taken out of context.

If any other registry put out a throwaway marketing line like “Now, with a unique domain, it’ll be easier for people to find your app,” we’d all shrug. It’s a common refrain for fresh TLDs.

Suggesting that this might be Google’s way of admitting that top level domains impact search rankings is grasping at straws. On the contrary, Google has repeatedly stated that your choice of TLD doesn’t impact your rankings.

It’s possible that a good fresh TLD will impact rankings. I believe that good search terms that span the dot can get a bit of a lift based on the anchor text people use to link to them, or a bit of exact match benefit.

But let’s not misconstrue a basic marketing message and make it something bigger than it really is. Let’s not think that Google is dropping a hint that flies in the face of all of its public statements. It just doesn’t make sense.