What a difference another week makes to the COVID-19 global crisis. The statistics coming through are nothing short of incredible as a massive upward trend rolls across domain traffic investment portfolios. So, what’s driving these numbers and is this tsunami sustainable?

Once again, I dive into the statistics that we have at ParkLogic to pull out some interesting highlights that reveal what is going on in the online world. I’m sure these numbers will be invaluable in helping you make decisions about your own business moving forward in these tumultuous times.

Sadly, more people are getting infected by COVID-19 and some nations are still acting as if it will just blow over and not touch them. The tragedy is that thousands of people are dying as a result of inaction.

Our prayers and thoughts are with everyone and their loved ones impacted by the Coronavirus. Don’t forget to wash your hands and practice social distancing to help flatten the curve so that the hospitals are not flooded, and everyone can have their medical needs met.

Are you a person of your word? In a world of contracts, non-disclosure agreements and other legal paraphernalia a person’s “word” appears to be a bit of an archaic concept. Why is it then that the fictional character of Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice is so revered?

Being a person of your word is ultimately at the heart of every relationship, whether it’s familiar members, friends or in business. When you say you will do something then you will do it…..but what happens when you can’t?
In this Saturday Musings I attempt to explore what it means to be a person of character where your word is your bond and how to overcome the problem of failing the “Mr Darcy” high bar.

One thing is for sure, the world could use more people that do what they say and say what they will do. I wonder what it would be like if you were a little more like Mr Darcy and the impact you would have on the people around you. I would encourage you to take some time-out this weekend to consider the challenges posed in this video.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel or the browser notifications on the website. Don’t be a stranger….or a lurker, feel free to share about your own experiences on this topic.

Have a great weekend!
Michael

As well as being a real threat to the health of many individuals the Coronavirus is spreading another contagion around the world. A financial fear that seems to be terrifying the markets. In this video I will look at four key charts that will help show how this is impacting traffic monetization revenues.

So far, it looks like users are coming online to work and businesses are trying to reach out to them with higher earnings per click rates. This is then being reflected in both the normalized and traditional RPMs. This is good news, but the end of the quarter is only a few days away and advertisers may vanish as business hunker down.

I plan on updating these charts over the coming weeks and releasing additional video content as the data comes in. Hopefully this will help you and your family plan for the future and mitigate some of the financial risk that may impact your domains. I would also like to pass on my best wishes and prayers to anyone that is physically, mentally or financially suffering as the result of Covid-19.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the videos or the push notifications on whizzbangsblog so you don’t miss out on articles as they are released.

While attending the recent NamesCon conference I was sitting in the bar late one night and I was asked a question that had nothing to do with business or domains. It was how I managed to stay married to the same woman for the last 32 years.

I was initially a little confused by the question as it was highly unexpected, but the friend opposite me was really seeking how they could make their own relationship richer. With a sense of humility, I began to share some of my own experiences and lessons from over the years.

I openly admit that I don’t have all the answers about how to make a perfect marriage, but I have learned a few things along the journey. Sure, like any relationships they’re have been some road bumps along the way but through it all we’ve managed to grow our love for each other and enjoy a little "slice of heaven on earth".

I would welcome hearing from readers/viewers of the video if it provokes you to reflect on what has worked for your own relationship with your significant other. No one hands out a manual on how to have a great marriage....so let's share so we can all learn. Also, don’t forget to like/subscribe to the video or sign-up to the alerts so you never miss out on another blog.

Every time I turn on the television or check online news feeds, I get a sense the world is gripped in a palatable fear of the Corona virus pandemic. The virus is almost the ultimate incarnation of fear. It’s something that you can’t see and yet has clearly devastated families and loved ones around the world.

An irrationality seems to have gripped many people as they clean out the supermarket shelves of toilet paper, tissues, face masks and tinned staple food. The fact that the Coronavirus does not cause a person to have diarrhea has clearly been ignored.

Recently, the terror seems to be flowing through corporates as they are now asking their staff to work from home and have enforced strict hygiene guidelines for those that journey to work. This seemingly continuous diet of fear has spread like a contagion into the financial markets as they collapse around the world.

How is all this carnage going to impact the domain industry or is it business as usual?

I remember in the midst of the Global Financial Crisis reading a blog article by a notable domain investor declared that it was great to be in an industry that was immune to the world’s financial woes. I must admit that at the time I scratched my head and wrote my own article stating that if we think we are immune to a global shock then we are kidding ourselves. Shortly afterwards, the PPC rates tanked and amounts paid for domains dropped through the floor.