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A .XYZ Disaster Story
A client recently purchased a .XYZ domain for an application that they were developing. Everything was working fine until today when suddenly the domain stopped resolving. It just so happens that in their infinite wisdom the .XYZ registry had decided to suspend the domain. So what actually happened?
When you sign-up for a .XYZ domain name you are coming under the terms and conditions of the registry. A part of the terms is they have the right to suspend a domain if they deem the domain is being used for inappropriate reasons. The stated goal is to keep the .XYZ namespace safe…..sounds interesting.
Here’s the problem. For the domain in question SpamHaus, Google Safebrowsing, SURBL, URIBL (all recommended by the registry) flagged the domain as safe. Virus Total has 68 sub-organisations that they relate to and one of these organisations flagged the domain for possible phishing reasons.
Why was this the case? It just so happens that at some time the domain had been sent to advertising networks and I’m guessing that one of these networks may have had a problem with a “spam advertiser”. This sometimes happens and the networks immediately kick these types of advertisers out. In the case of the .XYZ domain this resulted in it being banned.
What was really annoying is that neither the registry nor the registrar communicated anything like, “I think you may have problems with your domain. If you don’t do something, then we’ll have to suspend it.”
One day the domain was working and the next day it wasn’t. To track back to a registry suspending the domain wasn’t trivial when the client was in the middle of a development cycle.
And the client’s registrar wasn’t immediately helpful. First came the “it isn’t resolving, check with your hosting provider”, then lots of apologies while the client pushed back that the problem was in the DNS somewhere, and finally the registrar pointed to the status of “Server Hold” in the Whois information and pointed our client to the unsuspend site for .xyz.
And on further quizzing the client’s registrar indicated that this was a common occurrence with .XYZ domain names…..which didn’t sound very good, and would have been useful if that was the first thing they checked.
Just for the record, getting a domain unflagged by some of these “monitoring companies” is next too impossible. In fact, at one stage I had whizzbangsblog.com flagged by a company (no idea why) and after months of filling out forms I gave up. In the end I took the attitude that if Google flagged my blog as safe then that was good enough for me!
So what’s the problem with all of this? If any .XYZ domain is flagged by any monitoring company in the world (false positive or otherwise) the domain can be banned. In fact, given our client’s experience, if the domain is not banned then the .XYZ registry is acting in a preferential manner and my guess this is breaking either their contract with ICANN or the registrars.
If you’re looking at your .XYZ domain portfolio and parking them then I’d think again. There is actually an obligation on the part of the XYZ registry to ban the domain and there goes any potential revenue (small though it may be) to help pay for the re-registration costs.
So let’s imagine you’re a business (like our client) working away at developing a brand on a .XYZ domain. A dinky little backwater monitoring company has a glitch in their software that flags your domain as suspicious. Immediately your website is taken down (by the registry) and as a business owner who knows nothing about phishing etc. you’ve got to find out what the heck happened while you’re losing sales! This is crazy!
In the end, our client gave up with the .XYZ domain and went with a .COM….probably what they should have done in the first place. There’s many good reasons why .COM is so big and one of them is they don’t behave in this ridiculous manner.
Comments
Never did like .xyz.
Good article!
Nice one Michael. Sad to hear the .xyz name suspended, on a different note its one of the the popular Spam extensions among new GTLDs. Its quite successful in terms of number of registrations however its failed miserably in controlling the spam and offering good services. Personally I avoid using .xyz and also recommend anyone using .xyz. Just my opinion.
Shiva - Our.in
Given the uncertainty that this presents to business I would also advise that they did not try and build a brand on a .XYZ domain.
Hello Michael,
All new TLDs or GTLDs are short term Gambles that can turn into long term failures. New Online Businesses cannot afford to use either and expect Long term Online Marketing Success. The margin of error for New online Startups mount significantly with New TLDs + GTLDs operating usage. FACT
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed CBOE Commodity Hedge Strategist) (Domain Master ) https://www.UseBiz.com
It is an Economic certainty that .xyz and All Other New (Google Top Level Domain Spam) = GTLDS in reality are destroying Corporate Brands ability to be differentiated from their Competitors, within the Google Traffic stealing Corridors Massive assemblage of other Brand Competitors. .web will be an economic Marketing Strategy Failure.Guranteed ! You say you don’t understand? You as well as others need to do your Due Dilligence on New GTLD Marketing Strategy. Want to know Marketing Strategy truths? Follow us on Linked-In.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed CBOE Commodity Hedge Strategist) (Domain Master ) https://www.UseBiz.com
Rick Schwartz is the ONLY DOMAIN KING and he knows :
The Google Ad Platform is its own Algorithm Controlled Traffic Monopoly. If you are lucky enough to own and control your own .COM Profit Center (OPERATING OUTSIDE THE GOOGLE TRAFFIC MONOPOLY) you in effect own and control your own Traffic Monopoly.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed CBOE Commodity Hedge Strategist) (Domain Master ) https://www.UseBiz.com
Hello Michael,
We can think of a most effective platform for .xyz (remove the dot and use xyz as a .COM Profit Center sub-domain ( http://Google.com/xyz ) Its what the really Smart money is doing if they absolutely want to use xyz .
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed CBOE Commodity Hedge Strategist) (Domain Master ) https://www.UseBiz.com
( .COM Equimoddities ) are the most Powerful form of Perpetual Advertising any Online End-User can Control. JAS 9/2/16 —
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist)(Licensed CBOE Commodity Hedge Strategist) (Domain Master http://www.UseBiz.com)
Here are 2 theoretical Questions?
1 How much traffic would you lose using Google based SEM online Marketing Strategy ?
2 How much traffic would you lose using NON-.COM extensions ?
our answer to 1 = (25 to 40% Traffic loss)
our answer to 2 = (50 to 60% Traffic loss)
NOW here is the Big Question ? Why would a savvy Online Marketing Strategist use either one of these strategies??
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed CBOE Commodity Hedge Strategist) (Domain Master http://www.UseBiz.com)
All New TLDs have a huge disadvantage. Its called Google Ad Sense Marketing.
You will find that 99% of all Google Ad Marketing Agencies are Clueless about the superior Marketing Strategies that All .COM Profit Centers embody. They got it wrong thirty years ago and continue their flawed Marketing Strategies to this day.
They still don’t get that they lose their clients valuable Rustled Traffic within the Google Traffic Rustling Maze. Actually losing as much Traffic as they gain in the Google Ad System. Utterly Amazing to us that this is still being used by most Uneducated Online Advertising Agencies.
If their Online website owners knew the truth of the matter, they would be Furious.
There are two recipes for Online Business Failures:
1. NOT owning a .COM Profit Center
2. Using Google Adsense Marketing
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) Former ( Rockefeller I.B.E.C. Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed C.B.O.E. Commodity Hedge Strategist) ( Domain Master http://WWW.UseBiz.com)
Due to Googles New GTLDS marketing ploy to expand their Ad Base Subscribers, 100s of unsuspecting New online Businesses using the Google advertising Network will fail within the Google Garden Maze, that are talked into adopting New TLD Marketing Strategies.
These uneducated new businesses who swallow the new TLD marketing strategy will fail at an ever increasing rate.
It is only a matter of time until Googles Strategy is understood by the advertising Industries Google Ad reps. who are unknowingly leading their clients into the Traffic Google corridor, that will ultimately destroy their End Users Traffic Starved fledgling business’s.
Anyone who pushes Google advertising is ruining their long term reputation as savvy Online Marketing strategists. Is it worth it ?
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed CBOE Commodity Hedge Strategist) (Domain Master ) https://www.UseBiz.com
Hello Michael,
For those who follow early adopters in all assets, its important to realize how very very similar the .Com addresses are to stock equities as asset classes. Yet the Hybrid .COM Profit Center Assets are also very similar to Commodities. HENCE We Introduce ( .COM Profit Center (Equimoddities) ). Yet the .COM Profit Center (Equimoddities) Super Asset Class Produces just One Unique Commodity per Destination. PRICELESS
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed CBOE Commodity Hedge Strategist) (Domain Master )http://www.UseBiz.com
Here is a question for Strategic Thinkers.
How much has ICANNS introduction of ALL NEW TLDS likely to cost The Worlds Economies in Lost GDP ?
Our Answer : Year over Year GDP Cash Burn do to their effects on Online Business Failures = A minimum of 2% Nationally and Globally.
(THE BIG PICTURE)
The new TLD investors are actually helping GOOGLE and all SEM Model companies, cement more companies into their already vast and unmanageable SEM network. This terribly flawed strategy feeds their vast armies of SEO advocates jobs by locking their SEM Ads base into their Garden Maze of numerous businesses who are lost in their digital coding systems. This SEM inspired TRAP funnels or steers traffic away from them and channels this traffic to their ads customers most feared competitors. This Shell Game All SEM Marketing Platforms Win, and you the (End-User) investor in new TLDS lose.
So if you want to help SEM Platforms destabilize the DNSs Stability buy new TLDs.
Big winners in new TLD adoption are All SEM Platform Companies. Such as Google Ads, GOOGLE AD Salesmen , Advertising Companies,SEO suppliers ICANN, Registrars, Registrys, and the BIG losers are Domainers and Online End-Users (Businesses) , suffering Massive Economic Loss in GDP Growth. Getting the picture?
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger) (Former Rockefeller IBEC Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed CBOE Commodity Hedge Strategist) (Domain Master ) (UseBiz.com)
Samething happened to me with a .host and .site domain via Radix (they provide registry for .press, .site, .store, .online, .tech, .space, .website and .host). Stay very far away from this registry, they will suspend the moment you are on SURBL and take days to re-active once the SURBL listing has been cleared.