Today marks a moment in internet history, as the very first .blog domain is now operational on WordPress.com. Knock Knock, WHOIS There, a subsidiary of Automattic, launched Nic.blog today to begin getting registrars to sign up to sell the new TLD.
Automattic won the rights to oversee the sale and registration of the .blog domain in 2015 via a bidding process that is estimated to have closed around $20 million. The domain extension is so new that Twitter doesn’t yet support it as a valid link, but Automattic expects to activate 250,000 new names in 2016.
According to the new nic.blog information site, registrars that sign up to sell .blog domains will be able to participate in an incentive partnership model that rewards a higher volume of sales:
Pricing will be in the standard range for new gTLDs, with premium names available in several tiers. High margins for registrars will be guaranteed by an incentive model, rewarding sales above a certain baseline. Final terms will be published in the coming weeks.
Automattic is opening up the .blog TLD to registrars around the world and companies can sign up on nic.blog to learn more about the requirements. Individuals who are interested in purchasing a .blog domain should review the tentative launch plan published today. Registration will be open to trademark owners during the Sunrise period starting in August 2016, followed by a Landrush period in October.
Great notice!