Domain name / domain traffic conferences

Has anyone attended? Worthwhile? Who should attend? Why?

[nick_irvine]

Hi All,

Has anyone been to T.R.A.F.F.I.C (TargetedTraffic.com) before and is it worth visting.

I am thinking of visting it this year.. so just wanted to know what your experience has been over there.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Regards,
Nick

[edited by: Webwork at 12:35 pm (utc) on Jan. 23, 2006]
[edit reason] Removed hotlink [/edit]

[nick_irvine]

The other one is the domain round table

Which one do you think is better?

regards
nick

[edited by: Brett_Tabke at 1:59 pm (utc) on Jan. 23, 2006]

[Webwork]

Nick, whilst we're waiting to see if anyone comments, why don't you post up an overview of the 2 events as described on the websites for the respective events?

I've never attended either event. From comments I've read and from an overview of the events at DNJournal the events appear geared towards the "serious domainer", that is, domainers with portfolios in the 1000s (or smaller if you have some very high traffic domains with quality traffic - Sex.com, Mortgage.com, etc.)

IF you plan to get into the game and have a $$$,$$$+/- budget it would also make sense to attend.

The cost of the events look to make attending a bit of overkill if your domaining budget is in the <$10,000 range.

[nick_irvine]

As Jeff suggested, lets see what the two conferences have to offer:

TRAFFIC:
The first group of people too start a conference for domain industry and they were followed by domain round table (which is the other conference for the domain industry)

The issues covered would be:
Domain Acquisition, revenue diversification domain development, local search domains, domain analytics, domain portfolio consolidation, domain security and risk aversion, domain and portfolio valuation and domain sales and buying by domain industry experts, register service owners and the other top guys who have been in the domain industry since its inception.

Now lets have a look at
Domain Round Table: (these are the sessions covered for last year, this years session list will be printed soon)

Evaluating When to file a UDRP, An Introduction to ICANN, ICANN Update - New TLDs and Emerging Issues, Registrar Transfer Dispute Resolution Policy, Upcoming COM+NET Transition to EPP Registry State of IDN, Domain Drop, Basics for The Domain Administrator, New TLDs & your Portfolio Value, Registration and Renewal Market Trends, Reselling Registration Services, Protecting Your Brand Online, Tools for Following the Industry.

At domain round table there are lot of sessions which relate more to the legal part of domains rather than the marketing,analyzing the domina value, developing it etc. I personally feel that TRAFFIC is better than Dominaroundtable. But this is again a guess based on what I have read on the two websites.

Guys anyone who can throw some light on this issue?

Regards,
Nick

[AhmedF]

I was at TRAFFIC (Del Ray), and am off to SF in a week for the SV one.

TRAFFIC is basically for people who consider domains to be one of their most valuable assets. A lot of the discussion there goes along the lines of investing in domains, relationships with registrars, dangers the industry faces (hijacking etc), and also monetizing (PPC engines such as fabulous and domainsponsor).

The last one was heavily focused on consolidation - large investment groups are moving into the space (including one lead by the business.com seller of the 90s), and acquisition was a hot topic (eg IRS.com group of domains going for 7 digits). The latest one in SF is basically meant to connect domainers to investment vehicles - bankers, investors, VCs, et all.

The actual conference was a good time. As the fee is slightly higher than most web conferences, and as is mostly industry insiders (the conference sort of spawned from an exclusive forum), the signal versus noise ratio is wonderful. In fact, I dont think I met a single person there that I thought was 'noise'.

A word of warning though - domainers are a weird bunch. And I say that with love :) Their worldview (to steal from Seth Godin) is quite a ways different than webmasters/optimizers, and so my own recommendation is that if you don't know anyone there, you spend a bit of time on DNF/NP/DNJ to get a bit more familiar with the people in the industry before heading on over.

[nick_irvine]

Hi Ahmedf,

Thanks for the overview.

also what is "and am off to SF in a week for the SV one"

SF and SV do they refer to Santa Clara conference or is there any other one which I have missed out noticing.

Based on all the information and opinions I have received on TRAFFIC, I have decided to attend it as domains would be a big part of my business now onwards. Would you be there?

Regards,
Nick

[AhmedF]

Yes sorry - SV being Silicon Valley, as the aim of this conference (a one time shot) was to connect the financiers with the domainers.

I will be there - typein traffic can be high quality and, best of all, constant :)

[nick_irvine]

so which group are you from domainers or financers?

would you be staying at Marioots?

regards
nick

[AhmedF]

Yep at the Marriott.

Im neither - more of a developer who knows the value of domains (and the traffic associated with them). Just like Webwork preaches :)

[nick_irvine]

Hey ahmed,

Thats nice....if you have time can me meet in SC for a drink ...

Regards,
Nick

[domainr]

I'm registered to go to the Domain Roundtable April 19-21. It'll be my first time there.

I'd also like to attend T.R.A.F.F.I.C. in Las Vegas, but it may be a stretch to spend that kind of additional cash right away (May 2-5). I prefer Las Vegas over Miami simply because I live in Phoenix (less travel time).

On the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. site, I noticed an email link to "Request an Invitation." Can anyone tell me what's up with requesting an invitation vs. registering? Any info is greatly appreciated!

[gamb]

Not everyone can attend - you have to be "good enough" to make the cut...

[domainr]

Hmmm... I own about 700 domains and have been buying and selling them since 2000. Is that edging close to "good enough?"

Of course, if anyone thinks they might like to invite a pretty female to the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. party, send me an invite via sticky ;)

[domainr]

Announced yesterday: Dr. Vint Cert, Google VP and ICANN Chairman, will be a keynote speaker at the Domain Roundtable conference on April 20. He will be speaking about the "evolution of the global domain space," including industry trends, expansion of TLDs, and suggestions for registrars and domain owners on portfolio development and staying current with the market.

[AhmedF]

Okay ... just got back from TRAFFIC SV.

The show's seminar was a mix of newbie stuff (eg how to buy a domain, where to sell domains), and a mix of big business view on domains (bankers, VC companies, etc). In general, as the show is growing, the core central is moving away from just domainers nd is expanding into other areas.

4 of us did go to dinner with an ICANN rep who we absolutely grilled for an hour (SiteFinder, Verisign monopoly, nissan.com, etc etc). My best moment ;)

As for the Domain Name Roundtable - the idea of that conference is that it is more geared towards actual registrars and not really towards domain owners.

domainr - if you sticky me some of your domains I can give you a honest assessment if it would be worht your while :)

[Hunter]

There is a complete Wrap-Up of Traffic Silicon Valley on a reputable website...sticky me if u want it (no affiliation).

[Webwork]

Thanks for the discretion Hunter but events such as this qualify for the "media worthy event exception" to putting up links. It's a major domain event, insights gained from media coverage may be valuable and Ron Jackson of DNJournal - who wrote this up - does a nice job of covering such events. I consider Rons major/headline articles to qualify as major media. DNJ consistently puts out the best coverage of industry players, transactions and events.

DNJ ain't no blog, which we tend to avoid linking to. :)

Here's the story at DNJ. [dnjournal.com]

Hunter, if you have another source for the story let me know.

[Hunter]

That was it Jeff, thanks for putting it up.

[nick_irvine]

Yeah guys it was a great conference and very informative but yet the main question on the valuation of the domains again went unanswered.
Jeff and Ahmed it was worth visting.
Ahmed sorry couldnt meet at TRAFFIC, may be at domainrountable if I go there.

Regards,
Nick