About 48,000 .com names contain “asia”. DotAsia has about 300,000 .asia names. People want a name that matches who they are. 🌏
At DomainFest Asia 2015 in Macau, I spoke with Edmon Chung, CEO of DotAsia, about new extensions and bringing domain conferences to Asia. 🎙️
📊 In this episode, we unpacked:
- 🌏 From IDN pioneer to DotAsia
- 🔍 How .asia ranks in search
- 💵 The $1,000–$6,000 sweet spot
- 🧩 Build a coherent portfolio
- 🤝 Reputation and escrow
🎥 Watch the full episode:
🌏 From IDN Pioneer to DotAsia
Edmon had worked on domain names for 15 or 16 years. He developed one of the first technologies enabling internationalized domain names (IDNs) and hoped they’d become a big part of domaining. 🌏
He’d long wanted a DomainFest in Asia, because domains bring SEO, website building and brand building with them. DotAsia, a nonprofit registry, also supports new TLDs, including an IDN meaning “world” that uses the same characters in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. For the NamesCon side, read Jothan Frakes’s interview. 🔗
🔍 How .asia Ranks in Search
DotAsia had been doing a lot of data analysis. Because .asia has geographic context, they consistently saw Google rank the local ccTLD first, then .asia, then .com. 🔍
About 48,000 .com names end with “asia”, against about 300,000 .asia registrations. Edmon believes people want names that reflect them, whether .asia, .photography or .design. For an SEO-first view of domains, read my expired domains guide. 🔗
💵 The $1,000–$6,000 Sweet Spot
New gTLDs are doing reasonably well in the secondary market, but you can’t expect .com status on day one. 💵
The heart of their aftermarket will be roughly $1,000 to $6,000: medium-sized businesses wanting a name that reflects their identity when the .com is taken. “Don’t think about the new gTLDs as millions of dollars of sales.” For a .com-first view, read Gregg McNair’s interview. 🔗
🧩 Build a Coherent Portfolio
Edmon owns only 10 or 15 personal domains, since he runs a nonprofit registry. He spends up to an hour a day on forums and blogs like DNJournal and TheDomains, and quotes a Chinese saying: if you know where to read, read the comments. 🧩
His advice: .com is still important, but pick a vertical you understand and include new gTLDs, so you build a coherent portfolio to present to investors and buyers, instead of going all over the map. (And, as he joked, don’t drink too much when buying.) 🍸
🤝 Reputation and Escrow
Negotiation is more art than science. Respond consistently, get back to people, and build trust and reputation over time. Don’t try to rip anyone off. 🤝
For large transactions, look at escrow services: better safe than sorry. DomainFest Asia planned to return every year, possibly in Hong Kong and someday India. He wanted small and medium businesses across Asia to understand the value of domain names. 🌏
📝 Key Takeaways From the Edmon Chung Interview
- 🌏 Names that reflect identity attract buyers
- 🔍 Geographic TLDs can rank well locally
- 💵 New gTLD value is in the mid-range aftermarket
- 🧩 Build a coherent, vertical portfolio
- 🤝 Reputation is a domainer’s best asset
❓ FAQs About Edmon Chung
Who is Edmon Chung?
CEO of DotAsia, the nonprofit registry behind .asia, and a pioneer of internationalized domain name technology.
Where will new gTLDs sell best?
Edmon expects the $1,000 to $6,000 range, driven by medium-sized businesses.
What is Edmon’s advice for new domainers?
Pick a vertical you understand and build a coherent portfolio that includes new gTLDs.
🎙️ More Inside A Hustler’s Brain Interviews You’ll Love
- Interview with Simon Cousins Co-founder of Allegravita at Domainfest 2015
- Interview with Raymond King from Top Level Design at Domainfest 2015
- Interview with Mary Wong from ICANN: Domainfest 2015
- Monte Cahn Shares His Domaining Experience at Domainfest 2015
Would you buy a .asia domain for your brand? Tell me in the comments. 💬
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Jitendra Vaswani is a well-known expert in SEO and AI-driven digital marketing. He has spoken at international events and founded Digiexe, a digital marketing agency, and AffiliateBooster, WordPress plugin designed specifically for affiliate marketers. With over 10 years of experience, Jitendra has helped many businesses succeed online. His bestselling book, Inside A Hustler’s Brain: In Pursuit of Financial Freedom, with over 20,000 copies sold globally, underscores his influence and commitment to empowering digital marketers.