As Domaining Europe enters its 10th year, the event itself will now be hosted now under a new name NamesCon Europe. For this reason, we interviewed Dietmar Stefitz, the founder of Domaining Europe. What can be expected in 2018?
DIETMAR STEFITZ: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to answer your questions regarding Domaining Europe (now NamesCon Europe).
LARS STEFFEN: For those who are not familiar with the event: Who is the target audience and which topics will be addressed?
STEFITZ: NamesCon Europe is an event at which top-level decision makers from the global domain industry share new ideas and do business. It enables the communication between registrars, registries, and most importantly, registrants. The continuous change occurring in the global market and the constant addition of new top-level domains calls for new marketing and monetization strategies.
At NamesCon Europe, these strategies will be elaborated upon, with special emphasis on the importance and new possibilities that ccTLD’s and geoDomains offer. Domain investors get to know the latest trends regarding domain parking and mass development of their portfolio.
STEFFEN: DomainingEurope will become NamesCon Europe. What will change, what will remain the same?
STEFITZ: I hope that the European part of diversity will remain, and that we can bring the European view to NamesCon. The ccTLD’s and language particulars we have in Europe are not as prevalent in the USA market, so these topics are a big focus for NamesCon Europe. The NamesCon production team will be assisting me in 2018, and I will continue to advise as brand ambassador following this year’s event.
STEFFEN: DomainingEurope/NamesCon Europe is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. How did the domaining landscape change/develop over the decade?
STEFITZ: We started in 2008 as a very small event, when around 35 friends met at a beach hotel in Valencia to discuss problems we were having with registries and registrars. Today there are about 200 attendees from over 25 countries meeting once a year in a different city in Europe (last year it was in Berlin, the year before in The Hague). But the main focus is still networking, because face-to-face meetings help to facilitate future business.
STEFFEN: Would you recommend starting a domain investment business today? Or is the market already split up among the established players?
STEFITZ: The domain investment business is still a valid enterprise, but today you have to work just a bit harder to make a good living. Monetization is still a good part of the business, but you have to have the right tools. Domaining is great because you can start doing it part-time and grow your business step by step.
STEFFEN: Your personal wish for the domain industry in the future?
STEFITZ: If you like to travel and meet many different people around the world, this is the industry you have to be in. You will recognize the complex diversity in this industry after attending a NamesCon event or ICANN meeting. Without domains, there would be no Internet. Without the Internet, where would the next generation be?
For more detailed information about the NamesCon Europe, please follow this link.
