latin IDNs... dead or alive?

[alpha]

Inspired by another thread..

Its always been said it takes 4 main elements for IDN to rise to the dizzy heights we expect:

1. A compatible browser
2. Awareness
3. IDN.IDN
4. Email support

Non-latin IDNs in most part have #1 ticked off, and #3 is on its way. #2 is ongoing and will be for years. #4 is anyones guess.
Non-latin IDNs has reasons why they are not flying

Latin IDN on the other hand, has far fewer excuses.
With #1 ticked, #3 not applicable, #2 on going, and #4 work in progress

and in most (not all) cases it just isn't NEEDED.. is there any future, if so, why hasn't it happened already?

RD once described latin IDNs as the side-show to the main event.

Thoughts?

[Ben]

Are not German IDNs were the biggest IDN sellers?

[alpha]

Are not German IDNs were the biggest IDN sellers?

Yes and almost exclusively in .DE

But equally there are all the other latin based languages that haven't shown any sign of a market

[blackpower]

I can give my take on Brazil and web addresses with accents.

Two problems still for development on idns in Brazil and for Brazil:
popular browser compatibility (Firefox) and email. This should be solved soon (?).
another local issue is that most popular extention domain holders, (.com.br) still don't use accent versions because of the above problems. By registry rules, version with accents is reserved to a version without accent (where applicable) but brazilian entrepreneurs largerly prefer to save a couple of bucks and lose tones of surfers (I can tell this by seeing how many people TYPE accents in .com) instead of registering accented one and at least redirect.
So, local surfers don't see accented web addresses in .com.br because even those who register both (acented and not accented), prefer to host on non-accented (even if badly spelled) because of see above
On the other hand, registration of .com have increased dramatically in Brazil as I was predicting long ago.
.com.br's best domains are being held for sale at exorbitant prices, so new ventures have been lately opting for .com and .net
Well, definitely not dead.

[idn]

All depends on your interpretation of dead.

I have a danish idn with minor development that makes around $400 a month. Another one parked that makes around $20-$50 per month.

Brazilian/Portuguese idns are finally starting to get some traffic and several now pay for themselves.

Spanish idns with ñ will without a doubt (and already do) have value and already receive traffic.

I am still buying Latin idns across all languages if the numbers are right. I registered a French idn this week with 14K exact. If people are willing to search it with accent marks I believe they will eventually type in/use the domain. I don't care how long I am willing to wait.

[squirrel]

I don't care how long I am willing to wait.

Really ?

[idn]

Really ?

You always take me so literally! ha ha

No, I guess I won't pass my Latin domains down to my great great grand kids if they still are not paying for themselves. That said, I am willing to wait a lot of years as it only makes sense to me that if people search for something with an accent they would be willing to see and use it in a domain.

[squirrel]

cool, I was just surprised that you'd be willing to wait a few years on a latin IDN when you're sometimes dumping snapped up domains that underperform.

[idn]

cool, I was just surprised that you'd be willing to wait a few years on a latin IDN when you're sometimes dumping snapped up domains that underperform.

I have never "dumped" a snapped domain where the numbers were right- high GKWT exact. I have dumped snapped names that were errors or as you said underperformed at least from my expectations.

I try to keep my portfolio a nice blend of revenue generating domains and nice generics (shoot for domains that are both). When I feel that blend begins to be significantly more weighted towards nice generics I sell some. It doesn't mean I'm taking out the trash.

[squirrel]

All right, my bad.

[jose]

Two reasons imho:

1. Some names sound the same way with or without the accent so people tend to use them without, like vídeo in both Portuguese and Spanish. That's why, on idn.bz, I have a special routine to detect and display a small alert info on good accents.

2. For ages people were told not to use accents on domains and got joked around when writing a domain with an accent. What is your email? contacto@joseantonio.com... hey, remove the accent, it is without accent!

[o.c.]

If people are willing to search it with accent marks I believe they will eventually type in/use the domain.

There you have it.

[Jay]

I would say it is mostly a sideshow, except for some languages like Turkish (and to a lesser extent Portuguese) where it's not just about accents but also certain letters.

Maybe the use of accents will change over the long term as awareness spreads, maybe not. What I do know is that the level of type-in is significant enough for some Latin terms to maintain my interest regardless. I have one with an accent that has made $60 this month in parking. I won't be tossing that one out in a hurry!

[o.c.]

Inspired by another thread..


and in most (not all) cases it just isn't NEEDED.. is there any future, if so, why hasn't it happened already?

For my native language at least, I can comfortably say "accented versions" (6 out of 29 letters) are needed 100% of the time.

I would tie the problem to item number 2, awareness. It is just that people, being forced to use visually similar versions in domains for a few decades now, got used to it I think. Awareness should roll that back fast.

[bumblebee man]

All depends on your interpretation of dead.


I agree. I was always seeing them as a side product of non-Latin ones. While they might be disappointing compared to their ASCII counterparts they are still quite profitable for me and currently Latin end user sales are subsidizing the rest of my portfolio.

You have to be picky about languages and letters though. I prefer the ones which are more comfortable (to type) and more popular (in terms of search volume) than the ASCII version e.g. Umlauts, Ñ or ...ção. Those ones have a real benefit.

[123]

All depends on your interpretation of dead.

I have a danish idn with minor development that makes around $400 a month.


$400?

is it an adult domain?

[sarcle]

To me it's just a matter of companies using them. The only reason I can think of as to why they're not.... #4.

Take a look at Itaú. https://www.google.com/search?q=Ita%C3%BA

www.Itaú.com.br just forwards to the ascii. Why not make it their homepage instead of just a forward? Simple, no email.

I'm afraid until the corps change, IDN in any language will languish. And that change ain't happening til email. A bank or any business can't afford to lose their mail.

[jose]

Also:

examedecódigo.com
examesdecódigo.com
examedecodigo.com
examedecódigo.com
examecodigo.com
examescodigo.com
examecódigo.com
examescódigo.com
exame-codigo.com
exames-de-codigo.com
exame-código.com
exames-de-código.com

Same keyword, twelve domains. Blame plurals, accents and preposition.

That's one of the things I like in Chinese and Japanese, not even plurals! (or very rarely)

[blackpower]

Also:

examedecódigo.com
examesdecódigo.com
examedecodigo.com
examedecódigo.com
examecodigo.com
examescodigo.com
examecódigo.com
examescódigo.com
exame-codigo.com
exames-de-codigo.com
exame-código.com
exames-de-código.com

Same keyword, twelve domains. Blame plurals, accents and preposition.

That's one of the things I like in Chinese and Japanese, not even plurals! (or very rarely)

Kwadi is even more simple, Jose