Product Launch for Google Domains

Situation

Google wanted to enter the domain registration market for a long time. But building a direct domain registration service has been proven harder to implement than Google originally expected.

Google needed to secure partnerships, launch of 100+ domain extensions, differentiate in a crowded market, and meet ICANN regulatory requirements. Internal resources were stretched thinly. And Google could not risk an unsuccessful launch for a product that touched the center of the internet infrastructure. Google decided to de-risk the project and engage external consultants.

Solution

The Managing Partner of Numbers & Letters joined the Google Domains launch team as a key member and led critical efforts in partnership negotiations and market analysis:

• Negotiations with 64 existing and potential competitors

  • A prioritization framework helped engage existing and potential competitors, reducing risks in the ICANN gTLD application and auction process. This strategy minimized Go-To-Market costs while keeping domain pricing competitive for customers.
    

• Market and competitive research to provide actionable insights to Google executives

  • The N&L Managing Partner conducted market and competitive research resulting in insights that were presented to Google’s Head of Product, VP of Engineering, Chief Economist, and CEO, directly influencing product positioning and feature prioritization.
    

• Acting as Chief Liaison between Google and ICANN to secure regulatory compliance

  • A strong bridge to regulatory decision makers helped to meet complex regulatory standards and accreditation requirements for domain registration and DNS services.

Result

The N&L Managing Partner’s research, partnership negotiations, and regulatory work helped Google:

• Successfully launch Google Domains, offering private registration, email and domain forwarding, and support for 100+ TLDs.

• Quickly gain a competitive position through strategic partner integrations.

• Achieve ICANN accreditation, ensuring regulatory compliance and industry acceptance.

• Manage over 10 million domains.

• Sell Google Domains to Squarespace for $180 million in 2023, underscoring its long-term value.

Key Metrics

• 35 domain agreements secured, strengthening Google Domain’s differentiated value.

• 60+ gTLDs supported after launch, significantly expanding customer choice.

• $180 million acquisition by Squarespace in 2023.