In-depth Interview: Exploring the History and Development of the Domain Industry in Conversation with the Founder of DN Magazine

Ron Jackson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of DNJournal, has earned a prominent reputation in the domain name industry for his insights and expertise. Recently, an international platform had the honour to interview this senior expert in the domain name industry, Mr Ron Jackson, in which he shared his insights on the domain name industry.

1. Beginning and Development

Q: How did you start to get involved in the domain name industry?

A: After Napster and the CD burner era destroyed my business in the record and CD chain shops, I started looking for the next Internet-centric opportunity. Owning a domain name sparked my interest in buying and selling domain names, and the discussions at DNForum.com made me realise that domain names have a unique value in their own right. So, I registered some names in related fields and started my domain name investment career.

2、Origin of DNJournal

Q: How did the creation of DNJournal happen?

A: After joining DNForum, I found that the industry lacked resources to understand how the industry works and the value of domain names. Unable to find any relevant trade magazines, I decided to create my own domain name trade magazine, DNJournal.com. I launched the idea on New Year's Day 2003 and am overwhelmed with emotion as more than 20 years have passed since then.

3. Industry Development and Trends

Q: How do you see the domain name industry evolving over the years?

A: The most notable is corporatisation and consolidation, with large companies flooding into the domain name industry and competition becoming fiercer. However, the opportunities are huge and there is still a lot of room for growth. Domain names are becoming more and more important as a key factor in getting a business off the ground, but in the business arena, the domain name industry remains relatively low-key.

4. Assessment of Domain Name Value

Q: How do you assess the value of a domain name?

A: Beginners should take the time to learn the value of various domain names and consider whether the domain name has commercial value to a large number of businesses. Observe sales results to understand how domains are sold at different price levels and the difference in value between different TLDs.

5. Common Mistakes New Investors Make

Q: What are common mistakes that new domain name investors may make?

A: One of the most common mistakes is being overly optimistic and thinking that this industry is simple. You should take the time to learn the basics before investing a lot of money. There are many training programmes available, such as DNAcademy, where professional training can help newbies understand the industry better.

6. Favourite tools and resources

Q: What are some of your favourite domain tools or resources to use?

A: Any site that provides historical pricing information, such as DNJournal and NameBio, as well as sites that offer advice. Today, there are many blogs, podcasts and expert panels that provide a wealth of content to help people learn and understand the domain name industry.

7. Thoughts on Domain Name Conferences

Q: How important are domain name conferences for networking and learning?

A: Priceless. At conferences, people can build business relationships and friendships through panel discussions, presentations and networking. Networking is important, but most important business relationships are made at conferences. Devoting yourself to the conference and taking advantage of the opportunities to build relationships will far outweigh the cost of the investment.

8. Outlook for the next five years

Q: What are your predictions for the domain name industry over the next five years?

A: The domain name industry has changed dramatically over the past 20 years, especially with the new crown epidemic driving growth in online business. I am optimistic about the next five years and believe that the strong growth trend in online business will continue and the domain name industry will remain robust.

Above, the content of the interview with the editor by a founder who has been in the domain name industry for 20 years, every sentence is the essence, and the mentioned suggestions in it are very applicable as a domain name novice or experienced person.