Domain name providers such as GoDaddy look set to have major competition on their hands since Google has quietly begun beta trialling a new business it calls Google Domains.
At the moment use of the new service is only by invite-only with users required to input a special code in order to use it.
What is interesting about the new service is that it allows users to create their own custom URLs with suffixes like .food, no doubt also taking advantage of ICANN’s decision to create thousands of new generic top level domains (gTLDs).
“A domain name, your address on the Internet, says a lot about who you are and what you do. New domain endings like .guru and .photography can help you find a meaningful address that stands out on the web,” Google said on its Google Domains front page.
While Google will not handle the hosting, just the management of the domain, it says every domain includes “easy forwarding, branded email (you@your_company.com), simple management tools and other helpful features.”
