Let’s collaborate on .wiki: A look at who registered .wiki domains

.Wiki tops 3,000 registrations by first day.

Top Level Design released its first new top level domain name yesterday as .wiki hit registrar’s shelves.

I count 3,166 domains in the zone file processed last night, which is a solid first day for a new TLD.

I take a particular interest in .wiki because of its unique nature as well as my existing domain portfolio.

.Wiki is rather unique among new TLDs for a couple reasons.

First, it’s generic in the sense that anything works as a second level domain with .wiki. Yet it’s specific as to the way the domains will be used: as collaborative information sites.

Second, it’s not a gripe domain like .sucks or .exposed. Yet companies are afraid of what is written on wikis, so they want to control it.

From my own portfolio perspective, I’m interested because I own about a dozen geo domains ending in wiki.com. If .wiki takes off, I believe that’s good for my corresponding somethingwiki.com domains.

So how’d .wiki do?

Like most new TLD launches so far, there was the one big investor that took a big chunk of domains. Innovation HQ registered 497 domains by my count.

After that it gets pretty spread out. I found two other investors who picked up about 25-35 domains. Then a bunch of registrants with ten or fewer registrations. This is good as it shows broad interest in the domain.

Also, like most new TLD launches so far, there was the one guy who’s not familiar with URS. Or simply doesn’t care. Hyper Media Group registered realtor.wiki, hyundai.wiki, toyota.wiki and pinterest.wiki, all of which likely qualify as cybersquatting.

While this was a good first day, the real key for .wiki comes from use. It should be easy for domain registrants to start using the domains using wiki software. It will also help if Wikimedia Foundation gets its wish and is able to use two letter .wiki domains to point to Wikipedia.

As for my own portfolio of wiki related .com domains, I was hoping to see the corresponding .wiki domains registered. I sampled a half dozen and they were all registry reserved. This may end up being a good thing; if a prospective registrant is faced with the prospect of paying a premium price for the .wiki domain then they might buy my .com instead.

However, I’d much prefer for someone to build a great site out on the corresponding .wiki domains.

.Wiki will definitely be an interesting one to watch. Its future will involve a lot of editing.