Demand Media Announces Designs.com to Support New gTLDs

06/17/13

Platform enables new generic Top Level Domain registrants to create vivid, feature-rich websites attuned to their needs

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 17, 2013-- Demand Media® (NYSE: DMD), a leading media and domain services company, today announced the debut of Designs.com, the latest step in the company’s efforts to facilitate the launch of upcoming generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs). Today’s move brings a robust platform to create complementary, high-quality web experiences to leading new TLD registries, which are already working to categorize the Internet with more than a thousand new domain extensions.

As Demand Media prepares for this historic gTLD launch, Designs.com expands the company’s suite of offerings to current and future domain industry customers, and facilitates expansive consumer online and social engagement. New Designs.com websites will be included with the registration of newly available domain extensions, such as .DENTIST or .SOCIAL. Just as the new TLDs speak to the identity, interest and needs of specific audiences, so too will the layouts, functionality and user experiences associated with unique templates in the Designs.com platform.

“A consumer using .FAN needs features related to sharing, ‘liking’ and growing a community, while a professional using .ARCHITECT needs features related to a strong visual portfolio and self-promotion,” explained  Nick Nelson , general manager of Designs.com for Demand Media. “Until today, tools and templates have been designed for no-one in particular. New gTLDs are for specific audiences, so we must have tools that create a web presence with the same tailored approach, making the website and web address inseparable.”

Designs.com will be integrated into the purchase process of partnering domain and web hosting providers, enabling consumers to create a high quality web presence specific to their chosen web identity already demonstrated by the domain name. In order to easily facilitate website creation and updates, the Designs.com platform will have a point and click design tool. Customers will immediately see how their website will look on mobile devices, as well as have access to drag and drop social media tools.

A new national survey by Wakefield Research* found that nearly half of small businesses are not completely satisfied with their current domain name. Furthermore, 52% of businesses would change their domain name given the opportunity. “The specificity and categorization offered by new gTLDs and Designs.com provides an opportunity for business owners to create, make over or add to their company’s online presence,” said Dave Panos , executive vice president of emerging markets for Demand Media. “For consumers, this is a chance to come online and register a new web address that ignites one’s passion personally or professionally with tools that are creative, intuitive and on par with high impact design experiences available from the leading design agencies.”

In 2011, ICANN initiated the process for creating new domain extensions and entrepreneurs, businesses, and governments around the world, in looking to operate a TLD registry of their own, submitted nearly two thousand applications. With the review process in full swing and entrepreneurs investing more than $350 million in application fees**, the first new gTLD is expected to launch in Q4 of 2013.

Designs.com will be launching in parallel with the general availability release of its TLD partners. In addition, as Demand Media is the parent company of eNom and Name.com, the Designs.com platform will be accessible by customers of both organizations as new TLDs reach general availability.

About Demand Media

Demand Media, Inc. (DMD) is a leading digital media and domain services company that informs and entertains one of the internet’s largest audiences, helps advertisers find innovative ways to engage with their customers and enables publishers, individuals and businesses to expand their online presence. Headquartered in Santa Monica, CA,Demand Media has offices in North America, South America and Europe. For more information about Demand Media, please visit www.demandmedia.com.

* Source: The Small Business Domain Name Study, Wakefield Research, April 2013
**Source: Report of Independent Auditors and Financial Statements for ICANN, June 30, 2012 and 2011

© 2013 Demand Media, Inc.

Cautionary Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties regarding the Company’s future financial performance, and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, financial condition, operating performance and results of operations, including certain assumptions related thereto. Statements containing words such as guidance, may, believe, anticipate, expect, intend,plan, project, projections, business outlook, and estimate or similar expressions constitute forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance. Potential risks and uncertainties include, among others: our ability to complete a separation of our business as announced herein and unanticipated developments that may delay or negatively impact such a transaction; the possibility that we may decide not to proceed with the separation of our business as announced herein if we determine that alternative opportunities are more favorable to our stockholders; the possibility that we decide to separate our business in a manner different from that disclosed herein; the impact and possible disruption to our operations from pursuing such a separation transaction announced herein; our ability to retain key personnel; the high costs we will likely incur in connection with such a transaction, which we would not be able to recoup if such a transaction is not consummated; the expectation that the transaction announced herein will be tax-free; revenue and growth expectations for the two independent companies following the separation of our business; the ability of each business to operate as an independent entity upon completion of such a transaction; changes in the methodologies of internet search engines, including ongoing algorithmic changes made by Google as well as possible future changes, and the impact such changes may have on page view growth and driving search related traffic to our owned and operated websites and the websites of our network customers; changes in our content creation and distribution platform, including the possible repurposing of content to alternate distribution channels, reduced investments in intangible assets or the sale or removal of content; our ability to successfully launch, produce and monetize new content formats; the inherent challenges of estimating the overall impact on page views and search driven traffic to our owned and operated websites based on the data available to us as internet search engines continue to make adjustments to their search algorithms; our ability to compete with new or existing competitors; our ability to maintain or increase our advertising revenue; our ability to continue to drive and grow traffic to our owned and operated websites and the websites of our network customers; our ability to effectively monetize our portfolio of content; our dependence on material agreements with a specific business partner for a significant portion of our revenue; future internal rates of return on content investment and our decision to invest in different types of content in the future, including premium video and other formats of text content; our ability to attract and retain freelance creative professionals; changes in our level of investment in media content intangibles; the effects of changes or shifts in internet marketing expenditures, including from text to video content as well as from desktop to mobile content; the effects of shifting consumption of media content from desktop to mobile; the effects of seasonality on traffic to our owned and operated websites and the websites of our network customers; our ability to continue to add partners to our registrar platform on competitive terms; our ability to successfully pursue and implement our gTLD initiative; changes in stock-based compensation; changes in amortization or depreciation expense due to a variety of factors; potential write downs, reserves against or impairment of assets including receivables, goodwill, intangibles (including media content) or other assets; changes in tax laws, our business or other factors that would impact anticipated tax benefits or expenses; our ability to successfully identify, consummate and integrate acquisitions; our ability to retain key customers and key personnel; risks associated with litigation; the impact of governmental regulation; and the effects of discontinuing or discontinued business operations. From time to time, we may consider acquisitions or divestitures that, if consummated, could be material. Any forward-looking statements regarding financial metrics are based upon the assumption that no such acquisition or divestiture is consummated during the relevant periods. If an acquisition or divestiture were consummated, actual results could differ materially from any forward-looking statements. More information about potential risk factors that could affect our operating and financial results are contained in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year endingDecember 31, 2012 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission(http://www.sec.gov) on March 5, 2013, and as such risk factors may be updated in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, information under the captions Risk Factors and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Furthermore, as discussed above, the Company does not intend to revise or update the information set forth in this press release, except as required by law, and may not provide this type of information in the future.

 

Source: Demand Media, Inc.

For Demand Media
Quinn Daly, 310-600-8005
quinn.daly@coburnww.com