6 ms·

GoDaddy is the Oracle of web hosting companies. I don’t understand their popularity, yet it seems to be going strong. Why is that? (Serious question, not rhetor

GoDaddy is the Oracle of web hosting companies. I don’t understand their popularity, yet it seems to be going strong. Why is that? (Serious question, not rhetorical.)

SteveNuts 8y ago
I would guess it's their marketing that helps. They're one of the few with prime-time TV commercials.
swebs 8y ago
Advertising. I remember seeing tons of not-quite-porn ads from them even during superbowls.
- 3dfan 8y ago
  Are they profitable?
  - therealdrag0 8y ago
    $139.8 million net income in 2017.
- collinmanderson 8y ago
  They stopped those fall 2013.
  - TheCoelacanth 8y ago
    So, long after those ads had made them a household name?
  - foob 8y ago
    That's quite specific. Do you know what the impetus for them to stop was?
    - TimothyBJacobs 8y ago
      New management I think?
    - praneshp 8y ago
      New CEO (Blake Irving)
      - cipherzero 8y ago
        He did a Reddit AMA after starting: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/23v7f3/hi_im_blake_irving_i_am_the_ceo_of_godaddy_ask_me/ https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/23v7f3/hi_im_blake_ir... I remember it being surprisingly good!
  - feikname 8y ago
    I was get YouTube video ads for them everyday not long ago.
openloop 8y ago
agree
elorant 8y ago
Cheap .net packages, shitton of advertisement, constant discounts and offers, and more importantly they own the domain market.A lot of people buy domains from them and it doesn't take long to host something on that domain, so why not stick with them. Long story short, the power of convenience.
- tracker1 8y ago
  Although I have mixed feelings, I've switched all my domains to Google... the one down side to Google's domain management is there's no way to bulk edit contact information (when you move). It's about as simple as it gets to add services, but Google's DNS is included (as opposed to GoDaddy's, which is slower) and I don't get pressured multiple times and have to click less obvious links to not choose other services. Privacy is included at cost, for TLDs that support the option.
  - botverse 8y ago
    What happens if you are locked out of your Google account? This can happen for some silly reasons and some times without recourse. Will you lose your domains, effectively ruining your business?
    - tracker1 8y ago
      I have to say, google domains is about the only case where I have had responsiveness from google support. And it is a concern to me... I think that if google does such a thing it would be easy enough to demonstrate real damages in a lawsuit against google.
      - jamaicahest 8y ago
        Sure you could probably win a lawsuit. However what about the lost business you will incur until the lawsuit is done and Google decides to follow the court order?
        8y ago
manyxcxi 8y ago
It’s name recognition. Whenever I have to help a company, friend, or family that doesn’t really know “tech”, their domain is, without fail, hosted by GoDaddy.
radicalriddler 8y ago
I was talking to my roommate, a non tech person, and asked her where she she got her domain, out of interest. She said GoDaddy. I let her know about their shittiness, but normal non I.T. people don't know enough to care.

GoDaddy is the Oracle of web hosting companies. I don’t understand their popularity, yet it seems to be going strong. Why is that? (Serious question, not rhetorical.)

SteveNuts 8y ago

I would guess it's their marketing that helps. They're one of the few with prime-time TV commercials.

swebs 8y ago

Advertising. I remember seeing tons of not-quite-porn ads from them even during superbowls.

3dfan 8y ago
Are they profitable?
- therealdrag0 8y ago
  $139.8 million net income in 2017.
collinmanderson 8y ago
They stopped those fall 2013.
- TheCoelacanth 8y ago
  So, long after those ads had made them a household name?
- foob 8y ago
  That's quite specific. Do you know what the impetus for them to stop was?
  - TimothyBJacobs 8y ago
    New management I think?
  - praneshp 8y ago
    New CEO (Blake Irving)
    - cipherzero 8y ago
      He did a Reddit AMA after starting: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/23v7f3/hi_im_blake_irving_i_am_the_ceo_of_godaddy_ask_me/ https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/23v7f3/hi_im_blake_ir... I remember it being surprisingly good!
- feikname 8y ago
  I was get YouTube video ads for them everyday not long ago.

openloop 8y ago

agree

elorant 8y ago

Cheap .net packages, shitton of advertisement, constant discounts and offers, and more importantly they own the domain market.A lot of people buy domains from them and it doesn't take long to host something on that domain, so why not stick with them. Long story short, the power of convenience.

tracker1 8y ago
Although I have mixed feelings, I've switched all my domains to Google... the one down side to Google's domain management is there's no way to bulk edit contact information (when you move). It's about as simple as it gets to add services, but Google's DNS is included (as opposed to GoDaddy's, which is slower) and I don't get pressured multiple times and have to click less obvious links to not choose other services. Privacy is included at cost, for TLDs that support the option.
- botverse 8y ago
  What happens if you are locked out of your Google account? This can happen for some silly reasons and some times without recourse. Will you lose your domains, effectively ruining your business?
  - tracker1 8y ago
    I have to say, google domains is about the only case where I have had responsiveness from google support. And it is a concern to me... I think that if google does such a thing it would be easy enough to demonstrate real damages in a lawsuit against google.
    - jamaicahest 8y ago
      Sure you could probably win a lawsuit. However what about the lost business you will incur until the lawsuit is done and Google decides to follow the court order?
      - 8y ago

manyxcxi 8y ago

It’s name recognition. Whenever I have to help a company, friend, or family that doesn’t really know “tech”, their domain is, without fail, hosted by GoDaddy.

radicalriddler 8y ago

I was talking to my roommate, a non tech person, and asked her where she she got her domain, out of interest. She said GoDaddy. I let her know about their shittiness, but normal non I.T. people don't know enough to care.