If you bought up a Google domain URL to build a cool new website, things could change as Google sells its Domains business to Squarespace for $180 million.
As Bloomberg reports, Google is pulling out of the domain name hype by continuing to cut costs and refocusing on other, more forward-thinking elements. Earlier this year, Google said it was cutting over 12,000 jobs, representing 6% of its global workforce, as part of a broader effort to sharpen its focus and realign key talent to new opportunities.
It seems that Google Domains has now become a victim of this shift and Squarespace is set to become the host of the various Google Domains URLs.
Originally announced in 2014 but only brought out of beta last year, a key benefit of Google Domains is that it offers custom URL identifiers using over 300 domain extensions for better customization of your web presence.
This allows for a more customized web presence, which is part of Google’s broader offering to build your business presence across the various apps and tools. Integrated, affordable domain hosting through the company that powers online search proved an interesting option for many, with over 10 million domains sold — and while Squarespace continues to support them, it seems like they’re sticking with a little less value without this integration.
But you can keep your cool .cafe or .media web address if you want, it just won’t come with the added potential benefit of directly tying into Google’s sorting systems.
It’s also likely to cost you more to keep, since Squarespace’s current prices are slightly higher than those listed on the Google Domains website. But that’s all yet to be judged when Squarespace acquires the company and integrates it into its offering.
The sale also suggests that Google’s cost-cutting efforts aren’t over as the company hopes to kickstart profits amid increasing competition from new generative AI tools as well as emerging players in the e-commerce space.
Novel URLs just don’t mean the same thing, and it’ll be interesting to see what Squarespace does with Google listings.
