Google No Longer A Domain Leader As It Sells Assets To Squarespace

Google.

A name you’re definitely familiar with, right?

No? If you’re not sure, maybe you could just Google it! #JustKidding

Yes, Google is so huge that between Google and its parent company, Alphabet Inc., they own over 200 companies which include startups and established acquisitions.

So, of course you know Google. Almost everyone with an internet connection knows about the world’s most popular search engine. A statistic HubSpot verifies by reporting that Google commands over 85% of the search market share, while StatCounter shows that 95% of mobile device traffic is directed down Google’s alley.

Internet browsing is Google’s area of expertise. Especially considering its famous browser – Google Chrome. You could be one out of over 3,258,256,887 (that’s 3.2 billion) people or roughly 41% of the global population, per a report by Atlas VPN.

Furthermore, Google also came out with Google Domains, its self-owned domain registration service. Originally launched in 2014 as an invite-only beta test, it was then opened to a public beta in the US in January 2015. It wasn’t until 2022 that it officially came out of its beta test. That was a long beta period, eh?

Overall, the service was made available in 26 countries with an offering of 300 unique domain endings, with the company saying the platform had “millions of active registrations”. Google also suggested using Google Sites or working with “premium partners like Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, Weebly, and Bluehost” to build a website with a shiny new domain.


However, the master acquirer has found itself selling assets as its digital domain business hits a dead-end!

You probably guessed it; we’re talking about Google Domains selling its assets and winding down.

Google is giving up the business and selling its assets to Squarespace (one of the premium partners it recommended for website building) for $180 million, according to Bloomberg. Most likely the deal will be completed in the third quarter of 2023, depending on regulatory approvals and other factors, while it’s believed the actual transfer could take until 2024 or more.

So, what else does the deal entail? Google will hand off 10 million domains owned by its customers to Squarespace, who will offer them the same renewal prices for the next 12 months. Additionally, customers will receive incentives if they use Squarespace to build their websites.

For customers looking to purchase domains through Google’s Workspace, the default platform will become Squarespace, making it the exclusive domain provider for the next three years at least. This will include a takeover of the domain billing and support services.

The Verge reports that Katie Wattie, Google’s Head of Workspace External Communications wrote, “Customers can purchase a domain name anywhere, and bring that domain name to Workspace as they always have. We will also continue to support our robust ecosystem of Workspace resellers, many of which provide domain registration services alongside a Workspace purchase.”


This isn’t the first shutdown of services by the tech giant, who previously closed Current, a Google Plus adaptation for enterprises and Stadia, its cloud gaming platform.

Fun fact: Reportedly, in 2015, Google accidentally sold the domain google.com for just $12! Google was able to undo the move as it controlled both the domain and the registry service. In the end, the domain’s new purchaser and incident-reporter was rewarded with $6,006.13 (a visual representation of “Google” with numbers).

Do you think Google could lose its footing in other domains? Or is this a rare slip-up by the tech giant? Let us know in the comments below!