In this short video, Ray King, the founder and CEO of Top Level Design, talks about his experience of applying for, launching, and running his TLDs on the CentralNic Registry platform.
Top Level Design LLC is a portfolio registry operator, with a focus on top-level domains that are creative and foster connection between people and their passions. Its TLDs are .wiki, .ink, .design, and .gay.
The .design domain is the keystone of its business, which was launched in 2015 and is now one of the most successful and widely-used extensions to come from the 2012 new TLD expansion. It is a premium product being used by designers of all types, from graphic and web designers to interior and industrial designers. Designers are an ideal target market for the new domains because they understand new technology as well as the importance of branding. Additionally, .design is the only new domain extension to be used by dozens of major brands to supplement their standard site: examples include spotify.design, airbnb.design, amazon.design and many others.
The .gay domain is the most recent addition. Launched in 2020, the .gay domain is a safer online space for LGBTQ people that bans all hateful content, and the registry is donating 20% of revenue from new domain sales to LGBTQ nonprofit organizations. This is a groundbreaking innovation in the domain industry: there are no other domain extensions curating a safe community space online in addition to donating to related causes with each new registration. The launch has garnered significant media attention as well as partnerships with celebrities such as George Takei and Roxane Gay.
The .wiki and .ink TLDs round out the team’s interest in centering human connection and expression. Wiki technologies and .wiki domains empower research and foster sharing with like-minded individuals. The .ink TLD lends itself well to writing and artistry of all types, with an evocative name unlike any other domain extension.