ICM Registry gives a $75 ad credit for .xxx renewals or registrations – Use all your credits to promote 1 website – Search.xxx ad platform will launch by March 31, 2013

ICM Registry is offering a $75 per-domain credit to existing owners of .XXX domain names that renew or register names by January 31, 2013. The credit will be given towards future advertisements on its Search.xxx Ad Program. You will be able to apply all of your promotional credit(s) to ads for just one, or multiple, eligible .XXX websites associated with your .XXX Sponsored Community membership account. That means that if you own 100 .xxx domains and you only have 1 developed website then you can use the $7500 ad credit to promote that 1 website only.

The only problem is that currently there is no ad program and it’s expected launch is months from now. Last week I noticed that Search.xxx had started offering ads on search pages. Ads are displayed on top of search results and on the right side of the search pages. An ICM Registry representative contacted me yesterday and confirmed that there is an ad platform coming soon. He told me nothing about the new promotion though that was announced today. The new ad platform is anticipated to launch by March 31, 2013  but you only have until  Dec. 31, 2013 to use the credits. At this time they have launched a limited beta platform for testing purposes. The beta platform is limited to sites with developed adult content only. Websites like gay.xxx, that sold for $500,000 are already using the ad program. If you have a developed .xxx website and want to participate in the beta testing, you can contact ICM registry and ask to be included in the testing.

All active domain name registrations as of January 31, 2013 will be eligible for a one-time promotional credit, per .XXX domain name. You must have a validated .XXX Sponsored Community membership account by January 31, 2013; the promotional credit(s) will appear in your membership account by January 31, 2013. Each promotional credit expires on Dec. 31, 2013.

101Domain.com, a California based registrar is offering renewals or registrations for one year at $75, so the entire amount credited can be used towards ad credits on Search.xxx.

CEO of ICM Registry, Stuart Lawley gave out some details about the .xxx grandfathering of the new TLDs. ICM has made applications to own and operate three additional adult entertainment-related TLDs — .SEX, .PORN and .ADULT.  If awarded these new TLDs, ICM Registry will offer a “grandfathering” clause and will automatically reserve matching names at no additional cost to those who already have .XXX domains. .XXX registrants can chose to do nothing and the matching names will never be released under the new TLD suffixes. If however, registrants choose to register the new names for use, there will be a nominal fee. Brand and trademark holders who own or have reserved .XXX domain names are automatically protected and will not have to register or reserve those names in the new TLDs.

Search.xxx has had over 2 million unique visitors and more than 12 million page views since the Sept. 27, 2012 launch.

Here is the complete press release:

Palm Beach Gardens, FL – November 01, 2012 – Following the highly successful launch of its .XXX porn search engine Search.xxx, ICM Registry, the company that operates .XXX, announced a unique advertising credit program making .XXX amongst the most affordable domains available.

ICM introduced a $75.00 per domain credit giving .XXX website owners real value towards future advertisements on its Search.xxx Ad Program. Search.xxx will introduce its full blown advertising platform in early 2013 when credits can be redeemed for ads in prime placements and featured sections of the search results.

With over 2 million unique visitors and more than 12 million page views since the Sept. 27, 2012 launch, Search.xxx has already generated millions of page clicks to .XXX sites. The impactful performance of Search.xxx resulted in a high demand for premium placement from within the .XXX community.

This demand has ICM Registry expediting the development of the ad program, which recently launched in Beta form on Search.xxx. ICM Registry wants to reward the loyalty of the .XXX community by offering the $75 per-domain credit to existing owners of .XXX names and those who renew or register names by January 31, 2013. Ads on Search.xxx do not displace organic search results; developed .XXX sites that are listed in the organic index will continue to receive all of the benefits and traffic from Search.xxx at no charge. To find out more about the Search.xxx Ad Platform promotional offer, see: www.icmregistry.com/adplatform.

“We are pleasantly surprised by how strongly Search.xxx is resonating with Internet users and website owners alike – as a community-based TLD, .XXX aims to serve its registrants and their consumers. We want to continually innovate new ways to add value to and promote the awareness of the .XXX TLD in the minds of the consumer,” said CEO of ICM Registry, Stuart Lawley. “The reception that Search.xxx has received from consumers since launch exhibits the growing awareness of the .XXX domain.”

Lawley added “This Search.xxx Ad Program incentive pushes the effective cost of a .XXX domain down by $75.00; which is a fantastic value for our registrants with developed sites. Many registrars, who are already reporting much higher than average renewal rates, have welcomed this move as in many cases the promotional credit matches or even exceeds their retail price for a domain name.”

For example 101Domain.com, a California based registrar said “Our hats go off to ICM for this new initiative. Sponsored Community customers can renew or register with us for one year at $75 and get the entire amount credited towards ad credits on Search.xxx !”

“We are offering this limited-time credit per domain promotion because we hope that website owners will buy additional ads once they have a direct experience of the quality traffic generated from their $75 credit,” said Lawley.

In December 2011, ICM Registry launched the TLD dedicated to adult entertainment. In doing so, the company adopted industry-leading best practices to create a safe place for visitors to interact with online adult entertainment. Additionally, ICM is making significant moves to protect .XXX participants with its recent applications to own and operate three additional adult entertainment-related TLDs — .SEX, .PORN and .ADULT. Those are under review by ICANN, the governing body for Internet names and numbers.

If awarded these new TLDs, ICM Registry will offer an unprecedented “grandfathering” clause and will automatically reserve matching names at no additional cost to those who already have .XXX domains. .XXX registrants can chose to do nothing and the matching names will never be released under the new TLD suffixes. If however, registrants choose to register the new names for use, there will be a nominal fee. This means .XXX domain holders can potentially quadruple their exposure and the value of their holdings, while brand and trademark holders who own or have reserved .XXX domain names are automatically protected and will not have to register or reserve those names in the new TLDs.

About ICM Registry:

ICM Registry LLC, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, is the registry operator for the .XXX sponsored top-level domain as approved by ICANN in 2011. ICM Registry provides the management and supporting infrastructure for this extension offered via registrars around the world.