Generic top-level domainsIDNDNSSEC
Overview
.youtube is a brand gTLD proposed and operated by Google (through Charleston Road Registry) to provide a dedicated Internet namespace for select YouTube channel content. The TLD is intended to strengthen the brand relationship between YouTube and its content partners and simplify the YouTube user experience by offering short, branded second-level domains.
History
- Proposed by Google as part of ICANN's New gTLD Program.
- Google publicly confirmed its applications on its official blog.
- A Registry Agreement with ICANN was signed on 1 May 2014.
- .youtube was delegated into the DNS root zone on 29 August 2014, completing the successful application.
Usage and Audience
- Intended audience:
- Select YouTube channel providers and premium content partners.
- Content distributors that meet YouTube's selection criteria.
- Purpose and use cases:
- Host short, simple, branded URLs that point to a channel or specific YouTube offerings (example given in the application: "brand.youtube").
- Provide a dedicated namespace signaling that the domain contains select, authoritative YouTube content.
Registration Rules
- Registrations are intended to be limited to select or premium YouTube channel partners that meet YouTube's selection criteria.
- The applicant indicated an intention for all registered .youtube domains to be delegated to YouTube's DNS servers, which would provide authoritative responses directing users to the YouTube service.
- The applicant (Charleston Road Registry) stated an intention to operate with Google as the sole registrar and registrant and to seek an exemption to ICANN's Registry Operator Code of Conduct.
SEO and Brand Impact
- The proposed mission emphasizes strengthening the YouTube brand and reputation by extending it to .youtube second-level domains.
- Goals cited in the application include:
- Improving the YouTube user experience with streamlined, branded addresses.
- Creating a clear, authoritative namespace for select YouTube content, enhancing user trust and brand association.
Notable Cases or Examples
- The application explicitly uses a placeholder example such as "brand.youtube" to illustrate how channel owners or distributors would use a second-level domain within .youtube to point to channel-managed content.
Operator
Whois
% IANA WHOIS server % for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org % This query returned 1 object domain: YOUTUBE organisation: Charleston Road Registry Inc. address: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway address: Mountain View CA 94043 address: United States of America (the) contact: administrative name: TLD Admin organisation: Google Inc address: 111 8th Avenue address: New York NY 10011 address: United States of America (the) phone: +1 404 978 8419 fax-no: +1 650 492 5631 e-mail: iana-contact@google.com contact: technical name: TLD Engineering organisation: Google Inc address: 76 Ninth Avenue, 4th Floor address: New York NY 11001 address: United States of America (the) phone: +1 404 978 8419 fax-no: +1 650 492 5631 e-mail: crr-tech@google.com nserver: NS-TLD1.CHARLESTONROADREGISTRY.COM 2001:4860:4802:32:0:0:0:69 216.239.32.105 nserver: NS-TLD2.CHARLESTONROADREGISTRY.COM 2001:4860:4802:34:0:0:0:69 216.239.34.105 nserver: NS-TLD3.CHARLESTONROADREGISTRY.COM 2001:4860:4802:36:0:0:0:69 216.239.36.105 nserver: NS-TLD4.CHARLESTONROADREGISTRY.COM 2001:4860:4802:38:0:0:0:69 216.239.38.105 nserver: NS-TLD5.CHARLESTONROADREGISTRY.COM 2001:4860:4805:0:0:0:0:69 216.239.60.105 ds-rdata: 63811 8 2 704005247382f846eac39d9654488f071934fdf3e96c05be3266009593f60617 whois: status: ACTIVE remarks: Registration information: https://www.registry.google created: 2014-08-23 changed: 2025-04-11 source: IANA