How the Sale of GoDaddy Will Change the Internet

Go Daddy is a massive hosting brand, particularly in the US where its commercials are often controversial.

Last week, we learned that Go Daddy is up for sale.

Much of the press attention centred on its price.

But there’s an equally newsworthy story here: the potential impact of a new boss at Go Daddy.

What Will Change at Go Daddy?

MHB over at The Domains has published some thoughts on this. There seem to be three very likely outcomes.

• With Bob Parsons’s no longer owning Go Daddy, the company could be less focused on personality and more on service.
• Its controversial Super Bowl commercials and Go Daddy Girls will probably be phased out.
• Both of the above may mean Go Daddy actually makes more money, even if growth slows down and its public profile diminishes.

How Will It Change Everyone Else?

Industry response may depend on how much GoDaddy actually sells for. Some people feel the $1 billion estimate is actually very low. But we can speculate.

• Expect several smaller, lesser-known companies to also put themselves on the block even though they will fetch far less.
• Many companies have remained shy about mass-market advertising as they don’t have the budget or recognition to compete with Go Daddy. Remove Go Daddy from that equation and you have more room at the top.
• Smaller competitors, already struggling to compete with GoDaddy, may see this as the time to start merging and/or buying out smaller competitors.

The Consequences

What happens to Go Daddy will inevitably affect the rest of the community, particularly in the US.

If it sells for a pittance, it might hurt the investor outlook on the rest of the industry. If it sells for a small fortune, it could attract more attention than ever.

Either way, this is a story that everyone will be watching.Keep up with posts like this by subscribing to our RSS feed, or following @WhoIsHosting on Twitter.