Automattic to offer .blog domain names, WordPress not required

Automattic, the parent company of WordPress, will begin offering .blog domains later this year. And while you can use them with a WordPress.com or self-hosted WordPress website, you don’t have to.

According to Thursday’s announcement, registration prices “are still being finalized, but they will be in the standard range for new top-level domains with some premium pricing for higher-value names.” And the domains will be open to anyone, not just WordPress users.

You’ll be able to purchase a .blog domain at WordPress.com or through our partner domain name registrars. And again, the .blog domain will be available to everyone, regardless of what kind of site you have or who hosts it.

Like other new top-level domain rights owners, Automattic will first offer trademark owners the chance to secure .blog names that match their registered marks in a “sunrise” registration period. That’ll be followed by a “landrush” registration phase where individuals can apply to buy domains before open registration begins. In a separate post on his personal blog, Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg says those two phases will happen in August and October, respectively. Interested parties can sign up for further updates on the new domain at dotblog.wordpress.com.

Mullenweg also reveals that Automattic paid about $19 million for the rights to run the .blog registry.