Nexigen Digital has today announced that as of August 2022, it is the number one provider of .au direct domain names, with one-in-four being registered and managed through either its retail channel, VentraIP, or its wholesale channel, Synergy Wholesale – beating all other accredited registrars including global brands GoDaddy and Crazy Domains, and local listed brand Webcentral (ASX:WCG).
Launched in March 2022, more than 300,000 .au direct names have been registered to date, with many more expected when all uncontested names become available on Tuesday, October 4 at 8:00AM (AEDT).
Co-founder and Co-CEO, Cheyne Jonstone said:
“We are immensely proud to be Australia’s #1 provider of this new domain name, both in domains under management and new registrations. Our entire team have done amazing work to ensure the process has been smooth and seamless for our customers, and that has clearly paid off.”
When asked, Jonstone attributed this achievement to being a local, trusted company.
“.au direct is all about being Australian. As the leading challenger brand in this space, this achievement underscores our commitment to remaining a 100% Australian-owned and operated company, with all of our team members being locals.
We are officially the home of .au – and that’s exciting”, he said.
Nexigen Digital, parent of Australia’s leading web hosting and domain name service provider VentraIP, has today announced the acquisition of Net Virtue, an Adelaide based provider of web hosting, managed WordPress and domain names.
The seven-figure deal will see more than 15,000 clients and 40,000 services migrated under the VentraIP banner, making it their largest acquisition to date.
Co-founder and Co-CEO Angelo Giuffrida said: “We were extremely excited to be presented with this opportunity as Net Virtue has been a strong competitor for many years, and to be able to clinch the deal in the current market is testament to our reputation for providing best-in-class service to our clients and a proven history of providing a smooth transition process.”
“We will continue to honor the legacy of providing the high quality service that Net Virtue has built their reputation on, and expand on that by delivering 24/7 Australian support on industry-leading infrastructure.”
“2020 was a challenge for many businesses, especially small business and sole traders, and in 2021 there will be more businesses online than ever before. We know that those clients don’t want to hear from us about mergers, cost savings that don’t reduce their prices, and continuous promises of better days ahead that are never delivered; they just want to get on with their business, be respected, and get great service – and that’s what we continue to deliver in spades.”
Managing Director of Net Virtue Daniel Webber said: “I’m very proud and grateful of the team that shaped Net Virtue. Starting this business 10 years ago, I never envisaged growing to where we
are today, and I only have the team to thank for that.”
“VentraIP has proven time and again to put the customer first, which was a major factor in the acquisition. With the passion and energy that Cheyne and Angelo have created at VentraIP, I’m certain that our loyal customers will remain in capable hands to receive the best service and support in the industry.”
Nexigen Digital has today announced that they have acquired the business and assets of Digital Eagles Pty Ltd (Administrators Appointed). The deal will see $4.6M in annual contracted digital marketing revenue from leading brands including Bendigo Bank, L’OREAL, Harris Scarfe, Tyrepower, Camp Australia, Toyworld and Facey added to the group.
The acquisition comes just months after the launch of Nexigen Digital’s own digital marketing brand, Circular Media Group, headed by former Executive General Manager of WME (part of the Webcentral Group) Matthew Collins-Leslie, who brings over twenty years of growth, strategy and leadership experience to Nexigen Digital.
Co-founder and Co-CEO Cheyne Jonstone said: “This is a best-case outcome for all stakeholders in the Digital Eagles business, and we look forward to bringing operational stability, sensible management, and an extremely positive outlook for all.”
Mr. Jonstone stated that the company would maintain the Digital Eagles brand alongside Circular Media Group, but relaunch with a fresh, modern look, targeted at small-to-medium size businesses who are at the beginning of their online journey.
General Manager of Digital Marketing Matthew Collins-Leslie said: “It’s not impressive enough to simply have a first page result anymore; customers expect their digital agency to understand the commercial side of their business, and by bringing together Circular Media Group’s web marketing experts and Digital Eagles’ best in class delivery team our customers stand the best chance to have their brand heard and their results delivered.”
Nexigen Digital has been announced as the new group name for Australia’s largest privately owned brands of online service providers – including VentraIP Australia, Synergy Wholesale and Zuver Hosting and Domains.
The group – which intends to add more brands to its portfolio – will progressively diversify its service offerings, streamline internal policies and processes to deliver a seamless experience, and monetise its vast library of intellectual property through a number of targeted software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings.
Mr. Cheyne Jonstone, current Executive Chairman and Mr. Angelo Giuffrida, current Chief Executive Officer, will become co-CEOs of the group, with Mr. Jonstone overseeing sales and marketing and Mr. Giuffrida focussing on operations and compliance. Mr. Daniel Foenander will remain as Chief Operating Officer, and a search is currently underway for a Financial Controller.
Improvements in customer service and experience has been a major focus of the group in the past year, with the appointment of a new Customer Service Manager, Mr. Michael Price, who has previously managed service centres for Microsoft, the Australian Government, and Aldi Australia. There has also been a significant investment in technology including a new Avaya phone system and new Dell desktops for all staff.
“Our commitment to our customers and the high level of service we provide will only strengthen as our operational synergies begin to align within our brands, and we continue to make progress with important changes such as ISO 27001 certification”, said Mr. Giuffrida.
The group services more than 300,000 Australian businesses, employs 70 local team members, and has revenues exceeding $20M annually. FY19/20 growth came in at 31% (compared to FY18/19 at 14%), with the increase attributed to COVID-19 and successful execution of highly-targeted marketing campaigns.
“Over the past twelve months we have worked to create a new identity that gives us a vehicle to explore other opportunities that have been presented to us, such as capital raising and strong interest in a public listing”, said Mr. Jonstone.
The newly-minted co-CEO’s also teased that some major announcements would be made over the next two weeks.
UPDATE: It appears the offer from Web.com Group Inc. has been trumped by 5G Networks, a publicly-listed company with no relevant industry experience who is willing to pay far more than those with experience have valued the company at.
Now more than ever, it’s time to back an Australian business.
Yesterday it was announced that Webcentral Group (ASX:WCG), which includes brands such as Netregistry and Melbourne IT, recommended a scheme of arrangement to its shareholders to be wholly acquired by multi-billion dollar US company Web.com Group Inc.
This is the same company who recently acquired Dreamscape Networks, which included brands such as Crazy Domains and Vodien.
How does VentraIP Australia compare? See our comparison pages.
If this acquisition is approved by their shareholders it will see Nexigen Digital become the largest Australian owned and operated web hosting and domain name company, and whilst that is a personally humbling achievement as a business owner, it means that more than 80% of the local market share will then be foreign owned.
If all of your domain names and web hosting services are already with VentraIP Australia – firstly, thank you – but this announcement won’t affect you.
But if you or anybody you know still has online services with any of these brands you may wish to consider getting them transferred over to us as soon as possible because:
Don’t forget, you can still be rewarded with a $50 prepaid Mastercard for every new customer you refer to VentraIP Australia who has a domain name and web hosting. Get your referral link by logging in to your VIPControl account and start referring us today!
Thank you for supporting our business and our 65 local staff.
Last week we celebrated our twelfth year in business and we have no plans on going anywhere anytime soon.
We have built our brand and reputation on trust. We are firmly committed to our customers and this industry, and we will continue to innovate and provide a local alternative that delivers outstanding customer service and reliable web hosting.
If there is anything we can do to improve your experience with us, please send an email to info@nexigen.digital and we will be happy to listen to your feedback.
Welcome to 2020!
I hope that you were able to enjoy some quality time with your family and friends, and your Christmas break was fruitful.
The greatest thing about running a company like ours is that we are able to see the journey our customers take in launching their businesses. That’s from idea inception all the way through to execution (when a website or online store is launched), and it’s a privilege to be involved in that process.
The most important thing is that during the entire journey we remain approachable and continue to provide top-quality technical support through channels that our customers want — and that’s something we are focused on this year.
Additionally we are continuing to tweak our core service offerings and look forward to providing a simple and clear experience for our customers from service discovery to management.
I want to thank you for your continued support and look forward to working with you over the next year.
As always, I, along with my management team, can be contacted directly through email to info@nexigen.digital and we always love to hear your feedback and comments.
