As I’ve said before, ICANN’s new gTLD program presents an exciting opportunity for domain industry companies, future domain name registrants and everyday web surfers alike.

With more than 230 million names under registration at the end of Q1 2012, the domain name industry experienced an annual growth rate of 11% and annual renewal rates higher than 70%. These kinds of statistics indicate that the web address is still a sought after calling card for a large, global audience.

By the time ICANN’s process concludes and the new gTLDs have been rolled out, online branding and internet navigation will experience remarkable change. In this wake, a number of domain industry companies may emerge as catalysts of this transformation.

I believe that Demand Media is well positioned to play precisely that role. With a portfolio of companies that includes the world’s largest wholesale registrar, a full slate of non-contested gTLD applications, and a fine-tuned understanding of the mechanics of the domain business, Demand Media’s new Registrar business is already ahead of the curve.

Today we published a whitepaper to help people better understand ICANN’s program for gTLDs and the opportunities it creates.