GoDaddy Buys M.Dot to Expand their Services

GoDaddy is taking their web-hosting services to the next level by further expanding into mobile. GoDaddy currently manages approximately 54 million domains, and many of those customers have asked for help with mobile.  Accordingly, they have just announced their acquisition of the startup M.dot.  This acquisition is the first under the GoDaddy’s new CEO Blake Irving, who only recently joined GoDaddy.  While the terms of the deal with M.dot have not been released, the sale was expected to be anywhere from $5 million to $25 million.

M.dot is so valuable to GoDaddy because of the iOS mobile app created by the startup.  Their app allows users to create mobile websites simply using the app itself.  In the announcement, Irving stated regarding the app that they were “…helping our customers manage their business from anywhere, anytime with the simplicity of their smartphone or tablet.”

While other apps already offer website building products, M.dot’s unique draw is the fact that many people are more comfortable on their smartphones than using a computer . In offering M.dot, GoDaddy can hope to tap into an entire new group of businesses that don’t currently have websites.  Irving also noted that, “With M.dot, small businesses can compete on a big-time level without spending big time money.”

Conversely, M.dot can now take advantage of GoDaddy’s already built in customer support system.  Currently M.dot has approximately 60,000 businesses that have used their mobile web building service.  M.dot also has plans to create an Android app so that their services will be accessible to a broader audience.

Additionally, M.dot may be expanding into native apps in the future.  While that isn’t currently an option, it was originally part of the company’s plan.  While they are currently focusing on mobile web, they are collecting the necessary data for the possibility of offering a native app function.

Just in case you also missed Go Daddy’s recent Superbowl commercial-here it is again:

[Image via adrants]