GoDaddy’s Quest to Master the Upsell

Integrating Microsoft Office 365 email with a new domain name used to require clicking through 22 screens. But sign up through GoDaddy, and it’s just one; the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based firm takes care of the rest of the work automatically, says CEO Blake Irving.

It’s all part of the Web domain seller’s strategy to draw more revenue from small businesses through apps and services on top of its core product—a model borrowed from Box, Microsoft and others. Website name sales have become increasingly commoditized since Google and Amazon have entered the business. And so GoDaddy has focused on persuading customers to buy add-ons—so much so that nearly a quarter of its sales bookings come through its customer service arm.

All this has required a complete overhaul of GoDaddy’s data center and software infrastructure. That in turn means persuading Silicon Valley talent that the company isn’t the low-brow, technological backwater its brand once suggested, thanks to its infamous Super Bowl ads featuring scantily clad women and cold-hearted puppy selling.

Adding to the pressure: GoDaddy, which has $1.1 billion in revenue, went public in April. The Information chatted with Mr. Irving, a former executive with both Yahoo and Microsoft, about the challenges of tripling the company’s data center capacity and reaching out to female business owners. Edited excerpts below.