In March, Sedo released a survey that asked SMBs about the new internet extensions, or generic top level domains (gTLDs), coming to the public in late 2013. We wanted to know what they knew about the new internet addresses, and if they were likely to pay attention. Results showed that SMBs generally didn’t know about the new domains, or really even care. On the other hand, SMBs were open to the opportunities and said they’d consider buying a new gTLD if they better understood why they would be important. So we at Sedo set out to try and help them understand better, and educate them on the topic.
This is really a brand new wave of opportunity for naming on the internet. I’d say that around 99% of all first searches for a domain name show that the first choice is not available. If you’re a new company looking for a company name, and then try to get the matching domain, you’ll likely be out of luck finding what you really want. There is always the possibility that the domain you want will be available on the premium market, but costs can be prohibitive to some, especially for smaller companies or start-ups. Many companies resort to their second, third, fourth and so on, choice of domain. Not what they really want.
What does this mean? Well, the domain they finally end up with may not be short, easy to remember or descriptive, all the qualities that normally make for a great domain name. These things are important because it has to be easy for your customers and potential customers to remember your internet address, domain and visit the website. It’s similar to seeing a commercial on TV, but not having a clue about what company was being advertised one minute later. You may remember all kinds of details about the products or service, but not the actual company name. A mediocre domain can have the same effect. If it’s not easy to remember, your domain can actually make it difficult for customers to find your company on the web – and that means losing leads and sales.
How will the new TLDs, or new internet addresses, make a difference? The new TLDs will open new doors and bring a wide variety of options for naming. We have seen this already on a smaller scale, with the introductions of .co and .me domains in recent years. These two new TLDs give domain seekers options they previously didn’t have.
A good example is Vine. In 2012, the innovative startup app company needed an internet address. Vine.com was reportedly available at the time on the premium market for $500,000. Vine.co, however, was available for registration and had a much more reasonable price tag. The .co domains have been growing in popularity since their launch almost three years ago and have proven to be a very attractive and solid option for many. Vine went live with a .co address. Today when you search “vine” on Google, the first seven organic results are for or related to Vine.co. Vine.com, an ecommerce site, doesn’t show up until after the first seven Vine.co results. Oh, and did I mention that Vine.co was acquired in 2013 by Twitter for a reported $970 million?
The endgame is that although we love all love our .coms and they will likely rule for a long, long time, the price can be prohibitive. Innovation and new options for consumers were some of the driving forces behind the new gTLD program from its outset. When ICANN, the Internet’s governing body, opened the doors for companies to apply and run the gTLD of their choosing, they received over 1,900 applications. From big brands like Amazon and Google and those well established in the domain name industry like Verisign, to newcomers like the City of New York or the Boston Globe, the response was overwhelming.
Starting at the end of 2013, we’ll start to see some of these new internet addresses or new gTLDs, live and on the internet. Not just on the internet – we’re going to see them on TV, in print and any type of advertising you can imagine. Soon, you may start seeing and hearing about internet addresses like Newtonville.pets, or CentralSquare.pizza. You’ll see some of the brands start to shift their naming and we could easily see something like, HomeLoans.CITI or Speed.BMW. The options for brands become endless when they own their brand name’s TLD. The options for the domain consumer open up wide as well, with many of these new TLDs available to the public to purchase in a new domain.
Not only will we have more options, we’ll likely see more affordable pricing. I could potentially get KathyNielsen.blog, Kathys.music, Kathy.Faith, Kathys.Design or Kathys.Pets. Alternatively, a startup or existing company could upgrade and get a domain that best describes what they do or their location, in a short, memorable domain. China.Trade, Health.Men, Apps.Download, Visit.Paris, History.Boston and Taxis.NYC will all be very real options in the near future.
Since releasing our survey back in March, we’ve launched a newsletter for people interested in the new internet addresses, or new gTLDs. What is so interesting is to see the types of people signing up to get information. I’ve been contacted by Fortune 100 companies wanting to learn more. I see startups, individuals, ad agencies and major companies from all over the globe searching to learn more on the topic. Every day, the sign-ups grow and grow. It’s very promising to see the level of interest starting to grow and businesses are getting educated.
Now is the time. Soon the launch phases for many of these new internet addresses will begin, and the opportunity to secure domains with your trademarks in advance of public availability, or just the domains you really want, will be here. As the change occurs, it will be important for brands and consumers to keep informed about the news and opportunities with the new TLDs in order to stay ahead of the curve in this fast-paced internet world.