Why use a new domain name ?

The same question 

I am often asked the question: “why would I use a new domain name?” or “why would I change my domain name? And I keep answering the same thing:

• …because there is a lot more precision in using a new domain name;
• …it is new and novelty attracts the eye;
• …there is a very strong identity advantage in showing your clients that they are at the right place when visiting your website;
• …the business you are related to appears in your domain name;
• …Google shows the domain name extension in the result of a search;
• etc, etc.

Recently I found a new argument.

Kari Södö is a Virtual Artist

I am not Finish but I believe Södö must be the family name of Kari and I also believe that it is a good idea to register the family name as a domain name. I registered guillon.name a long time ago. Kari decided to register sodo.info.

Oh…you noticed ?

I did a few checks, starting with the .com domain name, the .net and a few others and I confirm that changing domain name can be a good idea, in particular in these early stages of the ICANN new gTLD program: it is possible to register a great – and short – domain name.

A new argument

When the domain name means something different or when it is the diminutive of something else in a different language, it can get confusing. In our case, changing domain name can be the opportunity to start from scratch and get rid of the confusing domain. Then this one will be redirected to the new one: sodo.info could be redirected to a new domain name and keep a good SERP (Search Engine Results Page). There are many ways to do this in an efficient way.

No matter whether the search engine positioning was good or not because what matters first is what the domain name means when you read it for the fist time. In the case of sodo.info, I understand it is the introduction of M. Södö, a Virtual Artist.

.DESIGN is a new gTLD to be launched “soon”

There are many new domain names but the one to come to my mind first for a Virtual Artist would be .ART or .DESIGN. If these two are not available yet, I would suggest to look at any Accredited Registrars for a new one. I personally find that kari.design would be a good match.

Limitations of .Brand Search Engines

Based on the success of these niche engines, some TLDs pundits have argued for the viability of search engines for companies that have registered their .Brands. Imagine a Search.Nike or Search.Apple.

Read the complete article on gTLD.club:
http://gtld.club/2014/09/01/limitations-of-brand-search-engines/

Do you know who this guy is?

Well, if you don't click here.

Success Factors for New gTLDs Program

An interesting post by Alex Tajirian founded DomainMart in 1996. DomainMart expanded its offerings to domain registration services in 11 languages, escrow, Web hosting, leasing, protecting online identity, appraisal and valuation, monetization consulting, and managing Corporate Training.

Read the post on gTLD.club

The success of the new gTLDs program depends on the actions of the winning registries and on ICANN’s allocation policies for the second round of applications. A successful landscape would be dominated by only a few registries but would be less confusing for users.

More here: http://gtld.club/2014/09/01/success-factors-for-new-gtlds-program/

Wrong question to ICANN and wrong answer...

I rarely read long articles and generally focus on what is written about new gTLDs. Articles from the INTA are good ones but something really hurt me when I read that interview. One question and one answer are just...wrong.


The question: "What has been the biggest obstacle to educating Internet users around the world about the New gTLD Program?"

Am I the only one to have a problem with this question and in particular the "has been"?

The answer: "I think that the sheer scale of the program, and the fact that many Internet users around the world still don’t know about ICANN or what we do, have made this extremely difficult".

Is ICANN seriously considering that the job is done with this answer? If this is the case we are in wonderland and my belief is that ICANN should invest more in communicating about new gTLDs because very - but very - few people have heard about them.

Read the interview here.

Who will apply for .SEO in Round 2 ?

Many domain name extensions with potential were not applied for in the first round of the ICANN new gTLD program. If investors targeted very generic ones such as sport extensions (ie: .FOOTBALL or .RUGBY) and other very generic strings (such as .CLUB or .FINANCE), many industries did not receive an application for their TLD.

Read my article on gTLD.club

100,000 registrations = CHAMPAGNE !

Just in case no one noticed, the .CLUB registry is the first new Registry to have reached the 100,000 registrations without giving any.

There were 4 articles written today about .CLUB:

1. TheDomains : http://www.thedomains.com/2014/08/29/club-sells-its-100000th-domain/
2. DomainIncite: http://domainincite.com/17240-club-first-new-gtld-to-sell-100000-domains
3. OnlineDomains: http://onlinedomain.com/2014/08/29/news/club-1st-new-gtld-to-reach-100000-sold-domain-names/
4. DomainNameWire: http://domainnamewire.com/2014/08/29/club-first-new-tld-to-reach-100000-paid-registrations/

To register a .CLUB domain name, click here.

New Registries impressive strategies

Memories

• Who could have imagined there would be so many new gTLD applicants?
• Who would have bet that one company would be rich enough to apply for more than 10 new domain name extensions at the price of $185,000 each?
• Who would have expected an applicant to apply for…60, 100, 300 new Top-Level Domains?

In 2010 very few would have expected that the ICANN new gTLD program would launch this way, many were talking about serious innovation in the domain name space but I don’t remember any post or any article mentioning that one applicant could or would submit dozens of applications. Today, the result of this first round is very different from what we, users and members of the new gTLD community, expected.

Read my article on gTLD.club