Abhishek Kumar
In the competitive environment of the Internet, the simplicity and fast access to information are considered crucial factors to success. To this end, first-level domains new generations, known as Top Level Domains (TLDs), have been gradually gaining ground, and they are a promise of a revolution in the Internet world stage.
Currently, the most popular domain extensions are already overwhelmed, so it is harder to get a good combination. However, a new ICANN initiative, a world entity in charge of the administration of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) and country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs) is innovating and bringing competition for the popular .com, “.net” and “.com.br”. The project consists of considerably increase the existent domain extensions on the internet, and promise to really expand the possibilities of combinations of domain names, using new extensions as .tech, .cloud, .online, .top, .site, .shop and .auto.
The project expects to launch more than 1,300 new generic domain extensions in the next years, a really impressive number, considering that only 22 gTLDs have been launched since 1985. Currently, millions of these registered new domains already exist around the world, and Brazil is among the 30 countries which have the most register numbers of these new extensions in the global ranking, staying behind of countries such as China, the USA, Germany, and England.
With this movement, companies need to be prepared to protect their brands with new domain extensions that correspond to their areas of activity. Agencies, web developers, wholesalers, industries, and entrepreneurs will have new opportunities to make their websites, campaigns, and online projects more creative and innovative. Besides, new endeavors will have several possibilities to find their desirable domain name.
There are several applications and benefits for new domain extensions. The first one is the simplicity to show the company activity area in its own URL, such as .software, .computer, .solutions, and .hotel. This “self-description” makes brands, even more, relevant and memorable. Besides, the keyword in the domain name is an important criterion that may affect the relevance with search engines such as Google.
The second one was never easy to explain about services, products, or online campaigns, as in the use of terminations .cloud, .host, .digital, .tickets, .top, and .email, making them, even more, remarkable in the perception of customers and consumers. Another option is in the use of geography to reinforce the local identity, such as .rio, .london, and .nyc.
Communities or specific groups also receive their own identifications – such as .tech, which reinforces the technological context, and .dev or .guru, for developers or Internet professionals.
Giving merit to the importance of this movement, big companies already have their own extensions, as .globo, .itau, and .sony. This brings a bias towards innovation and perceived value to the brand.
There are domain extensions and combinations for all kinds of businesses, communities, styles, tastes, and trends, providing, with all of these, a remarkable experience in the life of customers and consumers. Just use the creativity, and it will be possible to find several combinations, such as: .social.project, guru.smith, ninja.support, marketing.agency, brewery.beer, style.fashion, and so on.
Finally, this movement results in some marketing investment, cultural adaptation, and depends on the natural evolution of the internet in the global scope. The thing is that this scenario is really creating a new opportunity for companies, entrepreneurs, and people to stand out on The internet and become even more competitive and innovative. And as soon as these segments are inserted in this context, the evolution of the Internet in Brazil and in the world will happen faster.
