A brief introduction
A domain name typically has two or three parts which are separated by dots. Each part is called a “level” and they are numbered right to left. Consider, for example, the domain name “news.google.com”. The first level is “com” and is known as a Top Level Domain (TLD). You may also see it referred to as a level one domain. The second level is “google” and the third level is “news”. The whole thing put together helps us identify resources on the Internet, such as a website.
These TLDs are managed by a registry. VeriSign, for example, is a registry that manages all the .com and .net records. They, in turn, distributes the job of selling and managing domain names through registrars. When you buy a domain name, you will usually buy it through a registrar.
In the early days of the Internet there were just a handful of registries and they had defined uses. For example, .com was predominately US companies, .net was for network services and .org was intended for non-commercial organisations. These days, all three TLDs are used globally and universally.
Other registries exist such as .info and .mobi, each organises and administrates itself. For example, the .uk registry requires it’s members to have a local presence and second level domains are either delegated or managed, for example .co.uk or .gov.uk. Another example of how a domain is managed is .travel, which tries to ensure all it’s members are legitimate suppliers in the travel and tourism industry.
When choosing a domain name, it is wise to also consider which TLDs you will register.
The TLD muddle
In the above, I referred to the .uk registry, it belongs to a special subset of domains called a country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD). Many of these ccTLDs require a local presence, those outside will require the help of a local agency. Some ccTLDs have opened themselves up to the world market, an example of this is .tv which was originally designated for the country Tuvalu. Of course, no one had heard of Tuvalu but everyone knows what a television is, thus it is now marketed for all things video even though it is technically a ccTLD. Another examples of a ccTLD being used for other purposes is .la, which was originally designated for the country Laos. In fact, it is now marketed for a completely different location, Los Angeles.
Here are some more examples of countries marketing their ccTLD as something else:
- .ws (Western Samoa) is marketed as “Web Site”
- .am (Armenia), .fm (Micronesia) and .dj (Djibouti) are marketed for audio and online radio
- .st (Sao Tome and Principe) is marketed as “Street”
Another byproduct of these relaxed rules is the domain hack. A domain hack is where a TLD is used with the domain name to form a word. For example, .ws represents Western Samoa, however, it may also form the end part of a word such as 24ne.ws.
As you can see, the net result of this autonomous management is confusion and a mixed bag of features and enforcement. How is a someone in Laos represented if people are going to associate .la with Los Angeles? Is the authenticity of a travel agent lost if they continue to use .com? What’s the best approach to this?
Protecting your identity
Choosing to register a domain name under one TLD carries a certain element of risk. Say, for example, you register a name with .co.uk and then someone else comes along and registers the same name under .com? Will your customers remember which TLD you are? If they guess incorrectly, will they be going to a competitor? This dilemma, of course, extends to other TLDs such as .net, .info, .mobi and so on. One solution is to try and choose a name you can register across all the major TLDs, however, this is not always possible.
Another advantage for registering your name across multiple TLDs is the ability to simplify your marketing message by dropping the TLD from some of your marketing material where space is a premium. No matter which TLD people choose, they always end up at the right place.
So imagine, despite all I’ve said, you wish to register just one major TLD, .com or .net, which should you choose? From experience, I have found people in Asia are more open to the idea of .net than their western counterparts. Why? - I believe this is because .net is more descriptive than .com; COMmercial vs NETwork / InterNET.
As previously mentioned, another way to protect your identity is to go with a domain hack such as 24ne.ws. The originality will stay in peoples minds thus lessening the need to register the .com or .net. The domain hack can also be incorporated into your logo and thus become part of your trademark.
Ultimately, whichever path you follow, marketing is the only real way to reinforce the correct domain name and TLD into the minds of your audience.
Future TLDs
Many more TLDs are coming, no doubt bringing greater confusion and dilution. Whilst something of a fad, the domain hacks may point to the future; maybe what people really want is something straightforward like keywords, is there really a need for TLDs? Technology is ever changing and it seems inevitable, someday, maybe several years from now, this system will be entirely transformed or supplanted.
Good.luck.and.fortune
Listening
Grapevine