Entries in Domain Names (2)

Ad Campaign-Specific Domain Names

Many companies use campaign-specific domain names in order to emphasize newly advertised features, attributes, or services. Websites are developed which display promotional materials for the company which are created specifically to reinforce the messages conveyed in television and print advertising campaigns.  For example, in order the emphasize the primary benefit of the new Windows Mobile, Microsoft established WorkWherever.com:

WindowsMobile4s.JPG


Similarly, Fedex Kinkos developed NoMoreAllNighters.com to promote their new “Print Online” service:

FedexKinkos2s.JPG


Lexus also created TheLexusEvent.com to facilitate the promotion of their annual Summer sale:

Lexus also created TheLexusEvent.com to facilitate the promotion of their annual Summer sale:

TheEventS.JPG


Finally, the American Heart Association also uses this strategy in conjunction with their "Beat Your Risk" campaign.  BeatYourRisk.com appears as follows:

AHAs.JPG

Other campaign-specific domain names include EnvisionYourGoals.com (Wachovia Securities), GetHealthyLegs.com (VNUS Closure), BeyondPetroleum.com (British Petroleum), EnergyTomorrow.org (American Petroleum Institute), ObeyYourThirst.com (Sprite), ThinkOutsideTheBun.com (Taco Bell), FedExFootball.com (FedEx), and BeATiger.com (Accenture). 

Posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 at 06:42PM by Registered CommenterBob in | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

Using Alternate TLD's

LoveS.GIFDomains with a “.com” extension are by far the most valuable and recognizable names. This is because Internet users will tend to remember and gravitate toward “.com” domains by default. This will tend to cause, for example, domains with a “.net” extension to lose significant traffic to their “.com” counterpart.  "Generic/Global Top Level Domains" (called gTLDs, which include, .com, logodesignNetS.GIF.org, .net, .edu, .info, .biz, .mobi, .name, etc...)  other than .com also require your customers to remember and additional piece of information.  The primary goal of your domain name SourceForge.GIFstrategy should be to make your domain as mnemonic as absolutely possible so that your customers will be able to easily find your site again, and so that potential customers who have only received word-of-mouth information will be able to locate your business on the web with minimal or no effort. PeopleCN.gif

So while you should always use a .com TLD whenever possible, be aware that there are many very excellent domain names which use either other gTLDs (i.e., .net, .org, etc...), or two letter country code domains called National or ccTLDs (for example, .us, .ca TravelAU2s.GIF(Canada), .cn (China), .jp (Japan), and .co.uk (United Kingdom)), which represent some important exceptions to this rule.  The best aspect of using this broader range of TLDs is that you can still find very memorable, effective names for a fraction of the cost of a .com domain.  The following are some important aspects related to using domains with less common TLDs:

  • ".org" extensions are more appropriate for organizations without a profit motive, such as museums or nobelprize.gifcharities.  Two recent large .org domain sales are Provider.org ($2,500), and Partnership.org ($5,000).
  • ccTLDs are especially appropriate when the site’s content is specific to that country (a consumer in the U.S. is much less likely to do business with a company with a “.co.uk” extension than a company that has a “.com” Canada411ca.gifextension but is based in the U.K.).   However, as mentioned earlier, you may very well find the perfect name for your website with the ccTLD for your home country, even though you company does business worldwide.   Some recent ccTLD sales are HotelReservations.us ($2,000), Food.de (Germany, $5,000), and Teens.ca ($4,300).
  • As mentioned above, other gTLDs such as .net, .biz, .info, .mobi, or .name can be less effective than a “.com” domain as the former could easily cause your site visitors to be misdirected.  However, many of these CampingInfoS.GIFdomains are still very effective and command great value.  Here are some recent sales:  Camping.info ($28,000), Career.net ($52,500), Traffic.biz ($8,000), Invest.mobi ($22,500).   For a better idea of prices, compare these large sales with more manageable ones:  ElectronicPayments.net ($3,300), HealthFood.org ($3,500), Unity.biz ($4,000), Won.info ($1,550), Antennas.net ($1,100), and Pink.mobi ($5,000). 

    Companies commonly use the strategy of buying all TLDs for their domain to avoid any confusion among TLDs, and to prevent brand dilution.  This is especially important for larger companies or organizations which do not use the .com TLD for their domain.  For example, BeautifulPeople.net uses the “.net” extension BpNetF.JPGbecause the website creates a “network” of (beautiful) users.  However,  BeautifulPeople.net can still be accessed at BeautifulPeople.com.  Similarly, CraigsList.org can be accessed at CraigsList.com.  When starting a new business, providing your budget is sufficient, it is generally recommended that you purchase the “.com” as well as the “.net” “.org” EbayPL.gifTLDs.  Larger companies (for example, Google) will tend to acquire all TLDs, including all ccTLDs, which may be developed into a site targeted at that country's market, if it is significantly different from the global market.
Posted on Thursday, December 28, 2006 at 12:32AM by Registered CommenterBob in | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint