Here’s what you need to know
The Dot BigBang
is coming
The release of more than 1,000 new gTLDs means your website won’t have to be a dot com or dot biz or dot org anymore – it can be a dot whatever you like.
Quite simply, it’s the biggest shake-up
since the internet began.
What is The
Dot BigBang?
This is the beginning of a new digital landscape. It gives your brand the opportunity to grow its digital footprint and to build a domain portfolio that works for you. Dot place, dot trend, dot industry, dot meme – dot allsorts. They are up for grabs. This guide will tell you everything you need to know, and what to do about it – to make sure you get there first.
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A quick history lesson
Initial application process: A total of 1,930 gTLDs were applied for, of which one-third were for a specific brand, e.g.Nike.
Duplicate competition: Many brands pounced on the same gTLDs – there were more than six vying for .app. Drop-outs and duplications have allowed ICANN to reduce the number down to just over 1,200.
Scheduling releases:
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced a staggered gTLD release over the next three years.
So what’s happened so far?
Before
In
with
Increase flexibility and control over your corporate image online, your naming strategy, and your partners, suppliers and customers. Greater command over your online presence, regarding costs, intellectual property and technical control.
Enhance your internal and external communications with a stronger point of interest.
Justify your current online presence, including your domain and trademark portfolios . Generate significant revenues through the registration and renewal of domain names.
The opportunities
for your brand
So what are your
new domain options?
Dot moves
Have your domain prefix and suffix form one word for striking and memorable domain names e.g. net.names.
Location based
Appeal to groups defined by location or language, with suffixes like .london or .christians.
Sector focused
.shop, .fashion, or .luxury, for example can help consumers associate your brand with a specific area of expertise.
Innovative
Suffixes such as .rocks and .ninja can provide a talking point for consumers.
Consumer trusted
gTLDs such as yourbrand.secure can demonstrate high levels of security, build consumer trust and help verify your online identity.
Organised
gTLDs like .contact can create separate sites or sub-sites for visitors looking for particular topics.
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Counterfeiting The opportunity is rife for thousands of sites to sell replicas of your goods, through domains like yourbrand.shop and yourbrand.discount.
gTLDs which present risk of brand damage from registration by disgruntled consumers
Overview gTLDs which could be used as reputable confirmation of identity in a phishing attack
gTLDs which could be used for the sale of counterfeit goods
yourbrandsucks.com yourbrand.xxx
Current examples yourbrandlogin.tk login.com/yourbrand yourbrandcheap.co yourbrandsave.cn .sucks .gripe .exposed .safety .reviews .adult .porn
High risk TLDs .group .solutions .online .finance .credit .institute .shop .deal .discount .save (fashion) (shop) Fraud
Phishing attacks are on the up and new gTLDs, for example yourbrand.group and yourbrand.shop, could be bought up and used by criminals. Brand damage
Disgruntled customers can damage your brand by registering domains such as yourbrand.sucks or yourbrand.reviews.
As with your current domain portfolio, new gTLDs
bring a raft of new threats to your brand online.
But beware...
The NetNames
approach
We’re dedicated to keeping you One Step Ahead, and our three key services will ensure that your business gets the most from The Dot BigBang:
The Trademark
Clearinghouse
Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) Services:
We will register your current trademarks and notify you if anybody tries to register a domain using them (or similar matches). Unlike the TMCH, we also offer 24x7 monitoring under all phases of registry operations.
Dot Strategy Report: We will recommend the most suitable new gTLDs to register and buy the chosen domains for you.
Dot monitoring services: We will look out for any registered domains that infringe your brand, and we’ll inform you on which domains your competitors are registering .
ICANN has set up the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) to help brands be aware during the gTLD scramble. Acting as a single database of authenticated registered trademarks, TMCH will inform brands if anyone is trying to register a trademarked domain name during the pre-registration launch period known as the ‘sunsrise’ period.
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Suggested TMCH trademark registrations. Suggested new gTLD registrations. Time and resource allocation.
Our unique engine combines data from public
sources and our own systems to devise a customised
Dot Strategy that’s just right for your brand online
.
Introducing the NetNames
Dot Strategy Engine
Current domain portfolio
Registration strategy List of actively registered domains Data from NetNames systems Suggested TMCH registrations Trademark list
Dot Strategy Engine
List of Madrid System international trademarks Data from WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) Suggested gTLD domain registrations Customer details Additional info on geographic/sector focus, key strings etc Qualitative assessment by NetNames Account Manager
Change in portfolio and cost with time
Contact a NetNames gTLD expert now and we’ll run the Dot Strategy Engine and produce your customised Dot Strategy Report.
Visit www.gtld.com
Get in touch
About NetNames
With more than 350 employees worldwide, NetNames is Europe’s largest domain name management and online brand protection specialist. Headquartered in London, with additional offices in Cambridge, Copenhagen, Munich, New York, Oslo, Paris, Santa Monica, Stockholm and Zurich – NetNames focuses on keeping
