Executive Overview: Your dot Brand TLD Application

You may have heard the news that global companies like yours can now apply for a new dot Brand top level domain ... or TLD.
A TLD is the suffix to the right of the last dot of an Internet or email address. For instance, the "com" in a dot com web address is a TLD.
The Internet's naming system is now open -- for a limited time -- to accept more TLDs, including unique ones that can reflect your company. For example, instead of "pepsi.com/drink", you could have "drink.pepsi."

In other words, instead of promoting ".com" every time you discuss your website, you can reinforce your own brand. And that goes for email, mobile websites, ads ... you name it -- literally.

The global body that regulates domain names, ICANN, is now accepting applications now through April 12, 2012.
That's not a lot of time, especially when an application can take several weeks to complete.
Since time is short, you need evaluate now whether to invest in a dot Brand.
How do you cut through the many viewpoints about this change to the Internet so you can decide if it's right for your business?
Here's one way. You can watch a webinar produced by the Columbia Business School's Center on Global Brand Leadership.
the webinar answers questions such as ...
"To TLD or Not to TLD?"

How Much Will a New TLD Cost?

New TLD Security Benefit: Brand Trust

How Will a New TLD Affect SEO?

And 11 other top-of-mind questions...
If you don't' have time to watch the whole webinar, we hope you'll at least take a few minutes to watch these webinar highlights, so you can hold a brand-building conversation with your team to decide whether to apply for a dot Brand TLD or not.
Keep in mind that the next opportunity to apply for a Top-Level Domain may not before several years, even a decade. That means your competitors may be applying now and will be years ahead of you in using unique branding like this.
Many firms are choosing a "secure and shelf" strategy to leave their options open, so they at least have their name locked down even if they aren't going to use it yet.
Some businesses are pursuing a "secure and innovate" strategy because they see that a dot Brand domain represents a unique way to build a premium brand.
For global brand leaders like you, these are only two viable strategic options.
Oh, but what about "Not applying"?
Well ICANN will publish the list of applicants a few days after the application date closes. That means you simply won't know which companies have applied until the opportunity to apply is closed.
How will your team -- and your board of directors -- react when they learn that your fiercest competitors applied for a unique top-level domain -- and you didn't?
Lastly, before you decide on your best course of action, we encourage you to visit our dot Brand resources website from Afilias.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Brand
• gTLD
• new TLD
• ICANN
• Top Level Domain Name
• dot Brand
• Brand TLD
• new TLD application

[thejothman]

Great Video, Roland.