New Regulations

ICANN is the current organization that administers the domain extensions process under contract from the NTIA. Therefore, any new regulations set by the NTIA must be followed by ICANN in the U.S. market.

Newly Proposed Rules

The new rules proposed by the music industry would require ICANN to document how the proposed extension has receive support from relevant stakeholders and can safely be supported by the global public interest prior to introducing new domain names. In early 2011, music industry groups such as the RIAA, ASCAP and A2IM sent a let to ICANN listing their concerns regarding the domain name change.

Initial Concerns of the Music Industry

Their main apprehension was the lack of direct control over who could register a .music extension. The industry does not want unlawful online music services to acquire a .music extension. Since the sharing of illegal music across the Internet is a current issue, an illegal website acquiring a .music domain name extension could significantly affect revenues within the industry.

Reiterating Concerns

This same group of advocates recently reiterated their trepidations to the NTIA to support the agency’s proposal to enforce stricter measures for the purchase of any new domain extension. The group released a statement informing the public that they do not feel as if ICANN has adequately address all concerns raised by relevant parties with regards to the sale and launch of new global top-level domains.

Awarding of the Domain Extensions

Also, the organizations want to be clear that they do not have an issue with the .music domain. Instead their concern is how the extensions are being awarded. The heart of the issue relates to who owns music online. There are many music companies that allegedly operate on the Internet outside the confines of the rules.

Small battles such as that with .music domain name extension are beginning to pop up across the globe as the launch of new top-level domains approaches. Hopefully ICANN can address all issues to ensure a streamlined launch.

Related posts:

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• November 26, 2008 – Finding a Domain for Your Business
• December 19, 2011 – Top 10 Domain Registrars
• December 9, 2011 – NameCheap vs. GoDaddy
• September 9, 2011 – Multiple domains – When Will This Benefit Your Endeavors?
• August 30, 2011 – Additional Branding Woes in the Domain Name Game
• August 12, 2011 – ICANN Defends New Domain Name Procedure
• October 28, 2010 – The Difference Between Private and Business Domain Registrations
• September 29, 2010 – How to Transfer a Domain to Another Hosting Account

It is important to distinguish the difference between the worth of a domain name, and the value of an entire web site. A domain name is simply a web address that represents site, even so, this title has value in and of itself. Judging the value of domain names can be quite confusing. To simplify the process, consider some of the following factors.

Keyword Optimization

Perhaps the most important aspect of a domain name is the keyword that it is targeting. The most valuable kind of domain name is one that is an exact match of a keyword that is commonly searched for. Also known as an exact match domain, these names are sought after because they tend to go straight to the top of the search engines for specific phrases, with little or no effort. For example, if someone searches for the term “credit cards,” it would not be surprising to see creditcards.com in the number one spot, even if the content and on-page design has not been search engine optimized. Registering a domain name with one of these phrases is becoming increasingly rare, however it is possible.

Domain Syntax

Another important factor to consider is the syntax; the arrangement of words or letters within the domain name. A domain name with numbers that substitute words are generally less valuable. For example, the domain name keywords4ranking.com would be less valuable than the domain name keywordsforranking.com. The reason for this is simple, when someone executes a search for a particular keyword, the chances of them typing in the number 2 or 4 instead of the words “to” or “for” are very low. Following the same reasoning, dashes also take away from the value of a domain name, as most people do not include dashes in their search queries.

Name Length

The length of the domain name is also very important, as it directly affects the memorability of the name. If a domain name is 30 characters and 4 words long there is a very slim chance that someone will remember it. Thus, it is very unlikely that you will receive repeat organic traffic unless you are highly ranked for a common keyword.

Domain Extension

The domain name extension or TLD is another crucial factor. The extension of a domain is simply the letters that follow the dot, for example – .com, .net, and .org – are all domain extensions. Dot com domains seem to outperform their counterparts in almost all instances, however .org and .net domains also rank well in the search engines. Surprisingly, even though they only cost about a dollar, .info domains can often rank #1 in Google if the right keyword is targeted.

Related posts:

• April 19, 2011 – How to Tell If a Domain Name Is Valuable
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Which Domain Extension is Better Than .com?

This question can be a difficult one to answer, because it depends entirely upon a variety of factors such as what you intend to do with the website, your budget, and other factors such as traffic targeting. If you’re planning on starting a company online, then you’ll actually want to own every extension of your domain. The reason for this is to prevent capitalization by your competitors.

Owning Your Domain Name

There are many competitors that will use nefarious means to steal your traffic by using your popularity, and even your own domain name against you. To do this they will register a domain name that has a different extension than yours, yet the same domain name. For example, if you own examplesite.com, then your competitor may purchase examplesite.net just to steal some of your mistaken traffic. They may even purchase names that contain typos like exmaplesite.com just to trick your visitors into visiting their site when they are trying to type in your site names. If you’re planning on only buying one domain extension, then you’ll want to choose wisely. If you are starting an online business then you can use the .biz extension, although you may be better off using the .com extension. However there are instances when simply using a .com domain would not be your best option.

Using Region Specific Domain Names

Region specific domain names are domain names that pertain to a certain location. An example of a region specific domain name would be examplesite.co.uk. This site extension is meant to show that the site is based in the United Kingdom. Using a domain extension like this would be especially helpful if you were targeting traffic in the United Kingdom. If your site is built around offering a local service, then you would most likely reap the most benefit from using a geographical domain name like the one above.

The beautiful thing about these domains is that you don’t have to actually be based in that area. You can give your site visitors the confidence they need to do business with you and make them believe you are located locally, even though you are located across the world. For example, if you want ed to sell a product that was hot in India, you could open a site with an Indian domain extension to give the impression that you are located in India. This is one way region specific domains are used to attract geo-targeted traffic.

Related posts:

• July 5, 2010 – Judging the Value of Domain Names
• September 10, 2009 – Should You Register a .Tel Domain?
• February 9, 2009 – Six Important Considerations for Domain Name Registration
• November 14, 2008 – Someone Registered My Domain – What Now?
• October 31, 2008 – Do You Really Need a .Com Domain?
• December 19, 2011 – Top 10 Domain Registrars
• September 30, 2011 – Picking up Expired Domains – Not Always Fun, but There’s a Way
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Dot TK

Dot TK is a domain registrar that offers free domain names in the .TK extension.  Millions of users have being using this TLD since 2001, which makes it more recognizable and powerful than you might think.  There are some advantages to having a .TK domain name, especially if you plan to use it with a short secondary domain.  In addition, it can be used with any type of website you may have, whether it is a blog or e-commerce site.

.CO.NR Free Domain Name

This is another service that offers free domains with a variety of extra features to boot.  Your name comes with the .CO.NR extension, a project designed to help those who are strapped for cash obtain a unqiue domain that can establish a degree independence similar to premium domains.  Some of the features that come along with the service include domain forwarding, URL cloaking and meta tag support, all of which are free with your domain name.

Afraid.org

Afraid.org offers a host of free services.  On the menu are domain names with the .afraid.org extension and several more, sub-domains, URL cloaking, dynamic DNS support and full DNS management.  In order to reap the benefits of Afraid.org, you must first sign up as a member, which can be done for free.  There are also paid packages that provide a greater level of flexibility as more capacity is available to you.

UNI.CC Network

Here you have one of the most popular free domain name services available today. UNI.CC Network allows you to build your web presence with the unique .uni.cc extension.  The service provides a variety of domain registration tools along with a DNS Setup Wizard that makes managing your identity a breeze.  This service is provided at absolutely no cost.  All you are required to do is keep your contact information up to date and abide by the site’s terms and conditions.

Fadlan

Fadlan is another great site that offers a free URL redirection and DNS service.  Domain forwarding is free, so you get a domain such as mysite.fadlan.com as well as path forwarding and three types of directs.  Because it also specializes in free DNS services, if you have dedicated IP address, you have the ability to run your own web server on a sub-domain.  Fadlan isn’t the best looking site, but it has come become very popular and offers a few services you may find useful.

Related posts:

• January 4, 2012 – Top Domain Registration Services
• August 10, 2011 – Ongoing Battle over the new .Music Domain Extension
• April 22, 2011 – Becoming a Domain Speculator with No Experience
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• September 18, 2010 – .CO Domains – Frequently Asked Questions
• August 26, 2010 – .Co Domains and Shortened URLS
• August 17, 2010 – .CO Domains Gaining Support and Momentum
• August 5, 2010 – .CO Domains Gaining Momentum and Google Support
• July 5, 2010 – Judging the Value of Domain Names
• May 26, 2010 – How to Obtain a Free Web Domain

The Benefits of .tel Domains

.tel domains are not your ordinary extension.  This new global internet standard allows you to control how and where you connect with your audience.  Below are some of the many benefits internet users are raving about:

Stay in Touch from any Device - A .tel domain enables your brand name or business to be accessible from any client device connected to the internet.  For example, customers can type your website address into their browser, choose their preferred method of contact and simply click a button to initiate the communication process.  Since the TLD is optimized for mobile devices, it allows you to create a strong mobile presence through the increasing large number of compatible devices

Potential Revenue Generator - You could also use a .tel domain for a variety of services based on generic names such as shoes.tel, computers.tel, hosting.tel or whatever you desire.  Just like .coms, each individual domain can easily be configured to have numerous sub-domains in order provide convenient navigation to local vendors or specialists.

Increased Exposure - By registering a .tel domain, you can greatly increase the visibility of your business as it allows you to publish multilingual keywords specific to each department and location associated with your company.  Because these keywords are indexed by the major search engines, this extension can easily improve optimization and exposure for your online business.

Increased E-commerce Traffic – A .tel domain can be useful in offering and selling various storefront products and services.  For instance, a music orientated site could provide their users with the latest news or popular downloadable mobile content such as ringtones or MP3 files.  Such exclusive offerings can work wonders at driving traffic to traditional online storefronts.

Is it Time for a .Tel?

Though certainly not as widespread as the more mature options, .tel is catching on quickly as a viable TLD.  The hype and distinct benefits could make this extension just as popular and highly sought after as .com in a few years.  And while still not available at all registrars, .tel is being increasingly adopted and comes at a price that is comparable to traditional extensions.  We don’t encourage you to give up that catchy .com you finally secured, but this new option is definitely one you want to consider.

Related posts:

• March 26, 2010 – What Type of Domain Will Best Serve my Online Endeavors?
• November 14, 2008 – Someone Registered My Domain – What Now?
• October 31, 2008 – Do You Really Need a .Com Domain?
• September 5, 2011 – Premium Domain Names: What Are They?
• August 10, 2011 – Ongoing Battle over the new .Music Domain Extension
• July 18, 2011 – Domain Name Expansion Expected to Create Major Problems
• April 22, 2011 – Becoming a Domain Speculator with No Experience
• February 2, 2011 – Optimizing your Website for Mobile Devices
• January 19, 2011 – How to Find the Cheapest Domain Names
• September 18, 2010 – .CO Domains – Frequently Asked Questions

So,  you have finally decided that you want to make a name for yourself online.  Before you even create the website, it is best to register a domain name first.  As simple as it all sounds, registering a domain is something that calls for careful planning.  Without a strategy, you could end up regretting the chosen name and actually hinder your ability to succeed online.  To avoid those issues, we present you with six critical factors to consider.

Determine the Purpose of Your Site

Before registering a domain name, it makes sense to determine the purpose of your website.  For example, if you are a book distributor and want to sell novels online, you may want to incorporate relative terms into your domain.  If you want to brand your site, come up with something that is unique and can be easily pronounced – Google is a perfect example.

Domain Extension

If at all possible, you want to register your domain name with the popular .com extension.  While this extension is highly recommend, keep in mind that your ideal domain may not be available exactly how you want it.  When this is the case, you should get creative and think of a few combinations that will get you as close to the desired name as possible.  Some options include adding a (-) to the name, although it is not advisable to use more than one.  If you just can’t find that .com, don’t hesitate to use .net or .biz as they make the best alternatives.

Think Keywords

If you want to generate traffic from search engines like Google and Yahoo, it wise to research a few primary keywords relative to your initiative and incorporate them into your domain.  This could possibly boost your search engine rankings and drive in more traffic as well.

Length of Registration

Good domain names are hard to come by.  For this reason, we suggest registering your name for as long possible.  If you prefer to renew each year, be sure to do so on time or you just might lose it to someone else.

Domain Registrars

A domain registrar is what you need to register your domain name.  There are a several registrars to choose from and while they basically offer the same service, you will find that the price tends to range widely.  If you want to save money, you should look into a company that offers free domain registration with the purchase of web hosting service or an inexpensive registrar like GoDaddy.   In general, you should easily be able to find a respectable registrar offering domain registration for $10 or less per year.

Domain Privacy

The last factor you need to consider is the possibility of somebody looking for you on the web.  Anyone can search for domain owners on the WHOIS website.  Depending on what you have going on, you may not want to make this information accessible.  In this case, you could opt for domain privacy which will keep your domain name private on the WHOIS database.  A registrar typically charges an additional fee for this service, but you might find it to be worth the extra costs.

Related posts:

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