Top Level Domain Registration For Your Business

 

Ed K.: Should a small business which is trying to grow its “brand” apply for a new top level domain? I see big brands like Pepsi and Canon will be applying for .pepsi and .canon. There is a substantial cost ($185,000) just to apply + legal + registry operator fees.

 
 
Clyde A. Lettsome, PhD, PE, MEM
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Answer: I do not see any reason a small business should apply for a top level domain, at least not yet. This is especially true if the small business is already in control of the url www.your-company-name-here.com. I say this strictly based on the habits of internet users. If you ask the typical consumer/internet user what url they would type to get to a business website if they did not know a company’s url and had no access to a search engine, most would say they would type www.your-company-name-here.com.

Until the top level names catch on, it is not worth it. Also at $185,000+legal+registry operator fees and because of the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act put in place in 1999, I would not be concerned about someone squatting on your top-level domain like many did when .com became popular.

Good Luck!

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