With a plethora of new web extensions going live on the internet, those that are shopping-focussed are deemed the most valuable by marketers, with .Buy is the most anticipated gTLD amongst marketers, according to new research from the Trademark Clearinghouse.
The results of the survey show that .Buy and .Store are amongst the most anticipated new web extensions to launch, as marketers look to stake their claim on the lucrative general top-level domains (gTLDs) in this internet age. The .Web, .Shop, and .App extensions are also expected to secure significant interest when launched next year.
The research revealed that 69% of respondents are interested in registering a .Buy domain. The second most-anticipated domain is .VIP (67%), followed by .Store (65%). Overall, there is significant interest in the value of the new gTLD programme, with 84% of those polled considering registering a new domain name within the next twelve months.
Marketers also marked out domain portfolios as something they should take responsibility for within the business. 79% of respondents polled believe that marketers should be involved in the domain name portfolio management within a company, with 43% believing marketing teams should take full responsibility. Only 21% of respondents believe that the legal team should be fully responsible, and 36% believe it should be a joint effort between marketing and legal teams.
Many marketers recognise the benefits of the new domains as an opportunity to differentiate their brand in the digital world. 54% of the respondents believe that registering a relevant gTLD would help differentiate their brand online.
Protecting their brand’s online space is a key issue for marketers, with 30% of respondents viewing cybersquatting is the most critical issue within the domain registration space.
Jan Corstens, world-wide project manager at the Trademark Clearinghouse says: “Brands and businesses are increasingly aware of the value which a relevant domain name offers, and there is significant potential for businesses to use the new gTLDs to distinguish themselves online. Retail and tech giants such as Amazon and Google have been extremely proactive around domain registration for a reason, and smaller and medium-sized businesses should also be considering the advantages the gTLD programme could offer them. The domain name space is expanding quickly; businesses would be prudent in staking a claim, and protecting the security of their brand’s online presence.”