Bluhalo said: Generic domain names 'no longer important'

[WhoNet]

Generic domain names 'no longer important'

Bluhalo / September 10th 08

Businesses setting up a new website may be interested to read that one expert believes generic domain names are no longer as important online as they used to be.

Such domain names utilise general terms in the web address rather than brands or company names and, according to Techworld editor John Dunn, are now less used by consumers as a means of navigating the web.

"There was a time where it was driven by generic terms, but now people use search," he explained.

"For example, if people want to find a car, they will go online and put some brand names in. So car.com wouldn't [necessarily] get you any more hits."

Mr Dunn also said that those involved in website development may want to be more concerned with the profusion of domain names now available, as bigger brands now feel that they have to buy up every address containing their name in order to combat cybersquatters and copyright infringement - a potentially expensive enterprise.

In June, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers board approved plans to allow applicants to create their own top-level domain names rather than choose from the current number available.

This news story was brought to you by Bluhalo, a leading UK digital agency.

http://www.bluhalo.com/news/view/588/generic-domain-names-no-longer-important

 

[Mark]

Half the people I know still type in "WhateverTheyAreLookingFor".com - I'm all for people branding their companies on made up Names ... But Generic Domains bring in customers who Know what they are looking for

The "new" planned extensions - Junk to clutter up the web ...

 

[copper]

Generic domain names 'no longer important'

Yeah, RIGHT :zzz:
So, this person is MUCH smarter than people who pay $xx,xxx to $x,xxx,xxx :D

 

[james0306]

Generic Domains bring in customers who Know what they are looking for

I am second for this.

 

[bmugford]

Here is the problem with this article. Yes, brandable domains are great IF you have the money to brand them. Otherwise, nothing beats a great keyword name especially for SEO reasons.

Not every company has an advertising budget the size of Google or eBay.

Having a good keyword domain gives you a huge advantage over competitors with similar advertising budgets, especially with a small to medium business.

It also has the bonus explaining what you offer. Which is better for someone offering Investment Services? InvestmentServices.com or Jubool.com?

There are far more benefits to keywords than brandables for an average business.

 

[soggyindo]

i feel the same but different.

generics are great if you want to develop and make a quick profit - especially with a low or zero advertising budget. they do great with SEO and have great clickability - - people can see you have what they want and they trust that.

they also work well for me for startups because people can "hold them in their mind" easily - they are memorable because people already know the name.

but i feel like then you get to the point where they limit your growth. they just look so damn boring. google beats searchengine.com, flikr beats onlinephotos.com, etc.

the only "brandability" of the generic is with the extension (you don't call it "hotel", you call it "hotel.com" (eghh). the brandable is extension-less, loose, and much slicker.

it's not easy to make money from brandables so it's easy to like owning generics. they have inherent usefulness, scarcity and value. but for my own projects - if i'm in it for the long haul - i like something in between generics and brandables. something with a loose link to the topic (not random) but also not cold.

Namehugger.com not Domainer.com

CalmYourMind.org not MeditationMethods.org

etc etc

Ok -- all the generics were gone in the above examples -- but i've learnt to love the workarounds!

Generic .TV, .me (and even .net) sometimes have a little brandability built in IMO just by virtue of being so weird, which is another - perverse - thing to consider?

i could go on forever on the issues behind branding your own projects (and have in this article!), but only because it's so damn fascinating, eh!

 

[Charley]

I still type in the name with the .com, if I don't find what I am looking for, then I use the search.

 

[bmugford]

Brandables are great if you have the money to brand them no doubt. The problem is 99% of businesses don't have the type of money that would make it as feasible as a solid keyword domain.

I own both brandables and keywords, but from my experience it is just much easier to find end users on keywords. They are more desirable.

i feel a little differently and a little the same

generics are great if you want to make a quick profit with a low or zero advertising budget. they do great with SEO and have great clickability because people can see they have what they want.

they also work well for startups because people can "hold them in their mind" easily - they have memorability built in.

but... then you get to the point where they limit your growth because they look so damn boring. google beats searchengine.com, flikr beats onlinephotos.com, etc etc. the "brandability" of the generic is tied to the extension (you don't call it "hotel", you call it "hotel.com" (yuck), whilst the brandable is extension-less and much slicker/ looser.

it's not easy to make money from brandables so we like generic. and they have inherent use, scarcity and hence value. but for my own projects i only use generics if i'm not in it for the long haul, or it is for generic - ahem - information.

 

[soggyindo]

I still type in the name with the .com, if I don't find what I am looking for, then I use the search.

wow! really? i always assume those guys are the overly expensive ones who are fat and lazy on type in traffic and charge a premium.

i look for the guys with the brandables. i always think they're probably cheaper and leaner and doing good stuff (working at a loss) to catch up with the rich guys above!

 

[onlinelife]

Generic domain = Target traffic
Target traffic = Business
Business = Important

 

[soggyindo]

Brandable domain (untrusted)= Bronze
Generic domain (trusted) = Silver
Brandable domain (trusted) = Gold

 

[bmugford]

Let's take a "brandable" name like Bamzu.com. I have seen their commercials for years and still have no idea what they do. That is a case of branding gone wrong. Tens of millions spent on a crappy domain. They should have just got a generic like JunkyProducts.com, it would explain what they do much better

 

[copper]

Let's take a "brandable" name like Bamzu.com. I have seen their commercials for years and still have no idea what they do. That is a case of branding gone wrong. Tens of millions spent on a crappy domain. They should have just got a generic like JunkyProducts.com, it would explain what they do much better

Humm...
Never heard/seen Bamzu.com until now.
I guess they need to spend more money

But, I know AsSeenOnTV.com, Heh :D

 

[WhoNet]

Internet Marketing News: Domain name won't increase website traffic

Domain name won't increase website traffic

Internet Marketing News / 10 September 2008

The days when people could expect to boost traffic to their site by having a certain domain name are long gone.

And what is more, according to John Dunn, editor of Techworld, the announcement by ICANN that a whole new range of domain names will soon be available could actually cause problems for businesses.

Mr Dunn thinks a domain is no longer that important, as long as it's not too long and doesn't have too many points between it, but believes that as we could soon be seeing domain names like '.london', '.supermarket' or even '.yournamehere', instances of hijacking may become prevalent.

"People are having to buy them up ... because you don't want anyone hijacking your brand," he said.

"It you're a reasonable brand or company, you're being forced to buy all these new domains, which cost a lot of money sometimes."

So could it be that instead of internet marketing departments bidding high to buy quality domain names we will see them bidding simply to protect their brand - and if so, should ICANN do something to help them?

Online Marketing specialists Business Feet help create value from business websites

http://www.businessfeet.com/interne...wont-increase-website-traffic-1221049860.html

 

[Venture]

In other news, the Loch Ness monster was seen wearing a nomzo.com t-shirt.

 

[bmugford]

I think it was nizmo.com
That is the fate of a brandable if you don't have the money to properly brand it. No one will remember it, and get the name wrong.

In other news, the Loch Ness monster was seen wearing a nomzo.com t-shirt.

 

[Charley]

Generic domain = Target traffic
Target traffic = Business
Business = Important

Excellent, you summed it up in 3 lines.

 

[-NC-]

I wonder how many potential and existing clients of "bluhalo.com" actually type in "bluehalo.com" every month. If they have a lot of clients, then I bet lots.

 

[npcomplete]

I totally agree with the article posted by the OP. My prophetic powers tell me that sex.com will be reg fee within the year.

Hey... who's bogarting that joint?

 

[WhoNet]

Search engines make domain names 'less important'

Search engines make domain names 'less important'

mconsulting.co.uk / 11 September 2008

Generic domain names are less important to the success of businesses websites due to the growing use of search engines, an industry expert has claimed.

Domain names were previously valuable resources for businesses' online brand creation.

However, John Dunn, editor of Techworld magazine, believes that the use of search engine optimisation as an online marketing tool means that domain names are no longer as valuable.

According to the Confederation of British Industry report 'UK Competitiveness: the role of IT services', the internet has helped 63 per cent of businesses improve customer retention.

Mr Dunn explained: "Peoples' use of the internet is driven more by search engines. I think there was a time where it was driven by generic terms, but now people use search.

"If people what to find a car, they will go online and put some brand names in. So car.com wouldn’t get you any more hits necessarily."

http://www.mconsulting.co.uk/news-desk/industry-news/search-engines-make-domain-names-less-important-18776128.aspx