Just in the recent past a company asked me to find a communication solution for them. In the proposal offer i outlined the use of a good and sound domain name for Internet Branding. I gave the options. After a quiet-feedback i decided to check on the availability of the principle, the optional domain and name variation in my offer and found it was registered barely 24hrs ago. The company took my proposal and went ahead to quickly create and register for the proposed domain name. Imagining i had registered earlier the principle domain name with one or two variations and or extensions. In the first proposal i would have offered a asking price for domain names, giving that they where already owned. I would have been Cybersquatting.
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Because domain names can be very valuable, Cybersquatters continuously find new and innovative ways to exploit individuals or companies. This can be easily achieved by anybody with ill-will for a company or otherwise and this process ensures only basic IT skills. That is why today when you look around the internet businesses with good brands have several domains registered to themselves.
A brief view of Companies with most registered domains
- google.com alone is worthy $2,547,100,006
- Microsoft owns about 63,000
- Google 227 known officially though other sources indicate 8,600 +
- Apple has been slow at 650 but are increasing the number. Imagine an individual owning iphone.com, iwatch.com and how the individuals can tunnel traffic.
- Apple does not own ipad.com and only recently it acquired apple.co.uk which redirects to apple.com. I often went to ipad.com before realising.
- In 2012 Investing.com was sold for a whopping $2.45 million.
Porn Allure
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If the threat of extortion by a cybersquatter doesn’t convince you to explore your domain name variations, then the possibility of a “porn pirate” should. In an effort to get new visitors, the owner of a pornographic website will register variations of your domain name to funnel traffic to their adult-only site. If this happens to you, potential customers may mistype your URL and end up at a website of pornography. Domain Sherpa advises Imagine how disastrous for Microsoft, typing www.microsoft.com.zm instead of looking for that product Microsoft Dynamics or Office 2016 a user is yielded into a porn site.
Sneaky Competitor And Disappointed Employees
Other risks of unclaimed domain names come from your competitors, who like cybersquatters, may take advantage of unclaimed domains related to your business name as a way to divert traffic and business away from you. Or former employees unhappy with the company can register company domain with -suck.com e.g applesucks.com Ensure your domains take care of the the possible sucks.
Measures For Protection
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- Register your primary domain name in the three most common generic top-level domains (also known as gTLDs): .com, .net and .org. It is also worth seriously considering .biz and .info.
- Buy both the singular and plural forms of any nouns. If your principal domain name squatter.com consider squatters.com
- With ICANN launching new generic top-level domain (TLD) extensions, businesses with established brands need to lookout for the; .mining, .lawyers, .clothing, .technology, .club as appropriate with the line of business. Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) has given brand owners a key advantage over potential cybersquatters trying to register infringing domains by allowing pre-registration
- Look into common misspellings of your domain name. It took me a while to know twitter.com as i would often type twiter.com
A Worthwhile Investment
By doing a little extra work now and investing in domain name variations, you will protect your business against threats to your reputation, bad spelling by your customers, and Internet traffic diversion. The low cost of domain registration is a small price to pay to add to the value and security of your brand for the future.
By doing a little extra work now and investing in domain name variations, you will protect your business against threats to your reputation, bad spelling by your customers, and Internet traffic diversion. The low cost of domain registration is a small price to pay to add to the value and security of your brand for the future.
