Lee Heidel

Getting Creative with Domain Names

new domain name extensions

As internet usage moves closer to being completely dominated by search queries, domain names that end in ".com" are becoming less important. 

Instead of remembering and then typing in yourwebsite.com, users simply type a search term into their browser's URL bar, Google, or other search engine of choice. Yes, that search term can be your business' exact domain name; but chances are it will be a bit more generic.

Unless your business has a very unique name or was especially savvy at the launch of the internet era, you may not have a domain name that properly represents your business' name, brand or industry. Premium "dot com" names for common terms are long gone and now command a premium from third party sellers and domain name brokers. Well, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has felt your pain and has released a new series of "generic" top level domains (gTLDs). 

Unlike country-based domain names like .es (Spain), .jp (Japan) or the commonly appropriated .tv (Tuvalu), these domain extensions are available for anyone to use and do not have special restrictions. Some of the newly released domain extensions include:

  • bar
  • design
  • host
  • ink
  • press
  • space
  • website
  • wiki
  • xyz

Pricing for these can vary depending on the name chosen and your domain registrar of choice. Expect to pay around $39.95 from vendors like Omnis.com (referral link).

Since "design" is a part of our business name, we made sure to pick up heidel.design. Instead of creating a new site, we simply directed it to our home URL. Buying this domain is a bit of protectionism on our part so that no one else grabs it to cause brand confusion. It also ensures that we have the right to use it for a future project or marketing opportunity should the need arise.

A list of gTLDs can be found at Wikipedia. For a special event, .ninja or .party may be a great promotional domain name choice. And, if your first or last name is Kim, .kim is a no-brainer.

Have you picked out a domain name with a creative extension? Contact us and let's talk about how that cool domain can translate into more business for your company.