generic top level domains<\/a> (gTLDs) are expected to begin hitting the market later this year. If you’re unfamiliar with gTLDs, they are essentially “dot-anything” domain extensions that go beyond .com, .net, .org and the other familiar domain endings that we see to the right of the dot. The new gTLDs could be anything from .shoes or .nike to .app and .music.<\/p>\nWhen ICANN (the Internet’s governing body) first announced the new gTLD program, there was much controversy. Those in the domain community debated over whether the new gTLDs were going to confuse consumers and navigation. They wondered if valuable .coms would remain king, or if the extension would fade away.<\/p>\n
Brands considering whether or not to apply to run their own gTLD asked if the expensive application process was just a ploy to raise money for the organization. ICANN’s answer was that the Internet is a growing place, and that new gTLDs would spur innovation and change.<\/p>\n
Innovation And Change Ahead<\/h2>\n
As anticipation grows for new gTLDs going live this year, “innovation and change” are undoubtedly in the air, but there is still much uncertainty surrounding the program. We don’t know if Google and Bing will modify their algorithms to account for the new domain extensions. We don’t know if consumers will embrace or ignore the new extensions in direct navigation.<\/p>\n
Companies looking to optimize their domain name within search engine results, however, should be aware of domain bias. While consumers today may choose to click on FootballJerseys.com, tomorrow they may see HomeJerseys.football as a more appealing alternative.<\/p>\n
With hundreds of potential new domain extensions coming online in the next year, the chances of securing a domain that contains keywords and will look appealing to consumers will be easier and more affordable. There are still many unanswered questions, but investors and brands need to be careful not to drop the ball by at least considering the possibilities and investigating their options.<\/p>\n
\nContributing authors are invited to create content for Search Engine Land and are chosen for their expertise and contribution to the search community. Our contributors work under the oversight of the editorial staff<\/a> and contributions are checked for quality and relevance to our readers. The opinions they express are their own.<\/em><\/p>\n
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