Internationalized Domain Names
December 4, 2008 by Stephen S Alison · Leave a Comment
Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) – The web pages of regular domain names that we are all familiar with are written in the standard ASCII characters using the 26 letters of the English alphabet and the numbers 0 to 9.
Although English is the dominant and preferred language of international commerce and the Internet, the native language of a large part of the world is not English and in many foreign languages, for example French, German, Chinese, Russian and Arabic, there are characters that are not used in English and more importantly, do not translate into ASCII.
In our recent article entitled Internationalized Domain Names we wrote that:
According to Global Reach, 60% of the Internet users in 2002 are non-English speakers. Companies that do not address this market segment are missing out on an enormous opportunity.
Localize your website to more effectively reach target your audience. Whether you are a global enterprise, or a locally focused company, establishing a presence on the Internet is a must. The first step is, of course, selecting a domain name to serve as the access point to your Web site. Now, with the availability of Internationalized Domain Names, you can select a name that will be most meaningful and effective for your audience or market.
You can click on Internationalized Domain Names to read our original article.
I have just read an interesting article entitled “How to Get Started with IDNs – 14 Tips, Techniques and Resources”. Here are some quotes:
Instead of buying domains like cars.com or similar premium domains, you are buying domains like cars.com in Chinese, Japanese and Arabic. The only difference is that the IDN cars.com are a lot cheaper and have more appreciation potential as IDN use is still in its infancy.
Although most of the reason to invest in IDNs is future potential, there have already been a number of notable sales of IDNs, including the sale of st?dtereisen.de (city travel) for $104,325. To find a fairly comprehensive list of public IDN sales, you should check out the IDN Sales website.
Interested? You can click on How to Get Started with IDNs – 14 Tips, Techniques and Resources to read the full article.
Enjoy!
Tags: ASCII, Domain Names, IDNs, internationalized-domain-names, web, web pagesExpired Domain Names Tutorial
November 22, 2008 by Stephen S Alison · Leave a Comment
Expired Domain Names Tutorial – I came across this video tutorial which talks about turning cheap expired domain names into revenue generating websites…
Interesting? Here is the Expired Domain Names Tutorial link…
Tags: Domain Names, expired domain names, expired domain names tutorial, websitesCybersquatting and Trademark Infringement
November 7, 2008 by Stephen S Alison · Leave a Comment
Cybersquatting and Trademark Infringement -The domain name speculator must be careful to avoid any domain name that could be considered a trademark or copyright infringement. If they fail to heed the warnings, they will usually find themselves on the short end of a lawsuit and lose the domain name and a lot of money in the long run.
Registering, selling or using a domain name with the intent of profiting from the goodwill of someone else’s trademark is called cybersquatting, according to the U.S. Federal Law known as the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act. This law generally refers to the practice of registering domain names that incorporate the names of existing or well known businesses with the intent of selling these names to those businesses for profit. So in a nutshell cybersquatting is using a domain name to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else.
During the .ME auctions in July/August 2008, we saw some eye popping sales. Even more extra-ordinary was the number of trademark related domain names going for big bucks. Toyota.me sold for $90,025. The buyer, Mr. Kohler a Brazilian, also picked up Porsche.me. I remember wondering whether he owned a car dealership as I was baffled that someone would spend close to six figures on names they will likely lose in a trademark dispute.
On August 14th. a Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center. The Complainant was the maker of sports cars and owner of numerous trademarks incorporating Porsche.
Now the WIPO administration panel has just published its decision made on October 24, 2008 and ordered that the domain name,
Interesting? You can Click Here to read the full decision.
Mr. Kohler is not the only one to lose his .me domain name. ExxonMobil recently picked up ExxonMobil.me from a Tampa, Florida man. Confederation Nationale du Credit Mutuel picked up CreditMutuel.me. So it won’t be long before other trademark related domain names get picked up in arbitration.
Tags: .ME, cybersquatting, cybersquatting and trademark infringement, domain name, Domain Names, Domaining, trademark infringementInternationalized Domain Names
November 2, 2008 by Stephen S Alison · Leave a Comment
Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) are domain names represented by native language characters. The native language domain name will be followed by .com or .net. According to Global Reach, 60% of the Internet users in 2002 are non-English speakers. Companies that do not address this market segment are missing out on an enormous opportunity.
How Do I Use One – Localize your website to more effectively reach target your audience. Whether you are a global enterprise, or a locally focused company, establishing a presence on the Internet is a must. The first step is, of course, selecting a domain name to serve as the access point to your Web site. Now, with the availability of Internationalized Domain Names, you can select a name that will be most meaningful and effective for your audience or market.
Accurately represent your Web – If you are a locally focused business whose name and identity are in your own language and script, you no longer have to translate or transliterate your name into ASCII characters to better fit the Web. The Web can now be more flexible to better fit your needs.
Protect your brand – You can protect your brands, trademarks and identities in whatever language or script you deem relevant to your business.
What languages are supported – Since availability of languages is dependent upon Unicode, it would be best to answer this question in Unicode terms from the Unicode site. Many scripts (especially Latin) are used for a very large number of languages. The easiest answer is that Unicode covers all the languages that can be written in the following scripts: Latin; Greek; Cyrillic; Armenian; Hebrew; Arabic; Syriac; Thaana; Devanagari; Bengali; Gurmukhi; Oriya; Tamil; Telegu; Kannada; Malayalam; Sinhala; Thai; Lao; Tibetan; Myanmar; Georgian; Hangul; Ethiopic; Cherokee; Canadian-Aboriginal Syllabics; Ogham; Runic; Khmer; Mongolian; Han (Japanese, Chinese, Korean ideographs); Hiragana; Katakana; Bopomofo and Yi.
Tags: .com, .net, ASCII characters, Domain Names, IDNs, internationalized-domain-names, Website BuildingWhat’s in a Search-Friendly Business Name
October 26, 2008 by Stephen S Alison · Leave a Comment
I have just read an interesting article Posted by Kelly Spors in the Wall Street Journal entitled “What’s in a Search-Friendly Business Name? Here is a direct quote:
Coming up with a business name that’s not already taken is difficult enough. It’s doubly difficult to find one that’s both unique and memorable – but also search-engine friendly.
Here is a summary of recommendations:
- Include keywords in your business name, when possible;
- Don’t choose a word or phrase that is highly competitive on search engines;
- Don’t use three-letter acronyms, like UPS or DEP;
- Add your location in your name if you’re only serving a local market;
- Don’t change your name just to make it SEO friendly;
Interesting? Click What’s in a Search-Friendly Business Name? to read the full article.
Tags: Domain Names, search engine, what's in a search friendly busines nameDomain Name News
October 22, 2008 by Stephen S Alison · Leave a Comment
Here is a synopsis of the latest Domain Name News from the domaining and domain name blogosphere:
An Introduction to Domain Names – A domain name is a very integral part to a person’s individuation on the internet, if you want to start a business, a blog, create a website and the domain name that you take is going to be your identity.
MarkMonitor Announces Top Level Domain Advisory Services (Business … – Advisory Services, to assist brandholders in developing customized brand strategies in response to the expansion of top level domains by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers .
latin america domain name registration soars and branson.com loses … – in ron jackson’s lowdown, reports of soaring domain name registrations in latin america top the list of news items. total cctld registrations passed the 4 million mark in september, a jump of nearly 18% a year ago. for more on this, …
Kentucky can take your domain name if it feels like it [Lawsuits ... - One reprieve that the judge did grant was to let site operators keep their domain... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] More on this domain related news…
MarkMonitor Announces Top Level Domain Advisory Services (Centre … – in response to the expansion of top level domains (TLDs) by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). MarkMonitor Top Level Domain Advisory Services provide world-class, … More on this domain related news…
Afterthebailout.com domain owner seeks $1m in eBay auction (Finextra) – The global economic crisis could be good news for one eBay seller who has just placed the domain name afterthebailout.com up for auction on the site … More on this domain related news…
10 Year .IN Registrations Now Available – IN registration lengths allowing you to register your .IN domain names for up to 10 years – to match most other standard TLD registration lengths. Previously you were only allowed to register .IN domains for up to 5 years. …
Google Profiting From Typosquatting, Report Charges – Google is making millions of dollars from internet users visiting typo-squatting websites that earn advertising from Google’s Adsense advertising program, Harvard University professor Ben Edelman says in a report published in the McAfee …
Domain Registration Scam Hits .fr – AFNIC is advising registrants of .fr domain names of a scam asking them to register for a service with the Registre Internet Français directory by a German company called DAD Deutscher Adressdienst GmbH. The service offered costs …
Godaddy $2.19 .Com Coupon Leaked – A member of the DNXpert forum has just come up with a great piece of news – you can use a new coupon code to get a .com for $2.19. Thanks n3o of fyu.in! It’s limited to one purchase and will probably not last so you better hurry! …
How Famous is Your Domain DNFame Online Tool – We hear from our readers on a daily basis and suggestions for articles on DomainNews. Today one of our loyal readers suggested that we share a new domain tool that came to life. DNfame.com How Famous is Your Domain?
Naming Rights: Are you plagued by a bad domain name? You may soon … – The Wall Street Journal looks at the likely approval by ICANN of new gTLDs saying the difficulty in obtaining a .com name will lead many to look at alternatives when they become available. The article refers to domains the endings on …
Should You Invest in the .mx? – By Joe Palombo, Key Accounts Manager/Transfer Consultant The recent rapid growth in registrations of the .mx, the country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD) for Mexico, has astounded many. Initially, it took over 15 years for the .mx …
Tags: domain name news, Domain Names, DomainingHow Powerful is Your Domain Name?
October 19, 2008 by Stephen S Alison · Leave a Comment
I have just read an interesting article entitled “How Powerful is Your Domain Name?” – Insight into the elements that make your domain more than just a name, by Wendy Kennedy.
Here is a Summary:
Your domain name or website address is the core of your online brand but did you know it could also be a driver of traffic to your site and a factor in the SEO ranking your site achieves through the search engines.
In choosing your domain name, there are several ’strategies’ to consider. Here are some examples of how big companies have made their domain more powerful.
When most small business owners register their first domain, they consider finding something that is catchy, something easy to remember and something that related to the topic they intend to devote their site to but at this point in the process, many don’t consider the power that the domain name could have on the traffic their site generates.
A domain name is so much more than the address for your website – it has the ability to greatly influence the amount of traffic that comes to your site. This happens both through direct type-ins and natural search (i.e. searches from engines like Google or Yahoo!).
Interesting? Then read the full How Powerful is Your Domain Name?” article…
Tags: domain, domain name, Domain Names, how powerful is your domain name, search engines, SEO, website addressHalf-Price Domain Names
October 1, 2008 by Stephen S Alison · Leave a Comment
Half-Price Domain Names – Domainmonster.Com is currently offering cheap Half-Price .Asia domain names. Asia is a new TLD that enables companies and individuals to show a presence in the Asia/Pacific region. A .ASIA domain name provides a way to expand your online business by reaching out to the hundreds of millions of International Internet users in the ICANN designated Asia-Pacific countries.
According to PRNewswire via COMTEX, Domainmonster.com today announced half-price .asia registrations for October only! The .asia TLD was launched earlier this year and has proved extremely popular within a short space of time.
With the Asian economy booming amidst a global credit crunch, .asia has seen enormous success, rocketing to one of the most successful launches ever since March 2008, securing its value as a sought after TLD. The dotasia registry reported Domainmonster.com as reaching the top 2 registrars globally during their launch in April 2008.
Matt Mansell, Managing Director of Mesh Digital, commented,
Our recent ICANN accreditation means we deal directly with the registries, including .asia. That means we can consistently offer the web’s very best price, but still provide a premier service.” He continued, “We are seeing a lot of customers purchase .asia domains alongside the usually more popular .coms, .nets. I have no doubt in my mind that with this very special offer, we are going to be able to bring the affordability of .asia domains to many more consumers.
One of only 13 ICANN accredited Registrars, based in the UK, Domainmonster.com has a wealth of worldwide brand domains under their management.
Interested? Read the full Half-Price Domain Names article…
Tags: .ASIA, .asia tld, Domain Names, domains, Half-Price Domain NamesInternet Domain Names Seized
September 24, 2008 by Stephen S Alison · Leave a Comment
Online Gambling Internet Domain Names Seized by Pro-Gambling Kentucky Governor. It has been reported in the international press that Steve Beshear, the Kentucky governor, has decided to attempt to shut down all online gambling in Kentucky by seizing control of Internet domain names.
Beshear has asked a Franklin County Circuit Court judge to grant control of 141 Internet gambling sites. According to Kentucky Justice Secretary J. Michael Brown, the state has already seized the domain names of the online casinos, and is seeking forfeiture.
A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Thursday.
Ironically, Beshear happens to be governor of the state most identified with horse racing, a wagering sport that is allowed Internet gaming privileges. This inconsistency is an issue with the Remote Gaming Alliance and the European Union, groups that argue selective enforcement of laws regarding online gambling amounts to protectionism and violates international trade agreements.
While organizations that weren’t foolish enough to register their domain names in countries forbidding online gambling may be OK, any site registered in the U.S. rather than in an area with liberal gaming laws may be in trouble maintaining their ownership on the Web.
As far as anyone can tell, no notice of this action was given to any of the registrants, nor was any hearing held giving the registrants an opportunity to appear and appeal.
Included in the list are “parked” domains. So if you own an online gambling domain, you may wish to check the list of Internet Domain Names Seized to see if your website is included…
Tags: domain, Domain Names, internet domain names seized, web, Website BuildingLatest Domain Name News
September 12, 2008 by Stephen S Alison · 1 Comment
Here is an in-sight on the Latest Domain Name News from the domaining blogosphere:
Vietnamese domain name unmarketable (Vietnam Net) – since they were first issued 18 months ago. Most site owners said they registered their domains in Vietnamese to not miss advertising opportunities on search engines like Google or Yahoo. More on this domain related news. …
The Love Affair With Short / Brandable Domain Names – The nay-sayers might not like it, but short/brandable domain names are here to stay. I was looking through TechCrunch today and saw a whole bunch of websites…
WeValuer.com, the hottest Domain Name Appraisal Website Implements … – WeValuer.com, the leader in internet domain name appraisals has just updated the look and process of their domain appraisal site. They now have the most accurate process available to domain buyers… Visit Adamdicker.com to read more
Fake Antispyware Purveyor Doubles as Domain Registrar (Washington … – A cyber gang known for aggressively spreading fake anti-spyware programs through hijacked and malicious Web sites has become an authorized reseller of domain names. Security Fix has learned that this gang is using its access as a …
Advertisements Can Lead to Trademark Infingement – By Liz Oliveira, Legal Team On August 1, 2008 a US District Court in Minnesota held a company liable for trademark infringement when they used a competitor’s mark as a keyword to trigger an online advertisement. Google’s AdWord program …
The Era of ccTLDs – By Sara Beninato, Traffic Quality Manager A new era in the domain industry seems to be underway as hype for country code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) continues to increase. With the steady growth of the .cn and the recent success of the …
Evaluating Direct Navigation Traffic – Direct navigation traffic is Web site traffic driven by users searching via domain name rather than a search engine. One in 6 searches are conducted this way, and it accounts for approximately 3-4% of Google’s search engine revenues.
America.com is still Available! – Paolo Belcastro and his team behind Internet Media Consultants, SA, was hired to broker the world-class domain name; America.com . The domain name fell short of a sale, it received multiple bids during the online auction held at …
Godaddy .net And .org Prices Drop – If you are not aware, October will see a $0.40 price increase industry wide (will affect all registrars). NameCheap have already sent out a mailing to all customers informing them that they will be upping their domain registration . …
Domain Name Generators – Even though many domainers prefer the DNXpert free expired domain name service, some domainers resort to domain name generators when looking for that elusive domain name to start their new website on. Most domain generator sites have a …
GoogleBlog Discusses the Future of Search – I came across an interesting discussion on Google’s Blog site discussing the overall future of search engines from their perspective and I wanted to share this. Visit http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/future-of-search.html …
Tags: .cn, ccTLDs, direct navigation, domain name appraisal, Domain Names, domainers, Domaining, latest domain name news, websites
