That is exactly what you’ll be able to get in early 2010 when you’ll be able to secure a .brand instead of .com. Your company name can take the place of the .com! Imagine your emails coming .your brand here. Or your emails coming from you.yourlastname! Will Nike launch branded communities on a .nike domain? Can your company create an exciting microsite on .your product name? Whether you are a consumer products reseller, technology company or healthcare organization you need to understand how this upcoming domain registration change will affect your company’s online technology marketing strategy.

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) will be allowing customized top level domains starting sometime in 2010.  ICANN is instituting the change to allow more visibility and intuitiveness to domain names.  After all, what does a “.com” mean to most people?  A .nike would be much more intuitive. ICANN is reviewing its application process and will soon announce when in 2010 the customized top-level domains will be available.  However, it’s not going to be as easy as buying a .com or .org domain name.  The ICANN application process will require the following:

• A business plan including a marketing plan listing how you will maintain and promote the domain over a 5-year period
• Documentation of compliance policies
• Comprehensive documentation of community support (if the domain is for a community site)
• A competent and stable technology provider for registry services and hosting

This is not going to be a minor or cheap undertaking for most companies.  It will require a large budget and commitment to the project.  In order to apply to ICANN, you company is going to have first decide if a top-level custom domain is worth the effort.  Then you will have to get started immediately on the requirements listed above.

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