07 March,2014 09:10 AM IST | | Hassan M Kamal
Individuals and businesses will be able to register a website that defines the nature of one’s business with its extension. Hassan M Kamal reports
A few years ago, when the Web industry opened up domain names for Indian companies and individuals, many felt limited as most domain names were already taken. Frustrated, a few paid inflated prices for .com web addresses so that they didn't miss out on the Internet boom, while others settled for less popular, country-specific extensions like .in or .co.in, or opted for web addresses that were different from their business types. This wasn't enough as soon, most web sites were horded by the domain grabbers, selling them at high prices.
But now, one doesn't have to compromise on the website name, as there are more extensions or gTLDs (generic Top Level Domains), available that not only talk about your company but also define the nature of its operations. "So, if you are a newspaper, you can have a website that reads like Yourcompany.press, if you are a photographer, you can choose Yourname.photography or if you are motivational guru, opt for Yourname.guru," says Anirudh Kumar, Head -
Strategy, Radix, a Dubai-based company that manages the .press gTLD.
Though priced at a steep $30-40 a year, compared to a .com, that is priced in the $10 region, depending on the domain name, Kumar adds that the new gTLDs are well-suited for individuals who couldn't get a website of their choice as they were already taken. "Our internal research shows that when one searches for a domain name, there is a 70% chance he/she doesn't get the domain name of choice," he adds.
The new gTLDs are currently available only on a pre-registration basis through domain sellers like Bigrock.com or Godaddy.com. The flip side is that even if you get a website with the new gTLDs, it might take a while before search engines like Google optimise their algorithm to include new gTLDs in the search.
