Internet growth reinforces reasons for online branding

By Richard Shearer

Friday 14th May 2004

Want to launch a new product, set up a business, or turn your hobby into profit?

Talk to any intellectual property lawyer and the first thing you'll be advised to do is register your domain name.

The registration of the .co.nz and/or .com name of your brainstorm is as routine now, and as important, as registering trade marks, patents and company names.

If you are considering a particular name for a new product or company, and the .co.nz domain is not available or the .com for a company planning to do business overseas it is advisable to find a new name.

Domain names are an essential part of every enterprise's identity because they are the online brand. As the internet embeds itself into daily life, any communication that doesn't include a website or company email address is a missed opportunity to build your brand.

Whether or not your business is conceived with the internet in mind, you should allow for it as you plan its future. At the very least, your emails should be sent to and from you@yourbusiness.co.nz. You can add the website later, "parking" your domain name, and any others you're thinking about, with just the annual renewal cost to pay.

From your emails and your car to business cards and invoices every communication you make should promote your domain name and build your enterprise's profile.

Proactivity is the key. Once a domain name is taken, it can be difficult, expensive and time-consuming to get it back.

There have been cases where even just rumours of merger talks have sparked cybersquatters into pre-emptively registering possible names in the hope of having something to sell if the talks pan out. There are also plenty of examples of high-profile names that have been lost to squatters.

Because websites and email addresses are so universal these days, it's important to get your domain name right. While many single word names have gone, using hyphens and multiple-word names providing their message is clear and unambiguous leaves plenty of scope to get a domain name that says who you are or what you do.

The process of selecting a domain name early on can even help you clarify just what it is you're offering the world that's new and exciting.

Whatever it is, you can be sure of one thing somebody somewhere on the internet will want it.

Richard Shearer is general manager of domain name registrar Freeparking

SQUATTED!

Domain names whose ownership has been contested and in some cases changed hands for significant sums of money:

1. newzealand.com
2. steinlager.com
3. cadbury.co.nz
4. qantas.co.nz
5. mickjagger.com
6. madonna.com
7. lvmartin.co.nz
8. nissan.com*
9. worldwrestlingfederation.com
10. jrrtolkien.com

* Name still held by Nissan Computing Corporation, US

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