Domain extensions open new frontiers for ecommerce and communication, letting businesses and organizations express their brands and address new markets head-on. Like many digital environments, the domain landscape changes all the time. Businesses must keep an eye on new TLDs, ensuring they lock in the right domain at the right time before opportunists or impersonators beat them to the punch.
Here, we’ll cover some exciting new releases, picking out the three most valuable new TLDs, and outlining the need-to-know dates for the near future of your brand’s online presence.
.TR: Empowering Brands in Turkey and Beyond
The Turkish Registry, TRABİS, unveiled the eagerly anticipated .tr extension, opening new avenues for businesses targeting Türkiye’s dynamic market. For any business with existing .com.tr domains, or similar Turkish-facing digital assets, this official ccTLD looks to streamline their geographic reach. Similarly, any business with eyes on expanding into the Balkans or the Asian market benefits from exploring this extension.
The first two pre-launch stages already kicked off in 2023, as you can see here:
Category 1:
Grandfather rights for owners of equivalent gov.tr, edu.tr, tsk.tr, bel.tr, pol.tr, k12.tr domain names. Launch date: 14th September 2023.
Category 2:
Grandfather rights for owners of equivalent org.tr. Applications are document-based. Launch date: 14th November 2023.
The third and final Grandfather stage is currently underway:
Category 3:
Grandfather rights for owners of specific domains registered prior to 25th August 2023. Launch date: 14th February 2024.
Crucially, General Availability opens in mid-June 2024. Economists already highlight Turkiye as an exciting economy to watch in 2024, so securing your brand in the .tr domain space helps expand your digital presence and capitalize on a developing ecommerce stream going forward.
.FOOD: Crafting Your Online Presence
The .food domain extension, set to enter General Availability on March 6th, 2024, offers a delectable opportunity for businesses in the catering, agriculture, or consumer goods industries—essentially any sector involved in the sale of food. Like many new TLDs, this mouthwatering domain provides a savory solution for expanding your online presence, whether you’re a restaurant, farm, or food retailer.
It’s not just about creating a memorable web address; it’s about capturing new streams of traffic, launching exciting products, and, most crucially, safeguarding your brand from impersonators and cybersquatters. By securing a .food domain, you not only enhance your brand’s visibility but also fortify your online identity, ensuring that your digital presence is as distinctive and authentic as the flavors you offer. The extension’s already in early access, so you’re interested in a .food extension for your brand, you can reach out to the experts directly.
MUSIC: A Symphony of Online Possibilities
A significant new domain will soon take the stage, hanging the game in the online music industry: .music. For any interested parties, registration starts with a Limited Phase which is available until May 22nd, 2024. This phase allows any business with standard trademarks or TMCH-validated trademarks to apply for a new .music domain.
Following that window, the General Availability opens on June 25th, 2024, welcoming the broader musical community. If your brand resonates with the music industry, .music could be a key asset going forward.
It’s important to note that this domain may require additional steps for successful registry. Applicant may have to verify their participation in the music industry with the relevant digital authority before they can secure the new asset. Consult with domain experts to outline the most effective approach for securing your brand’s spot in the .music domain, ensuring your online presence hits all the right notes.
.DIY, .LIFESTYLE, .LIVING, .VANA, and more new TLDs
Several new top-level domains (TLDs) are on the horizon, catering to various niches. .DIY is designed for the Do It Yourself movement, offering a space for craftsmen and artisans. .lifestyle and .living provide a platform for diverse lifestyle-related content, suitable for bloggers, designers, and other consumer-facing brands. On the other hand, .Vana, an unrestricted TLD, reflects the growing influence of Web3, metaverse, and blockchain concepts in the mainstream domain landscape.
It’s important to note that these TLDs are not universally applicable. For lifestyle brands, bloggers, or designers, .living and .lifestyle serve as options to enhance online presence. However, businesses only need to register domains that deliver tangible benefits for their brand. Carefully assess each domain’s alignment with your business before choosing which extension to explore, rather than registering for the sake of it.
What’s next: Exploring your next TLD
If any of these upcoming extensions catch your eye, or you’re curious about any other additions to your domain portfolio, it’s definitely worth exploring your options. Our experts at EBRAND are here to guide you as your online presence evolves. Also, businesses who choose not to register a domain extension may still wish to protect their brand from impersonation on that TLD. You can achieve that goal with domain blocking, another useful tool for securing your online presence.
Whether you’re safeguarding your brand in a specific geography or exploring niche TLDs, we’ve got you covered. Reach out to the team, right here.
