What's in a name?
Having a catchy and memorable website address, or URL, will make it easy for users to find you on the web, either by typing the name directly into the address bar of their internet browser, or by conducting a search on a site such as Google.
A domain name is broken into two parts. In the URL "example.com", the text to the left of the dot is known as the second or lower level domain name, while that which is to the right is the top level domain name. The top level domain refers to the category under which the website falls. For example, a dot-ie domain indicates that the website's operators trade and operate in Ireland. Similarly, a dot-com indicates that the website is run by a commercial company.
The top level domain name is an important distinction, depending on where an organisation is based. A short dot-com domain name comprising four characters or less (e.g. table.com) could cost tens of thousands of euro to acquire, while a similar dot-ie name can cost less than EUR100. This is because many of the dot-coms have already been purchased by people across the world, while there are far fewer people anxious to acquire a dot-ie, due to its distinctly Irish nature.
"A dot-com is important. It is international. It allows you to do business outside Ireland. Anyone can set up a dot-com," says Ruairi Browne, managing director of website development company KRO Software.
Nonetheless, Browne, who helps companies with the domain name registration process, points out that a top level domain name tied to a specific region can enhance a website's credibility in specific regions. "With a dot-ie you have to be a registered company, you have to be set up in Ireland. It has to be approved by Ireland's Domain Registry. It is traceable. It is tied to Ireland."
Is change really necessary?
Once an SME has an established domain name it is generally not a good idea to change it. For starters, changing a domain name places a burden on a company to market the new name and to inform users about the change.
"It is the same as changing your phone number. You don't just change it for the sake of it. People have it, people know it. Even if it's only a few people you don't want to lose them," says Browne.
That said, there are a number of reasons why it may be necessary for a business to change or acquire a new domain name.
- A firm may have merged with or acquired another company and want its domain name to reflect this change.
- The current domain name be proving hard for computer users to find and remember. For example, many net users mix up English and American spellings when typing in web addresses.
- An SME may be launching a product or service in a new market, for example, in the UK. In this case a new top level domain name (dot-co-dot-uk) can help it communicate with potential new customers.
- It may have come to light that the existing domain name infringes on the copyright of a third party.
- You may be about to launch a new product or service and want a domain name to support this.
- The current domain name may no longer suit the business or misrepresent what it does. This may be especially true if the company has changed or grown over a number of years.
Gradual move
The most recent high-profile domain name change in Ireland involved the Irish Times. Until recently, the newspaper published all of its online content at Ireland.com in the form of a paid subscription service. In June the paper decided to provide much of its content for free online at irishtimes.com.
The Irish Times took several months to completely make the switch from Ireland.com to irishtimes.com. This gradual pace highlights some of the issues facing SMEs who also may be considering changing their domain name.
Michele Neylon, managing director of web hosting company Blacknight Solutions, points out that companies with a large online presence may find it harder to switch from one domain name to another. "Is it a case of going into an online control panel and changing a couple of settings, or are you going to have to go off and send faxes and letters to people to make changes? It can be either a very quick job that takes five or ten minutes, or it can be a couple of weeks of something that requires email ping pong," he says.
A company's website address is an important property of the business. SMEs should only really change their domain name if there is going to be a clear benefit to the business.
In part two, we'll outline the steps involved for businesses who decide a domain name change is necessary, and explain how companies can make sure their customers and clients make the transition with them.