DNZodiac

Is the .io top level domain headed for extinction? A good friend of mine, whose company is branded on a .io domain reached out this morning to share his concern about a recent #ComputerWorld article that states... "Message to all organizations that use .io domain names, of which there are currently an estimated 1.6 million: A move announced last week by the new Labour government in the UK could mean you may have to eventually replace that ccTLD...it may also result in the elimination of the .io domain for one simple reason — the region it represents will no longer exist." My friend is rightfully concerned about the future of the .io domain and as a result, the impact to his brand and business—especially since the .COM version of his company name is already in use by a well established firm. If the .io TLD does disappear, be it immediately or over a transitional period of years, that means 1.6 million companies will be scrambling to protect their online brands. Some will pivot to even less desirable TLDs, others will attempt to upgrade to their exact-match .COM (which are likely going to drastically increase in value as a result), while others will bite the bullet and begin the rebranding process. Knowing which path to take and what level of investment to make can be tricky and requires deep knowledge of the space. Read more about the possible impact here: computerworld.com/article/35… If you're one of those firms branded on a .io and looking for counsel on the likelihood of this happening and the impact it will have on your business, feel free to drop us a line at Defining.com. #domains #branding