.info .biz .info ??

[Grrilla]

What is your thinking on these exts, which one do you prefer for the short term, and what do you think the long term prospects are for each? Also interested in hearing from the naysayers-those that think either one of these TLD's should be avoided.

During a recent search/analysis of names in a technology group, I found a definite trend towards.biz popularity -biz being taken w/.net and .info still available-particularly where name could be identified w/ product or sector of industry.

In general searches, I have been finding .info available w/ some very good names, which are appropriately matched w/ .info, but where the .com or .org are already filling the niche. Has made me somewhat retiscent about picking up .info names (unless keyword is very, very good).

Additionally, where do you see .us fitting into the scenario? More and more, I'm viewing .us as being a final resort option for picking up the strong names (ie nothing else left, but the name is too good to pass up). Also feel that .co.uk is outdistancing .us in popularity.

Any observations?

 

[AdoptableDomains]

Originally posted by mole
I would, however, be extremely puzzled by someone who watches CNN and its BizNews everyday, and thinks .BIZ is a coloquel slang used by the wannabe riffraff to sound level with the corporate glamor of the white-collar world.

I mentioned it is somwhat of a slang term for business, but didn't say it would stay that way. I do think it's gaining acceptance and will continue to do so over time. Right now I think it's a nice extension for smaller business, but I really think BIG business will pony up the money for the dot-com name they want rather than adopt a .biz name. I do own some .biz names, but I think .info has better near term potential and .biz is another year or two away from it's time in actual use of the domains rather than just protective and speculative use. I'm just a little more picky with .biz domains. A few of them I do have are extermination.biz, jobplacement.biz, wrecker.biz, digitalcopier.biz, and blueprinting.biz. All of which are industries that smaller players can participate.

I think .biz does make an excellent portal domain relating to business and have registered all the available .biz names of local cities, towns, counties, etc. for developement as business directories or portals.

I think the market pretty much agrees that the demand for .info is currently greater. This is demonstrated by the number of drop services that support .info and not .biz (yet). I hope namewinner will add .biz support soon.

 

[why.biz]

Originally posted by AdoptableDomains
II think .biz does make an excellent portal domain relating to business and have registered all the available .biz names of local cities, towns, counties, etc. for developement as business directories or portals.

Your sense of namespace use is probably sound, adopt. .BIZ is more suited for B2B applications than B2C. The B2B target audience thinks differently when wearing a professional hat.

 

[Ron Jackson]

Originally posted by mole
For every Fortune 500 company, there are hundreds of thousands of other companies/SMEs/SOHOs in this world who need, or will eventually need, some form of web presence.

This is an important point that people should not overlook. How many people in this business have EVER sold a domain to a Fortune 500 company? The fact is that 70% of economic output is produced by SMALL business. That is why I target my efforts at that sector and it has paid off very well.

Until very recently my opinion of .biz was identical to -RJ-'s (in fact I think I have used the exact same words to describe it on more than one occasion). However, the market is forcing me to soften my position. Sales are occuring in .biz, especially in Europe. Adoptable is correct that .info is selling better. To give you a hard number, Sedo tells me that generally a .info will bring about 25% more there than the same name in .biz (with exceptions for things that are obviously bad fits in one extension or the other), but if $1250 is good, that doesn't mean $1000 is bad.

I am also seing biz used more often in mainstream media and language does have a way of changing and adopting new terms fairly rapidly. As an Old School guy, I still don't personally like the look and sound of it, but I am willing to put my prejudices aside if it is going to benefit my business.

My opinion is that info, biz and us are all going to get respectable shares of the domain market over time. There is already enough activity in those extensions to make them profitable for those who choose names carefully, but the best really is yet to come...and I can't wait!

 

[RJ]

I never said the .biz extension is worthless. Just like any other (second rate) TLD, the good names will have value.

I'm all for new namespace and the opportunity for SME's to get decent sounding domain names for their business, but "biz" doesn't emit a professional aura.

Perhaps they are best suited for SME's and SOHO's as mole mentioned. In that case they are an excellent fit. However my experience tells me that most businesses setting up shop on the web, even one man companies, like to give the impression that they are big business.

RJ
(Not a .com guy)

 

[Grrilla]

I've been doing extensive searches in the biotech, pharmaceutical, and chemical sectors w/ particular emphasis on names w/ potential for product branding and corporate identity in new technology; names that would appeal almost exclusively to big business. My observations, in this specific area, albeit unscientific, are that: 1) .biz names are being purchased on a widescale basis within this sector. 2) .biz is being used discretionarily- where .biz fits, it is frequently being selected before other TLD's including .net. ie. (for the purpose of analysis, only) a. biochemical.net is available and biochemical .biz has been selected or b. chemco.net is taken and chemco.biz remains. Example a. is a generic industry name better suited to .biz and example b. implies a company name where .biz doesn't fit.
.info is also being selected discretionarily, although for different reasons that reflect the .info TLD's intended use..:gl:

Addendum: My searches have centered on the.com TLD's for new, cutting-edge technology ( in some instances, too new and too speculative to be of immediate value), w/ .biz and .info being investigated only where names are above avg+ to VG+.. .US has not been much of a player in this niche unless name is Very VG+ to excellent.

 

[mole]

Originally posted by -RJ-
However my experience tells me that most businesses setting up shop on the web, even one man companies, like to give the impression that they are big business.

Sure. I think the key point is this - you can't simple mix a .BIZ into the same dish with .COM hoping they will turn out tasting the same. Just like you can't use a .ORG the same way you use a .US or .CO.UK or .DE.

An extension is most effectively used carefully matched with a relevant and specific context and business/social/personal role. Can you imagine CARE.org taking on CARE.com? You could, but the meaningfulness of the name is lost.

What we are seeing today is the next generation of Internet addressing gradually seeping into the mainstream consciousness of the Internet user eg http://www.lowermanhattan.info http://www.mjnews.us

New namespace is similar to a lump of wet clay, waiting to be moulded by developers eg http://www.gamesindustry.biz

What has destroyed this momentum to a massive degree are the persistent swarms of speculative locusts who swoop down at every landrush and gobble up all the best names and then hold them for ransom to those who may have wanted to take a chance and given their blood and sweat to build them up. It is already difficult to convince the boss to try out a new extension, let alone pay $5k for it. It's a vicious cycle. Nobody willingly wants to pander to the profiteering ways of namespace squatters.

New namespace will flourish faster if it is allowed to rise to the surface of development with minimum impedence, and not stuck deep in the mud with the bottom feeders that make up the majority of the domain reselling industry. That will never happen, unfortunately.

The Internet will continue to get better as people learn - more targeted, more focused, more rationalized. .COM will continue to be a gateway to the majority of these experiences. But what fate lies after that, is totally in the hands of developers, not blood leeching resellers. :kickass:

 

[Grrilla]

leech:
1 archaic : PHYSICIAN, SURGEON
2 [from its former use by physicians for bleeding patients] : any of numerous carnivorous or bloodsucking usually freshwater annelid worms (class Hirudinea) that have typically a flattened lanceolate segmented body with a sucker at each end
3 : a hanger-on who seeks advantage or gain
synonym see PARASITE
transitive senses
1 : to bleed by the use of leeches
2 : to drain the substance of : EXHAUST
intransitive senses : to attach oneself to a person as a leech

mole:
1 : any of numerous burrowing insectivores (especially family Talpidae) with tiny eyes, concealed ears, and soft fur
2 : one who works in the dark
3 : a machine for tunneling
4 : a spy (as a double agent) who establishes a cover long before beginning espionage

What motivates an individual with a strong bias against domain name resellers to become a member of a domain names forum that is obviously populated w/ a fair number of domain name resellers? Harboring a wee bit of resentment, are we? Need a little platform from which to vent, do we?

Rather than wasting my time justifying the DN resellers market (which requires no justification), or being lured into a sophomoric Econ 201 debate about free enterprise, supply and demand economics, and what contstitutes an ethical or legitimate service within the marketplace, I'm going to go out and purchase some more .biz DN's and perhaps do some touch up work on one of the sites I am developing.

And when I do business w/ one of these virtuous, young entrpeneurs - the "Rodins" of the internet - I will have, hopefully, dealt w/ my inner- leech, thus, not stifling their creative growth or inhibiting the development and success of their altruistic business endeavors. :]

 

[mole]

Originally posted by Grrilla
What motivates an individual with a strong bias against domain name resellers to become a member of a domain names forum that is obviously populated w/ a fair number of domain name resellers?

:lala:

 

[Ron Jackson]

Originally posted by Grrilla
when I do business w/ one of these virtuous, young entrpeneurs - the "Renoirs" of the internet - I will have, hopefully, dealt w/ my inner- leech, thus, not stifling their creative growth or inhibiting the development and success of their altruistic business endeavors. :]

You mean these people who develop websites are in it for the money too?! I guess the .biz should have tipped me off, but I just didn't put 2 + 2 together.

You're a pretty smart guy for a gorilla...and I've never seen a Mole get his knuckles rapped before. :D

P.S. Mole is a good guy - I would guess Pool failed to get one of the .biz domains he wanted today so he's on the warpath!

 

[mole]

Originally posted by Duke
I would guess Pool failed to get one of the .biz domains he wanted today so he's on the warpath!

Actually, they got me a .org today duke :gn:

The 3 other .biz which I am targeted were afterthoughts post-LL and are on hold and haven't dropped yet.

2 more .biz are currently being negotiated with private owners.

Once they are all in, I'm set to go. :hearts:

Yeah, the pressures of expectant babies just kills my patience with people

 

[Grrilla]

Is that "mole" as in the "burrowing insectivore" or as in "a spicy sauce made with chilies and usually chocolate and served with meat".
:hi: Hi there mole!

 

[mole]

Originally posted by Grrilla
Hi there mole!

:p