10e20 Blog

What’s all the dot-mobi buzz about?

About a year or so ago already, the domain extension dot-mobi (.mobi) began to get some buzz. Momentum slowed a bit, but as mobile web users access web sites ever more frequently, dot-mobi is becoming more relevant. Dot-mobi signifies a tool for mobile access rather than a vertical such as .edu, representing educational institutions. It’s signifies a means of access rather than an category or classification of subject matter.

But what does it mean for a company’s bottom line? A recent Wall Street Journal article discussed the dot-mobi domain name extension and the potential use for such a domain name to access the web on a mobile device. What’s intriguing is that one person they interviewed in the hospitality industry reports that since creating a website for mobile devices on a dot-mobi extension, his call volume for bookings at his establishment rose significantly. I don’t doubt this for one second and this is why I’ve advised many clients to wake up and at the very least register this extension.

What’s in a Domain Name? Your brand, your business!
There are thousands of websites living on the internet that hold fringe domains for major brands. These sites take an internet user who types in the wrong domain in the address bar for a well known company name and send the traffic to other websites — most likely for “referral fees”. It’s important to not let your brand be affected by a similar scenario where you run the risk of blurring your brand image and sending users who intend to find your company’s services and products to other websites.

I am puzzled how so many big brands - well known brick and mortar companies - and organizations have not paid proper attention to their brand relative to their domain names. Too often a business owner or head IT person forgets to register all of the domain names surrounding their business and products. This oversight can leave a business vulnerable to lost traffic and a blurry brand image.