.TEL: The Simple Mobile Option?

As mobile devices are now ubiquitous in our daily lives, it might just be time for you to check out one of the last global Top Level Domains to launch prior to 2014’s new universe, .tel.

Over the past few years as the unique, all-in-one solution has developed, .tel is making itself more and more useful for online businesses and individuals looking to have a mobile-optimised presence online without the hassle of having to build, host and maintain a traditional desktop-oriented website.

Of course, it retains the benefits of a traditional domain name in that it’s indexed by search engines, can be integrated with analytic programmes such as Google Analytics and can be linked with email accounts so you can have
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However, the service has evolved so that you can buy, build and manage your own mobile-ready website in minutes using just your thumb with .tel service provider Telnames and its Android and iPhone apps.

The creation of a mobile-ready .tel website from Telnames takes minutes and gives all the information a business’s customers or friends need to know and allows contact details and links to Twitter feeds and Facebook and Pinterest pages. There’s a nice little video walk-through of the app here which shows just how easy it is to populate and publish.

Whilst the .tel TLD was launched in December 2008 to trademark holders and general availability commenced in March 2009, initially most service providers used the centrally managed platform made available to them. In the past couple of years, as more organisations have seen the benefits that this type of service can deliver to less technically-able  business customers, new more tailored services have sprung up in countries like China, working with the likes of China UMS and China Telecom.

Telnames is the Registry Operator’s subsidiary company, providing a service to small businesses. There’s an impressive range of customers on its Pinterest page and, we’re told, it’s increasing its global footprint through partnerships with organisations from South Africa through to Mexico and Latin America this year.

Currently, each Telnames mobile website page can include:

  • your own unique web address (e.g. yourname.tel or yourbusiness.tel)
  • a short description including logo or profile picture
  • up to 20 pieces of contact information (including telephone numbers, email addresses, web links, and social media links)
  • a map and address location
  • an offer where you can describe your goods or services on promotion which, when updated, then automatically updates Apple’s Passbook if your customer has saved it
  • an image gallery containing up to ten photos (which has been recently refreshed to show bigger images)
  • a video
  • a full business profile
  • an additional information section
  • a design wizard to personalise the background image for desktops and tablets as well as change the colour of the icons
  • support for up to five PayPal items, services or donation requests at no additional charge to the customer

The free Android and iPhone apps, which can be found at telnam.es/app, provide you with an in-app browser to show your progress as you add your information to your Telname, which is published in real time as you build it.

Of course, as mentioned, there are a number of different services available, access to which can be found at telnic.org. All inclusive pricing for a Telname however is around £14.95 per year, inclusive of tax.

As of October 2013, you can register your phone number, or any other numeric string from two to 63 characters long, as well as internationalised characters in sixteen different languages.

As Google continues to increase its prioritisation of mobile-optimised sites in search and increases the importance of load speed, video integration and relevant content to mobile customers, the simplicity and affordability of .tel is coming into its own. However, as it can not only be viewed in the right format for any device – PC, tablet, or mobile – automatically, the appeal to businesses of all sizes for a low-cost, mobile-ready and limited e-commerce platform that .tel provides makes it a low-risk investment.

According to RegistrarStats, .tel registrations are around the 200,000 mark globally.

GoDaddy Signs On To Sell .CLUB Domains

GoDaddy have announced they have signed on to sell .club domain names. The launch will see registrants being able to launch “yourname.club” domains. The gTLD is being aimed at retailers, loyalty groups, organisations and clubs all over the world.

According to those launching .club, it has consistently ranked among the Top 10 of most popular new extensions to be applied for, making it possibly the first gTLD to come to market that has mainstream appeal.

One of the issues for new gTLDs that will be open for general availability is getting registrars on board to retail their domains, and deals such as this by .CLUB Domains will be a major help. General availability is scheduled to commence on 1 May.

More information is available in the news release below:

GoDaddy Signs Registry-Registrar Agreement with .CLUB
Listed in “Top 10” of New Web Domain Pre-Registration Interest, .CLUB Appeals to Organisations, Affinity & Loyalty Groups of all Kinds
.CLUB Domains, LLC, the company formed to own and operate the new “.CLUB” generic top-level domain name (gTLD), announced today (10 January) that GoDaddy will be offering “yourname.club” Web addresses to clubs, membership organisations, affinity and loyalty groups, and anyone sharing a common interest or passion. Of those registrars who have been taking pre-registrations over the past several months, the .CLUB extension has consistently ranked among the Top 10 of most popular new extensions to be applied for, making it the first top level domain to come to market that has mainstream appeal.

“The new domain name options give businesses and Internet users an easy way to establish a memorable and credible online presence,” said GoDaddy Vice President Domains Mike McLaughlin. “Domain names are essentially 21st century real estate, it’s the online address where businesses are found. Having a strong Internet identity is vital for any businesses, and .CLUB will add true context to a Web address.”

“This is an exciting and important milestone for all of us at .CLUB as well as for the marketplace in general,” said .CLUB Domains CEO and Founder Colin Campbell. “GoDaddy has great recognition and will make it easy and affordable for anyone to make a new mark on the Web. A great domain extension should be short, meaningful, recognisable and memorable, and .CLUB offers all of that to marketers, consumers, organisations and clubs of all sizes.”

Pre-registrations for .CLUB websites, blogs and email addresses are scheduled to begin on GoDaddy.com in February. The Trademark Sunrise period is expected to launch mid-January 2014, Land Rush in March and General Availability for .CLUB on May 1, 2014.

Formed in 2012 and backed by $8.2 million from 26 private investors, .CLUB will enable clubs, membership organisations or others sharing a common interest to establish memorable Web addresses and online destinations. Every day, people form communities and groups around every imaginable interest, and .CLUB makes it easier than ever for them to acquire a Web address that is convenient, holds meaning and has marketing value.

About .Club Domains, LLC
Led by Internet entrepreneur Colin Campbell, whose prior successes include Tucows Interactive and Hostopia.com, .Club Domains, LLC was formed for the purpose of becoming the .CLUB gTLD registry. Fully understanding the inherent marketing value of a .CLUB domain for any membership organisation, .CLUB is also building a comprehensive social platform for club management. .CLUB is a one-stop shop for clubs of all sizes to secure a great domain, grow club membership, improve member engagement and reduce management costs. By combining an easy to use web services platform with a top level domain based on a globally recognised term, .CLUB is “the easiest way to find, join or start a club.” More information and pre-registration of .CLUB is available now at www.dotclub.com.

CentralNic Launching .MEX.COM As Mexican Alternative

New gTLDs are on the horizon, but CentralNic is pushing its second level domains with the general availability for .mex.com commencing on 20 January.

The launch of .mex.com means there are now around 30 second level domains offered by CentralNic including .us.com, .uk.com, .com.de and .jp.net.

The 2LD is restriction free and is aimed at providing an alternative to .mx and access to Mexico’s 46 million internet users.

Give your customers the heads up now by enticing them with these great names (and the marketing materials on your registrar console). It’s first come, first served, so make sure you notify them in advance of the launch to give them every chance of securing the name they want under .MEX.COM.

Sedo’s German New Year Auction is Underway

Sedo is hosting these days the “German New Yeat Auction” .The auction ends on January 16,2014 and features 50 .de and .com domain names.

 

Up until now, eight domain names received bids :

Weltmeisterschaft.de    Current Bid   1,650 EUR
Indians.de   Current Bid   109 EUR
Clase.de    Current Bid   100 EUR
Videodienst.de   Current Bid  100 EUR
Interesse.de   Current Bid  100 EUR
ClassicClub.de   Current Bid  99 EUR
Theatergmeinde.de   Current Bid  99 EUR
CyberMedizin.de  Current Bid   99 EUR

Other interesting domain names included in the auction are:

HorseShop.de
PartTime.de
ScifiVideo.de
Steingasse.de
EigneCharter.com

You can see the entire inventory and place your bids here.

Above.com Announces Domain Name AUction Targeted to Affiliate Marketers and Afiiliate Programs

Above.com is hosting these days the “Affiliate Domain Auction” .Bidding is open to the public starting today, January 13,2014 and ends February 14,2014 .

 

You can read the press release after the jump:

” Affiliate Marketers are experts at targeting the right business to their customers, but now find themselves being targeted as prospective buyers of domains in an auction.

The auction is simply named “Affiliate Domain Auction”, and is hosted by Above.com who had recently hosted the TRAFFIC Conference Silent Auction. An official opening of the auction occurs while at the Affiliate Summit West show in Las Vegas January 12-14, but will be bidding is open to the public starting January 13, 2014 and ends February 14, 2014.

Domains included in the auction inventory are suitable for expanding existing and new affiliate marketing strategies. Likewise, there are several powerful keyword driven domains available to the existing Affiliate Marketer, which can drive organic traffic by virtue of its SEO attributes. There is quality inventory to for all size budgets. Some of the premium inventory available is CAB.com, AffiliateTrainer.com, FitnessRoom.com, and MarijuanaRehabilitation.com. The complete list of inventory in auction can be viewed at http://www.above.com/marketplace/affiliate.html

About Above.com

Above.com Pty Ltd is a Domain Investment Platform combining three core services important to the domain investor. Above.com is an ICANN accredited domain name registrar, offering easy and secure domain management for ANY size domain portfolio. Above.com is an Intelligent Domain Monetization Management Service, enabling clients to maximize parking revenues and productivity by automatically optimizing traffic across multiple parking services, while retaining control and using their existing parking accounts. Above.com is an advanced Auction Marketplace that gives the seller full control over their auctions. Above all – Above.com is committed to serving the evolving business needs of domain investors.”