Study Questions if Consumers Want Fresh Top Level Domains
Research note shows consumers not keen on fresh TLDs.
A couple weeks ago I received an email from a researcher at The Future Laboratory, a UK-based research and trend forecasting firm. The firm was preparing a note, sponsored by domain registrar Gandi.net, regarding the introduction of fresh top level domain names. We later discussed the issues surrounding fresh TLDs via phone.
I assumed that the note would be tainted by Gandi’s position on fresh top level domains, but I was assured the firm was only the sponsor. Aside from some sidebars from Gandi, the note seems to be straightforward and unbiased.
One of the findings in the note is that consumers mostly haven’t heard of these fresh domains, and most don’t care to see them:
They believe existing domain name extensions are trustworthy and reassuring, whereas the prospect of fresh website suffixes provokes suspicion and concern. For example, 35% of consumers think
.uk is trustworthy, compared to 3% that trust .biz (which was created in 2001) and 4% that trust
.eco (a proposed fresh TLD)…The majority of consumers polled (60%) agree that the liberalisation of domain name extensions will
change the way they use the Internet, but not for the better. The Internet will become full of pointless
domain names (for 65% of those polled), messy and confusing (57%), too complex to navigate (46%) and
out of control (41%)…Consumers muster little enthusiasm for any fresh top-level domains. A quarter of people are ambivalent regarding the prospect of a .theirname suffix and 28% would be wary of domains ending with .theirprofession. Just 15% think this sort of suffix would be appealing.
The note also gave examples of fresh ways to use domains, such as london.lonelyplanet. I keep seeing examples like this, and wonder what’s wrong with london.lonelyplanet.com. Indeed, many people will type the domain that way anyway. The note includes a similar assessment by an ecommerce consultant:
Everyone knows that Amazon is amazon.com or amazon.co.uk,’ states ecommerce consultant, Emma Kane. But if Amazon ever decides to operate under .books, she states ‘it will just lead to confusion, especially amongst less savvy internet users who will type in Amazon.books.com as opposed to Amazon.books.
The Future Laboratory surveyed 1,000 British consumers for the note. Although one could cite the sample size or locality of the consumers as different from the world at sizable, this is the only study I know of that shows any hard stats regarding consumer interest in fresh TLDs.
Over the next few months you will surely see more studies regarding consumer interest in fresh TLDs. Always consider the source, as many are backed by firms looking to make a buck off of fresh domains.
