Ever since the dot com boom of the 1990s, several different domain extensions (also known as top-level domains) have been used by enterprises. Some of the more common ones are .com, .net, .org, .biz, .edu, etc. So, what could be the .club domain that everyone is talking about?
In the recent years, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) started to allow generic top-level domains (gTLD) such .club, .attorney, .doctor, etc to allow specific businesses, consultants, interest groups and individuals to possess interest-specific domain extensions. Dot club is one such generic TLD which has grown popular in the recent years. This domain extension is particularly popular among clubs (as the names suggest), interest groups, fan associations, etc.
However, a .club domain can efficiently be used by any business, as long as it wants to reach a specific target audience. That would mean, any business or individual on this planet can start using .club domains to target their specific audiences.
A little about .club domains
As the name might suggest, .club websites are used by various associations, clubs, interest groups, celebrities, organizations, and even businesses. While it may seem self-explanatory that a club might want to use .club websites, it is interesting to observe how quickly enterprises and large corporations have begun to register club domain name. This is because, .club websites provide an excellent opportunity for social media exercises, customer service, and brand building.
A .club domain name is immediately recognizable and the world over, people use the word “club” for a club, and instantly conveys the purpose. As .club has a meaning of its own, it immediately adds meaning to whatever is to the left of the dot. This means, there is marketing value to a .club domain name inherently. Most importantly, a .club domain name has no restrictions and is open to everyone. You can easily bring various people with common interests or motives under a single website, without worrying about maintaining and managing various social media groups and pages.
In this article, let us learn more about who should start using a .club domain pronto.
1. Celebrities and important people
If you are a celebrity of any sort and want to reach out to your audience, having a .club domain is always a good idea. This helps you to have a specific website to maintain, instead of having to run an entire social media team that has to cross-post across websites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. You can easily register club domain name and focus more on whatever you do to be a celebrity. If you are not yet a celebrity but aspire to be one, what better way than to start a web club of your own even before you attain celebrity status? You will be all set even before you become important in the eyes of your audience.
2. Fan associations and clubs
If you have a fan association or a club of any sort that isn’t official, you may realize that the official website is usually .com. If you still want to have a fan website whose domain name is nothing more than the name of the object of your fandom, all you need to do is register club domain name. Whether you run a fan association for a rock band, a football team or a writer, a .club is all that you ever need to reach other fans and enthusiasts.
3. Artists, authors, musicians
Let us imagine you are a painter, a writer or a musician. You probably will not only have an official website, but also multiple social media accounts, where you will have to be active all the time. Where can an artist or a writer find time to engage with their audience everywhere online authentically? Instead, buying a .club website is a better idea, for it reduces your burden to share and remain active online, and everyone will know that your .club website is the place to visit to interact with other fans and receive latest updates and gossips.
4. Clubs, groups, and similar organizations
In today’s world, associations, organizations and clubs dedicated to interests, awareness, topics and ideas are dimes a dozen. How can you manage to supersede other interest groups that compete with you? The best way to make a mark for yourself is to get a .club website that promotes explicitly what you want to share with your audience. Whether you promote paleo diet or run a club that seeks to raise awareness about fibromyalgia, a .club website is always a great choice. Such a website would be far more easily accessible and recognizable than a Facebook group, which will have to compete with many similar groups elsewhere on social media.
5. Marketing departments
Marketing departments in every company or organization struggle to build an audience, nurture and communicate with them effectively. Entire campaigns are dedicated to building a brand identity using social media. There is an easier way to reach your target audience. Integrate .club websites with your campaign and watch how quickly your target audience will be related to your identity. This is because, when you build your brand and thought leadership around a club that has an actual “club” in its web address, people will be more easily able to relate to it, and remember it. This means you will have more people returning to your .club website than to your social media account, simply because its easier to remember. And let’s face it. No social media tool provides the freedom and convenience which a website offers, regarding sharing information, communicating, and interacting with each other.
6. In place of LinkedIn and Facebook groups
As discussed earlier, LinkedIn and Facebook groups are dimes a dozen. Every company or brand identity mandatorily starts a social media group to promote its thought leadership. What really has happened is, there is a competition for thought leadership and audience engagement. The only way you can probably differentiate yourself from your competitors is probably to have a .club website which not only serves as an adjunct to your regular .com website, but also acts as a social community in itself. It’s like striking two birds with a single stone.
Get a .club domain before someone else does
As you may have already guessed, there are a number of people who wish to have a .club domain for their company website or as an adjunct. Names are quickly being registered, and it may prove to be challenging to find a meaningful name that makes sense when you pair it with .club. Contact us today to help you register your .club website and get your audience management back on track.