12 January 2012 marks the day when a 92 day application window will open for businesses to receive and manage their own dot brand domain.
An unlimited amount of new extensions will be allocated by ICANN, the organisation that manages availability of top level domains on the internet. Many of the extensions given will be dot brands.
Thousands of applications for TLDs are expected but only approximately 500 dot brand extensions are expected to be allocated.
According to Afilias, an experienced provider that supports applications of TLDs, it could be up to a decade before the application window for dot brand will be available again.
Roland LaPlante, CMO of Afilias, said the announcement of the application window means that businesses should take action.
"Businesses need to get moving now if they are going to take advantage of this opportunity."
The acquirement of a dot brand domain can have a lot of promotional and security benefits for companies.
"For many brands, there are great benefits to owning their name as a Web extension. For example, dot Brands can make a URLs more memorable and more promotional, a dot Brand domain can also bolster consumer confidence and trust by effectively combating fraud and counterfeiting online," LaPlante added.
For companies researching information on qualifying for ICANN’s technical requirements, details are available online here.
