A Brand TLD, also referred to as a “dot brand” or “corporate TLD,” is a top-level domain (e.g., .MyBrand) that is exclusively reserved for use by a particular brand or organization.
Unlike traditional top-level domains such as .com, .net, and .org, which are open to anyone for registration, Brand TLDs are reserved exclusively for the brand owner and its authorized users. E.g., “.google” is reserved solely for Google websites such as domains.google, and BMW uses “.bmw” for dealership and information websites such as summerschool.bmw.
Some examples of other well-known brands that exist as TLDs are .apple, .audi, .cisco, .microsoft, and .sony.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization overseeing the domain name system, does not formalize Brand TLDs. They are not a separate TLD category, but part of ICANN’s new gTLD Program.
What are the proposed advantages of brand TLDs?
Generally, brand TLDs offers branding opportunities, enhanced domain options, and technical security.
Large companies or organizations can use Brand TLDs to enhance their online presence and brand recognition to reflect the brand name or industry, making them more memorable and relevant to consumers.
They allow the brand to create domain names that match their brand name or products. For example, BMW owns the car brand “MINI” and has set up domains for different MINI car models such as countryman.mini and cabrio.mini. Such brand domains can help to improve brand recognition and recall among customers.
Brand TLDs offer organizations enhanced control over their online identity and provide an extra layer of security. By having complete control over not only specific domain names, such as bmw.com, but the entire TLD, such as .bmw, brand owners can establish a more secure and trusted online identity and mitigate the risk of domain name abuse, cyber-squatting, and trademark infringement.
On the technical side, it is possible to build extra domain security into websites, apps, and other services operating on a brand TLD. E.g., it is possible to setup requirements such as requiring HTTPS connections, DNSSEC, or specific sets of name severs.
What is the usage status of brand TLDs?
One of the more recognized Brand TLDs is .google, owned and operated by Alphabet Inc. The .google TLD is used for various purposes, including branding, marketing, and product promotion. Some examples of Google websites using the .google TLD include wallet.google, domains.google, blog.google, about.google, and design.google.
Generally, brand TLDs are only in minimal active use. While brand TLDs have several theoretical advantages, the actual need for these advantages has turned out to be low. Brand owners tend to stick to legacy TLDs such as .com and country-code TLDs (ccTLDs.)
Many brand TLD domains are used passively and redirect to another URL. E.g., newsroom.apple redirects to www.apple.com/newsroom/. Additionally, several brand TLDs are defensive registrations reserved for potential future use.
Only a few brand TLD holders are actively using their TLD for primary websites. E.g., Saxo Bank is a rare example of a company using the brand TLD domain home.saxo for their primary website. Some major players such as Google have recently started to use Brand TLDs more actively for websites such as wallet.google.
Consumer awareness of brand TLDs is limited. Since they are relatively new and used limited, many people are unfamiliar with brand TLDs and may be hesitant to visit websites with unusual TLDs. Additionally, brand TLDs are only limited used in marketing material or otherwise communicated to the consumers.
Serval brand owners have requested the termination of their brand TLD. For example, the brand TLDs .mcdonalds, .htc, and .spiegel no longer exists. Actually, more than 100 brand TLDs have been terminated. The termination reasons include lack of interest or support from the brand’s respective owners, industry, or customers, financial or legal challenges such as not paying the ICANN fees, or failure to meet technical or operational requirements.
Other registries have taken over some of the previous brand TLDs and opened registrations to the general public. For example, Special Broadcasting Service Corporation terminated the registration of .sbs. The TLD is now under new management, has been rebranded to “#SideBySide”, and domain name registration under this TLD is open to the public.
What is needed to get a brand TLD?
Applying for a brand TLD is only possible when ICANN has open application rounds. ICANN has not announced any upcoming date for brand owners to submit new applications. You can follow the current status for the next application round at ICANN’s new gTLD Program website.
To obtain a Brand TLD, brand owners must wait for an application window and go through a rigorous application and evaluation process, which ICANN oversees. This process can take several months or even years. Brand TLDs are subject to strict policies and guidelines enforced by ICANN. These policies require brand owners to demonstrate a legitimate interest in the domain and comply with various technical and operational requirements.
Applicants must also prepare to invest significant resources in their TLDs regarding ongoing management and operation. ICANN requires regular reporting, auditing, and compliance checks. Running Brand TLDs is a serious undertaking requiring a high commitment and investment from brand owners. As a result, they are typically only used by large organizations with significant online presence and resources. Often applicants will outsource the application process and technical operation to companies specializing in brand TLDs.