We are all aware that web sites end in letters like com, org, net, gov, edu and even mil. These are called top level domains (TLD) and are used in attempt to organize the world wide web into areas of similar content.
In practice, this has largely been ignored (with the exception of gov, edu and mil, to get one of those you generally need to be a government agency, institution of higher learning or the military) because if you couldn’t get your preferred com address you could often get get a net or org address.
What you may not know is that there are literally hundreds of these TLDs available. (Go here to see the current list: http://data.iana.org/TLD/tlds-alpha-by-domain.txt) Most of these are not available to you as they require membership in a sponsoring organization, or citizenship in a country. But knowing that they are available is helpful in understanding that the National Association of REALTORS® has secured REALTOR as a top level domain and will only make it available for REALTOR members this fall.
Recently I received an email from NAR detailing the progress that is being made along with useful information that you will need in order to secure your name as a TLD.
I have excerpted a paragraph from that email below. Be sure to take the time to click on the link and to review the website that it will take you to…we don’t want any tears this fall if you miss out on getting your name!
NAR has developed a new website, www.dotREALTOR.org, to ensure that you stay up-to-date on everything you need to know about Top Level Domains (TLDs) and the .REALTOR domain. NAR has made it easy to find information on the .REALTOR domain in one convenient location.
The website contains information about the new TLD, as well as info about integrating it into your current marketing, the business rules for using it, how to get your REALTOR domain name and much more.
Do I think this is something that you need to pay attention to? Absolutely! At a bare minimum it will help your search results if someone is looking for a REALTOR when they search. Also if you wanted to get a domain with your name and couldn’t because the name was taken by others on com, this will be your chance to finally secure it.
What do you think?
