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Introduction
Increasingly,
diabetic consumers are migrating online as their lives
become more web-centric. The simple fact is that the internet
has become an important tool in the execution of their daily
lives. Furthermore, widespread adoption of web enabled smart
phones (Blackberry, iPhone and similar) will fuel this
momentum to unprecedented levels as internet access becomes "when ever,
where ever".
In
short,
a 100% "wired" mobile population is fast becoming the
future.
Those in the Diabetes Management industry must
adapt to this change if they are to
remain competitive. To capitalize on the shift to internet
related technologies as well as consumer research & purchasing
trends, generic domain names
have become the
"ultimate competitive advantage".
Generic Domain Names
Generic domain names are domains consisting of search phrases. For example, consumers searching
for Blood Pressure Monitors primarily use the search phrase "blood
pressure monitors". While phrases like "best
blood pressure monitors" may be used, corresponding
search counts are lower in comparison to the root search phrase.
What makes a generic domain name a "premium generic domain name"
is it's proximity to the root. Consequentially, there is a
finite number of premium generic domains available. Premium
digital real estate, as with physical real estate, is all about
location, location, location.
Search Engine Optimization Wars
Search engine algorithms factor in a websites domain name as part of their
function. A website using a generic domain in conjunction with
competently engineered Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will, in
most instances, rank very high in search results.
Search Engine Marketing Wars
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) pertains to online marketing
efforts such as Pay Per Click (PPC). PPC ads displaying domain
names matching and/or closely related to the search phrase are very
effective in the minds of consumers.
Type-In Traffic Type-In Traffic, also known as Direct Navigation, is the action
in which consumers bypass search engines entirely and enter the
search phrase directly into their web browser and add .com.
BloodPressureMonitors.com for
example. Consumers assume that a premium generic domain name
will belong to an industry leader. It is estimated that up to 20%
of internet traffic is type-in traffic.
Brand Awareness
Fact- Businesses invest a significant amount of time and money
related to brand building. Fact- The bulk of internet searches
are generic in nature. By staggering margins, online searches are generic phrase driven, not brand
phrase driven.
Again, more searches are conducted using the phrase "blood
pressure monitors" than those incorporating a manufacturers
brand- "brand X blood pressure
monitors". In deference to the most dominate brands
within the category the search
counts are significantly less (view
counts here).
Expanding further, factor in other closely related searches and the
numbers become even more overwhelming- automatic blood pressure monitors,
digital blood pressure monitors,
manual blood pressure monitors,
and wrist blood pressure monitors.
If you are a manufacturer or reseller within the category, it would be in your organizations interest to
possess as many similar quality domains as possible. Simply put,
own the relevant domain properties, own the category.
Online Consumer Credibility
Forward thinking industry leaders use premium generic domain
names to augment as well as protect their existing brand(s).
Their use lends to instant credibility with online consumers.
Within Diabetes Management:
Others:
It is important to note that entities routinely own domains that are held by nominees (masking
ownership) until needed. Furthermore, it would be immensely short sighted to suggest that the
domains exampled are
not of strategic importance related to brand protection. Or
that they wouldn't represent a significant threat if possessed by
a competitor.
Usage
The majority of established businesses have an existing web
presence. This does not preclude the integration of
additional domain names. Please note that I am not recommending
rebranding your enterprise (though you can), only making the
domain(s) work to your advantage. There are a number of options related
to this scenario:
- Forward the domain(s) to the home page of the existing
website.
- Point the domain(s) to a specific location within the
existing website. Extremely useful if there are multiple
product categories.
- Duplicate the existing website and relaunch on a new
domain(s).
- Deconstruct the existing website by product category and
relaunch individually on category specific domains.
Professional eBusiness Developers
Specifically addressing professional ebusiness developers, the
category Diabetes Management presents an
extraordinary
opportunity as Diabetics are woefully underserved online by
existing entities. The domains featured on this website are
essential to creating a "category killer" in the same
manner as:
Disclaimer- The use of company, product and logo trademarks are
the property of their respective owners and were cited for
reference only. Their use does not imply any relationship.
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