New domains are always exciting news in the web, and the .asia domains became available recently. The new .asia domains are expected to be a top level website suffix, standing alongside .com and .net. The suffix release is available in stages, first opened to trademark holders in Asia, then to established businesses in Asia, and finally to the general public. The .asia domain suffix has been in the works for quite some time, and this is the first major, top level suffix newly available in recent years. While current domain names are all written using the Latin alphabet, plans are in progress to allow domain names in relevant alphabets, including Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew and Hindi.

The .asia domain is the second region specific domain suffix to go live. The first, .eu, became available in April, 2006. Regional domains for Latin America and Africa are expected in the future. Regional domains will, of course, be applicable for businesses operating in those areas, but may also be a popular choice for the travel and tourism industry, technology and others. The .asia domain suffix will be managed by a not for profit group DotAsia, based in Hong Kong.

How can you get a .asia domain? First and foremost, you may register trademarked business names until January 15, 2008 during a “sunrise” registration period. This registration period is open to all trademarked entities, governments and official organizationsAsian companies in existence before December of 2006 may register their domains after November 15, 2007. In February, 2008 .asia domains will be sold to the highest bidder and general sales are an option as of March of 2008. If you own and operate a business in Asia, take advantage of the early purchase opportunities to protect your .asia domain. You may well still be able to get a good domain name even once registration is public; however, if you qualify for early registration, do take advantage of this option.

Should you consider buying a .asia domain? How will this new domain suffix help you and your business? While .asia domains will appeal most highly to Asian businesses, Western businesses may also wish to consider purchasing .asia domains if they do business in Asia. You may even wish to make certain that you own your domain name with several different extensions to allow for the highest likelihood of site visibility. Moreover, should it be relevant for your business, a .asia suffix may dramatically increase your site ranking in Google and Yahoo, especially if Asia is a keyword relevant to your site.

While some .asia domain names will surely be quite expensive, when open registration begins, it is expected that you will be able to acquire a .asia domain for the same approximate cost as many other high level domains, beginning at around $10.00. If there are multiple claims for the same domain name in the initial registration phases, the name will be auctioned with proceeds going to the DotAsia non-profit group.

The new .asia domains can be one part of your overall web marketing plan. If you do business in Asia, this new top level domain suffix should be an important part of your overall plan. Take advantage of early registration to secure your domain. If your work involves Asia in some way, and you feel that this would be a useful search term for your business, consider getting in on the public sale of .asia domains when they become available. This new domain offers a chance to boost your search engine ratings and improve your site marketing plan, reaching out into new and different markets with ease.

Popularity: 77%