FP - What are your thoughts about the .co domains?

[tnphoneman]

I have had several customers ask me lately about the .co domains and if they should get that since their company name was taken in the .com

For some it all depends on what they are looking for. The main problem that I see with this domain is that when someone reads the card or print material the reader will think that the printer made a mistake and left off the "m" at the end and the reader now ends up at the wrong site.

Now for IM it is probably not as much of an issue as it is a live business.

Are these going to go the way of the .info and .us? Not as much value to them.

[MojoFlip]

Are these going to go the way of the .info and .us? Not as much value to them.

.co is touted be be the next .com

Initially, most people will find a little getting used to but as times goes by, it will be accepted as the norm. My view is to get them if those .com's has been snapped up but the primary concern are still the keywords that make up the domain.


Mojo

[bluey4]

I have seen .co (which is actually Columbia) being offered for sale for more than .net and .org and even as much as .com's in some cases. I suspect in the domaining world they will be ashort term novelty and some good names liek say sex.co will have sold for a lot of money. But when the frenzy dies down and they don't rank very well they will end up a bit like .info a great idea but only really used by spammers. Trying to rank a .com domain is really hard but and they won't get type in traffic either. I think the hype of selling them was created by those who brought them hoping to make a fast buck. For seo purposes just look how many .co domains are in the top 10 of any search engine and then say I told you so.

[tnphoneman]

I have seen .co (which is actually Columbia) being offered for sale for more than .net and .org and even as much as .com's in some cases. I suspect in the domaining world they will be ashort term novelty and some good names liek say sex.co will have sold for a lot of money. But when the frenzy dies down and they don't rank very well they will end up a bit like .info a great idea but only really used by spammers. Trying to rank a .com domain is really hard but and they won't get type in traffic either. I think the hype of selling them was created by those who brought them hoping to make a fast buck. For seo purposes just look how many .co domains are in the top 10 of any search engine and then say I told you so.

That is pretty much along my line of thinking.

On the other hand if you were a business in Colorado this domain suffix would be perfect for you.

So if you had a company Blue Widgets of Colorado you could buy the domain bluewidgets.co

[Ryan Sorensen]

I actually didn't even realize they were available and then got on the hype train during the superbowl. I only ended up buying one .co, although it's a pretty good keyword phrase, instead of unloading all my funds on getting as many as I could. It really is speculation just like any investment, but if it's any indicator Overstock.com has been promoting O.co recently. It's really hard to say, I guess time will tell.

[BrettM]

Tends to happen with every new TLD. Mad rush to buy-buy-BUY! I don't have anything against .co, or any other TLD. Obviously, when buying I look at .com, then .net and .org.

Either way, I read a domain buying report a little while ago, and it touched on the fact that when a new TLD comes out there's usually a mad rush, and just like any speculation a bit of money can be made... but it a very quick window. Not for me. Nothing against speculation, I'd rather just buy on facts, revenue, profit, traffic and history .

[succor]

My opinion is that .co should be reserved for people/businesses in, or somehow connected to, Columbia; and not for every Tom, Dick, and Harry to use just because the .com is already gone. If people would just USE the new TLDs people would get used to seeing them.

Tends to happen with every new TLD. Mad rush to buy-buy-BUY! I don't have anything against .co, or any other TLD. Obviously, when buying I look at .com, then .net and .org.

Either way, I read a domain buying report a little while ago, and it touched on the fact that when a new TLD comes out there's usually a mad rush, and just like any speculation a bit of money can be made... but it a very quick window. Not for me. Nothing against speculation, I'd rather just buy on facts, revenue, profit, traffic and history .

I saw in the news where ICANN approved the .xxx TLD. Apparently there are others, but I can't find any news on those... hmm. I wonder how mad the rush will be for those and how long it will be before they fall by the wayside like .biz and others.

There is a long list of TLDs at http://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/ which is sortable and searchable.

[springer98]

I believe that com, net and org will probably always be the gold, silver and bronze of TLDs. However there are advantages to any of the TLDs where you can create a word or phrase that includes the TLD. Just as the phone man mentioned, they may become memorable for Colorado based businesses. It then becomes a matter of branding, as in TomDickAndHarrysInGolden.Co, any business who's name includes "and company" or anything of a similar nature.

I seriously doubt they will ever rank well naturally and the chances of much type in traffic is piss poor to unbelievable, unless someone simply hits the "GO" button before typing an M.

[BrettM]

I saw in the news where ICANN approved the .xxx TLD. Apparently there are others, but I can't find any news on those... hmm. I wonder how mad the rush will be for those and how long it will be before they fall by the wayside like .biz and others.

.xxx will be a mad house, given that sex / porn is such a large part of ecommerce. (Funny that . ) However, I'd also agree the results may be.... ermmm... quick and premature?

I believe that com, net and org will probably always be the gold, silver and bronze of TLDs.

Agreed. Any new TLD would have been better then .co. "You can find me at ThingsToBuy.co." "ThingsToBuy.com?" "No, .co." ".ko?" "NO -- DOT-C-O." .

If it's 'linked-based', almost any TLD will do (but those top 3 will always be my far-and-away first choice!)... but if you're looking to 'brand' a domain name (e.g., say it on the radio, etc.), then .com or .net is probably best.

[tnphoneman]

I just knew you guys would have an opinion.... LOL

You have all confirmed what I have been thinking.

Yes if you are not in Colorado and had a company called Blue Widgets Company, I can see you branding a domain BlueWidgets.co

Every time I hear the domain O.co I pronounce it Oko and the first thing that comes to mind is Yoko Ono (Spelling???)