Would you build a serious brand today without owning the exact-match domain?

[NiceNICDomainServerNiceNICDomainServer is verified member.]

Today, we see successful companies using modified names, different extensions, or even relying more on apps and platforms than their main domain.

If you were launching a serious brand today, not just a hobby project, would you move forward without owning the exact-match domain?

 

[cloudcloud is verified member.]

There's no point in starting a project without the right name, in my opinion.

Get the exact match in .com and then start building.

You don't have to spend xxx,xxx for a good brand name in .com. I have done it multiple times.

Obviously not 5 star 1 word .coms, but brandables that you can really get behind are easily affordable.

I'm quite excited by having a new gtld but having the exact match .com. I love having ones that match, eg besthomes.com and best.homes if possible. Best of both worlds. I wouldn't rely on just having the new gtld though for a new project.

Secure the names and then you don't have someone else having you by the balls after the fact.

 

[HelmutsHelmuts is verified member.]

Today, we see successful companies using modified names, different extensions, or even relying more on apps and platforms than their main domain.

If you were launching a serious brand today, not just a hobby project, would you move forward without owning the exact-match domain?

.. yes, there are companies that rely on other marketplaces or apps, though I am not able to quote any serious businesses in Europe or USA that does this - all the businesses I know tend to get their customers off the platforms they don't control to their own websites and CRMs.. only small-medium businesses seem the ones that place trust in various apps and marketplaces..

domain investors are different, though - in general, most (small-to-large) seem to rely on marketplaces.. with few exceptions, like Mike Mann

For Domain Summit - I am slowly getting prepared for a step when we will develop our own (self-hosted) solution where we control the data 100% - probably will start development 2nd part next year.

this is what totally confused me in Hong Kong - seeing how businesses trust WeChat over growing and controling their community on their own platforms.. very very strange - and an economic suicide if WeChat closes your account for some violations.. and, there is a saying that came out from the old Soviet times: as long there is a person - we will find him a case (criminal case)..

 

[NiceNICDomainServerNiceNICDomainServer is verified member.]

There's no point in starting a project without the right name, in my opinion.

Get the exact match in .com and then start building.

You don't have to spend xxx,xxx for a good brand name in .com. I have done it multiple times.

Obviously not 5 star 1 word .coms, but brandables that you can really get behind are easily affordable.

I'm quite excited by having a new gtld but having the exact match .com. I love having ones that match, eg besthomes.com and best.homes if possible. Best of both worlds. I wouldn't rely on just having the new gtld though for a new project.

Secure the names and then you don't have someone else having you by the balls after the fact.

Pairing a new gTLD with its matching .com can also work well because it separates execution speed from long-term control.

The real risk isn’t launching without the perfect name; it’s launching without a plan for who controls the namespace once success shows up.

.. yes, there are companies that rely on other marketplaces or apps, though I am not able to quote any serious businesses in Europe or USA that does this - all the businesses I know tend to get their customers off the platforms they don't control to their own websites and CRMs.. only small-medium businesses seem the ones that place trust in various apps and marketplaces..

domain investors are different, though - in general, most (small-to-large) seem to rely on marketplaces.. with few exceptions, like Mike Mann

For Domain Summit - I am slowly getting prepared for a step when we will develop our own (self-hosted) solution where we control the data 100% - probably will start development 2nd part next year.

this is what totally confused me in Hong Kong - seeing how businesses trust WeChat over growing and controling their community on their own platforms.. very very strange - and an economic suicide if WeChat closes your account for some violations.. and, there is a saying that came out from the old Soviet times: as long there is a person - we will find him a case (criminal case)..

That matches what I see as well. Platforms are great for distribution, but serious businesses eventually treat them as acquisition channels.