FairWinds Partners — August 16, 2013
In 2009, the Colombian government entered into an agreement with .CO Internet S.A.S. (.CO Internet) to market and sell domain names within Colombia’s country code top level domain (ccTLD), .CO. By the end of 2010, .CO Internet began targeting startups after initial registrations by Google (g.co), Twitter (t.co), Amazon (a.co, k.co for Kindle), and others.
Traditionally, marketing a ccTLD has been reserved for registrars, hosting companies, social media agencies and others downstream in the marketplace. But the company that manages .CO is aiming directly at the end user – you – by offering a simplified way to create a quick and easy online platform, with a domain name, a website, and an email address.
Speaking directly to the end user seems to be a call to innovation and disruptive business models: consider Harry’s, a razor company going toe to toe with Gillette by offering a different take on the very traditional razor blade, or Warby Parker, an eyewear company that cuts out the middle man and markets to a hipster-ish, younger consumer base.
Given the imminent launch of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) such as .SHOP, .NYC and .CARS, startup companies with interesting takes on everyday items and services will have even more options for establishing and marketing themselves in unique, effective and innovative ways online.
In Marketing Strategies .co, ccTLD, Domain Names, gTLD, Marketing