In the not-too-distant future, it will be possible for those practicing law to put a foothold in their online presence by registering a website with a .law domain.
While the availability of online domains have for years been relegated to .com, .net, or in the cases of educators .edu, the advent of .law has the potential to tailor an attorney’s online presence with a site which more definitively communicates the individual and services they provide.
Why it is important
With a profession which endears such personal client relationships, it should be in every attorney’s best interest to be in control of the online voice that defines them. While sites, like Facebook, LinkedIn — and even Twitter — can provide a free initial presence for a business and individual, the platforms which are offered are typically ones in which the subscribing entities cannot control. The flow of information is set up by the platform, most times in not the most proficient of manners.
Simple actions, such as seeking a way to ‘Contact Us’ or contact a particular attorney, can be buried in a barrage of sub-rails of information, or absent all together from the social media landing page.
In many cases, the ‘Contact Us’ issue is often resolved simply by entering and displaying a link to a particular domain name anyway.
Different service aspects of the larger, free platforms are also subject to change, such as when Google+ decided to end its Google Reader service.
Also, though mass outages to high-profile sites are generally infrequent, if Facebook, for example, goes down for a period of time, not only will subscribers not have access to their accounts, but users and potential clients won’t have a way to access your information.
Do it early
It’s best for those attorneys wishing to utilize the .law domains to be expedient in their endeavor. Common names could prove a hindrance. Those who move first on JohnSmith.law, for example, will get a better leg-up on those then forced to settle for JohnRSmith.law, or even JRSmith.law. Currently, similar domain names which convey a similar niche-specific profession do exist, but do not offer the snap efficiency of the shortened branding .law will — such as .lawyer, .attorney and .legal. All of which can be detrimental when character count comes up in signage and promotional material.
The process
Right now, the .law domains are in the works. There are no prices available at this time, but they will be announced closer to the Landrush (general public) period on Oct. 12, 2015. Domains will then be available on a first come, first serve bases. So make sure that you are online that day to register your domain before someone else does.
Some websites will offer to pre-order your .law domain. This is an expression of interest in a particular domain. It does not secure a desired name, but it will enter pre-registrants into an internal lottery that will be settled at the end of pre-registration if conflicting similarities occur.
Pre-ordering can take place at sites, such as IWantMyName.com prior to the launch of availability. The site will attempt to register your particular domain as soon as registry opens, however it is not guaranteed. Our recommendation is to be at your computer during the release and personally register your own domain as soon as possible.
If you have any questions regarding what is involved in domain registration or would like to talk to an internet marketing professional – don’t hesitate to contact us at Americom Marketing and we will help assist in any way we can.
