If any professional knows the importance of an address, it’s a REALTOR®. We recognize that the key difference among most properties is location, location, location – and more often than not, that comes down to the address. It’s no different online, because your web address – or URL – matters.
Anyone can create a .com web address, but only REALTORS® have the privilege of securing a .REALTOR address, distinguishing them from every other profession in the vast universe of the Internet.
The Internet is changing, opening new doors for more effective branding and increased credibility. Here are four reasons why claiming one of the new top-level domains (TLDs) is more important than ever, and easier than you may think:
1. New domains offer new opportunities. These days, just about every company uses the same all-purpose domain: .com. This generic domain doesn’t make it easy for users to search by specialization because most every website looks identical to all the others. But new domain names are changing the way customers perceive and search for companies, allowing professionals to brand themselves with a more descriptive web address to make them stand out and easier to find. There are already more than five million new TLD web addresses on the Internet today. These top level domains are helping users cut through the clutter by using monikers to denote their industry, like .travel to promote tourism at the highest levels; geographical locations, like .NYC; or even international company names, like .Google.
2. Make it easier for consumers to find you. The introduction of more TLDs means the Internet is becoming increasingly segmented and more organized. This benefits consumers, as it immediately identifies the products and services they’re looking for. After all, you know exactly where you’re headed if you’re visiting a website with a domain like .bike or .yoga, whereas the former .com or .net web addresses could have led you anywhere, including astray. Likewise, these new domains can benefit companies or professionals by offering an attractive branding opportunity, making you easier to find – and easier to trust.
3. Instant credibility. There are two types of TLDs: restricted and unrestricted domains. Websites ending in .com and .net are unrestricted, meaning anyone can use them. A restricted domain, like .gov or .edu, can only be used by permitted groups and have strict usage rules. For instance, only U.S.-affiliated institutions of higher education can use the .edu domain. These restrictions offer an inherent level of trust since the company has been vetted by an authority.
4. Brand yourself as forward-thinking. The Internet is evolving, but it’s not going to happen overnight. That means early adopters of a new TLD domain will reap the benefits and the status that comes with being a tech pioneer. Obtaining a .REALTOR domain is one more example that REALTORS® like you are leading the way.
A Restricted Domain Exclusively for REALTORS®. It’s easy to claim your piece of the new Internet landscape with a web address ending in .REALTOR, and take advantage of this exclusive marketing tool that instantly offers the credibility you deserve. Like our esteemed trademark, this restricted online domain encompasses everything the REALTOR® brand stands for: ethics, trust, professionalism and service.
When consumers see your web address ending in .REALTOR, they’ll know they have found a trustworthy source for real estate information. Take advantage of this exclusive benefit of NAR membership to brand yourself online as an ethical real estate professional, in a way that a .com address never could.
Learn more here about the future of real estate online. And when you’re ready to become a pioneer in the industry, claim your .REALTOR domain. Your first URL is free for one year!