18(b) How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?

Prototypical answer:

GOALS OF THE .CLOUD TLD

The following have been identified as goals of the .cloud TLD are as follows:

1 CREATE AN EASILY RECOGNISABLE TLD

One of the goals of the .cloud TLD is to become an easily recognisable TLD with a perception of reliability and innovation. Thus, this will ensure registrants and internet users understand the potential for .cloud TLD to forever be a viable option to today’s current TLDs.

The TLD will be open for general registration in the same manner as current TLDs, and will additionally offer for sale premium second level domains within .cloud that are currently not commonly available in the current environment due to being already registered in these long standing TLDs.

Registrants will benefit if .cloud can achieve this goal by creating awareness of the TLD in that it is foreseen that this will drive traffic and trusted search results toward .cloud domain names. This will benefit registrants by getting internet users onto their sites and driving their web metrics or ecommerce initiatives.

By creating new availability in the industry for shorter more easily recognisable domain names, .cloud envisage that internet users will be able to navigate to the required site quicker and are likely to more easily remember the domain name, creating a more direct internet surfing experience.

The TLD can also benefit the Internet, e-commerce and the online community by generating competition to current TLD’s and creating the more easily remembered domain names.

2 BUILD BRAND

The strategy for .cloud is to have a goal to build the brand of the .cloud TLD to rival other current alternatives and be a TLD that services the cloud services industry. Whilst there is anticipated to have some natural deviation from this core market by way of registrations, this is seen as a key market for the success of the TLD.

Such targeting will be done through aggressive marketing that targets all current and future cloud services vendors looking for a new online identity.

3 PROVIDING ALTERNATIVES AND OVERCOMING LIMITED AVAIABILITY

The application has identified that making domain names within the .cloud TLD available to new registrants within the industry as one of the key benefits to the global community should the .cloud TLD be granted. Experience has highlighted a lack of ‘meaningful’ or ‘memorable’ domains available in .com that means that many potential registrants that would benefit from a .cloud domain name. As such, this lack of availability has made it extremely difficult for new organisations who have recently started a cloud based service to acquire domains they are seeking as well as the continued usage of low recall domains in these alternative TLDs.

The .cloud TLD attempts to overcome these challenges and provide a fresh and innovative approach to the marketplace.

4 INNOVATION

Aruba S.P.A., as a new player in the market is keen to differentiate themselves through a dedication to innovation and focus on the .cloud value to the cloud services community. We understand that with the introduction of numerous new TLD’s the landscape of the internet is very likely to change significantly and quickly and as such, are prepared to lead and drive this global innovation with a goal to be the flagship or in the industry.

Internet users will benefit from innovation as innovation usually leads to an improvement in service levels or competition, both of which are considered valuable by internet users.

5 ANTICIPATED CONTRIBUTION TO THE CURRENT SPACE

Aruba S.P.A. anticipates that the greatest contribution the .cloud TLD will add to the namespace will be the service that it provides to the cloud services industry. As previously noted, this area is seen as a significant and long term shift in the delivery of technical services and Aruba S.P.A. intends to provide the .cloud TLD to registrants from across the globe.

Aruba S.P.A. strongly believe that this is in line with ICANN’s stated goals of security and stability in the interest, and believe that the new TLD program provides for specific TLDs such as .cloud to add significant value for communities⁄sectors like cloud based services.

Aruba S.P.A. also recognises this has the potential to directly benefit the company as a consequence, and as such have a vested interest to promote and ensure the long term success of this particular TLD.

6 REGISTRATION POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF THE .CLOUD TLD

In having a goal of competition as a driver for the TLD and due to the potential that not all registrations may come from organisations within the cloud services space, Aruba S.P.A. have decided to have no specific eligibility criteria to register a .cloud Domain name. This is consistent with the mission and purpose of the TLD to create a sustainable online business, but also supports the goals identified above to create easier, more recognisable names, and build a solid, long lasting brand platform and community perception of the TLD.

No restrictions will be placed on content or use of a Domain within the .cloud TLD, save that registrants will be required to warrant that their use of .cloud domain names is not inconsistent with legislation in force in their jurisdiction. All the registrations will be for a 1 year period, renewable through standard renewal methods (from 1 to 10 years). An anti abuse policy will be in place as described in the answer for Question 28. Trademark Protection will take place at launch via the TMCH and Trademark claims service and post-launch via the URS and UDRP, as described in response to Question 29.

PROTECTION OF PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

The .cloud TLD will not be requesting any additional information above current standard WhoIs

OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES

The Outreach and Communications activities for .cloud will involve both above and below the line activities and include such things as;
– TV, Media and Print advertising
– Billboards and outdoor advertising
– Sponsorship of events or activities
– Digital marketing, adwords, banners, etc
– Direct email marketing
– Direct contact with specified Industry members
– Online and Social Media marketing
– Speaking engagements and PR based activities
– Registrar co-branded marketing initiatives

The outreach and communications options listed above will assist the TLD in achieving the goals and benefits listed above, by creating an awareness of the TLD in the relevant market segments and by targeting the beneficiaries in such a way as to promote the TLD and clearly explain the difference between the .cloud TLD and its competitors.

Other options will be to make the general public aware of the TLD and drive queries to the relevant .cloud related domains, thus creating benefits for registrants.

Similar gTLD applications: (1)