Google Wants Love & Amazon Seeking Joy In New Top Level Domain Names

Today ICANN, the organization responsible for administering “top level” domain names on the internet (e.g. dot-com, dot-org, etc) pulled aside the curtain and gave the world a glimpse of proposed new “dot-anything” names, including both the desired domain names and the organization wanting them them. It’s an interesting, and often bizarre collection of names and words.

Google was among the most active bidders, submitting more than 100 applications for new “generic top level domains” (gTLDs, as ICANN refers to them). Not surprisingly, many bids were for Google’s own trademarked terms, including Google, YouTube, Gmail, Android, etc. But the big G also submitted some goofy requests, including “love,” “dog,” “foo,” “mom” and “wow.”

Amazon was also a major bidder, with more than 75 requests. Like Google, many related to its trademarks and businesses, but Amazon also bid on “joy,” “like” (Curiously, Facebook didn’t apply for the term, nor did anyone else) and “zero.”

I’ve taken a close look into what ICANN calls the “reveal” over at Marketing Land. For more about who bid for what, and the implications for search engine and online marketers, click on over to read Dot.Bubble: ICANN Reveals New Top-level Internet Domain Applications.