Tag: Brand protection

Seven Questions To Ask Before You Launch Your Brand

Are you ready to launch your brand? Hold on! Before you take the plunge, make sure you’re prepared. You don’t want to miss any crucial points that could make or break your brand’s success. So ask yourself these seven questions before you leap, and let’s go!

 

    1. Have you checked if the domain is available? This may seem like a ‘duh’ question, but it is one of the biggest blockers when marketing decides to launch a brand. The domain name is overlooked, and when it comes time to take that brand live, the domain isn’t available or doesn’t match the brand. It creates brand inconsistency – If your brand voice isn’t consistent across every platform, it may affect your credibility.
    2. What countries do you need to target now and in the future? This is another way to limit your brand’s growth. Will you be in one country for five countries? Even if you don’t need those country domains when you launch, you are better off investing in them at launch so you don’t limit your brand’s growth down the road.
    3. Have you considered using a unique TLD for your website? Think about what Will.i.am did with his domain name – it’s his brand name—Will.i.am.) It’s the perfect time to take advantage of the options available and create a distinctive online presence that matches your brand.
    4. Have you thought about the different vertical TLDs? Vertical TLDs like .casino or .tech, etc., can add uniqueness to your brand. In 2023, Google announced the availability of eight new Top Level Domains, including ones that are valuable for law firms and dads. Think about how your brand sits in the market and how a vertical TLD could bolster it.
    5. What are the most common spelling mistakes around the brand name? This is one of the most overlooked aspects when a brand is created. If you are global, you must consider the brand name in different languages and how the brand is spelled. Marketing probably doesn’t look at this because they aren’t thinking about domains. A good exercise is to ask ten company employees from different nationalities to spell the brand name and look at it in other languages. Or, to make it easier, you can tell Okens to create a domain strategy that identifies what they are typing and then secure the right domain for you, including alternative spelling domains so you don’t miss any traffic to your site.
    6. If you were impersonating your brand, what domain would you use? Domain impersonation is a common phishing technique involving attackers creating “legitimate” “-looking email domains to impersonate specific companies, organizations, or individuals. This is done with the intention of tricking users into giving away personal or sensitive information, data, or money by posing as a trusted figure. This is a great exercise to take before the brand goes live. It helps you create a strong domain strategy before the brand launches so you can eliminate domain impersonation at the start.
    7. Can you trademark the brand to add protection? Trademarking the brand helps you protect your global brand, including your domain. You can also trademark your domain name, which protects your brand if someone uses your trademarked name. Trademarking your domain name gives you legal protection, which provides you with legal justification to bring suit against the other company and recover financial losses.

Reach out to Alexander Kucherenko or Greta Simanauskiene today, and they can help you create the best domain strategy to protect your domain, brand and business. 

 

Domain Mistakes

Mistake #1: Creating A New Brand Without The Domain

Recently, a customer came to us to acquire the most strategic domain for their new brand only to find that it had already been taken by another company with the country Top Level Domain (TLD) of their primary country of business. They had put considerable thought, resources and money into the brand design and positioning.

Ouch.

We see this happening a lot more than it should, but don’t worry; we have three tips to prevent this kind of mistake. And remember, we are here for you so get in touch – a real human will answer the phone. 

  1. Think domains from the beginning – even when you start your brand brainstorms. Think about the countries you need to operate in and the countries you want to expand into. There might be specific TLDs that make more sense and then you can see if they are available. It’s better to invest time at the start of the new brand than to waste money and resources developing a brand and a name.

  2. Look at associated domains via a simple domain gap analysis to safeguard your brand going forward. (we can do that for you!)

  3. In the case of the customer, they chose to use Okens Brokerage capabilities to negotiate and purchase the domain. We acquired the domain for them at a reasonable rate, safeguarding the marketing investment they made.

Stay tuned for the next story in February for our Mistake of the Month  – Don’t Waste Unused Domains. But in the meantime, read more about how to protect your domain on our OI Blog. 

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Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash

Sigma Malta

SIGMA Europe 2023 Flashback

Everyone loves a trip down memory lane, and we are no different. Get ready to discover a few meaningful moments from SiGMA Europe 2023, as we take a closer look through the eyes of the one and only Greta Norkute-Simanauskiene from Okens Domains. We’ve got you covered from groundbreaking tech innovations to mind-blowing keynote speeches. So sit back, relax, and let’s dive into Greta’s highlights together.

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SiGMA Europe 2023 Flashback by Greta Simanauskiene

SiGMA Europe was once again a fascinating event. The conference sessions (located just next to the Okens stand) addressed many challenges and opportunities the iGaming sector faces. One session focused on the Sigma host nation, Malta (Malta’s European Odyssey: Navigating Rough Seas). While it covered local challenges to a fair extent, it represented the challenges faced in many markets. Through this session and others, we saw the following themes appear.

  • Keeping in step with regulations and adapting to them, especially when these fluctuate heavily from one year to another or one market to another.
  • There is a need to build agility into the core of every product and operation to keep pace with market changes but also to leverage technology changes fully.That agility is key to keeping pace with regulatory changes and elements such as the advent of AI or changes in the way Google operates.
  • And the requirement to keep pace with changes in user behavior. One session looked especially at the increase in women gamers and how the industry needs to adapt- just one variable amongst many to take into account.
Greta Norkute-Simanauskiene takes a look at some of the highlights from SiGMA Europe 2023.
Greta Norkute-Simanauskiene takes a look at some of the highlights from SiGMA Europe 2023.

At Okens, we may not be able to assist you with everything, but we can certainly help you safeguard your online presence and protect your valuable brand while also ensuring your privacy.

At SiGMA Europe last week, one of the most compelling sessions was centered around the challenges Maltese operators face in Europe. The session Malta’s European Odyssey: Navigating Rough Seas talked about reporting requirements and the technology expertise needed to make that happen.

The panel featured Olga Finkel (Co-Founder & Partner, WH Partners), Carl Brincat (CEO, MGA), Joseph Attard (Director of International Compliance, Entain Group), David Yatom Hay (General Counsel, Soft2Bet) and Abby Rachel Cosgrave (Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, LeoVegas) and George Westin (founder, Hero Gaming).

The takeaway from the session is there will be challenges for B2B providers from the technical requirements necessary to comply, quick transition from one regulation to another, rapid adjustment to the regulations and maintaining competitiveness in the market.

The panel felt it would be challenging regarding regulation uncertainty and managing business. If customers can’t be in a safe and sustainable area, regulation itself will fail.

According to Abby Rachel Cosgrave, Chief Legal Compliance Officer, a solution is to ensure that B2B providers have a strong and positive dialog with regulators versus guessing what is coming down the road.

See you next year at SiGMA Europe 2024.

Three Minutes With Hendrikus van Katwijk

Welcome to our Three Minutes With. From igaming to affiliate publishing, we talk to movers and shakers, breaking boundaries and blazing new trails. Brand Legends Chief Operating Officer (COO) Hendrikus van Katwijk took three minutes to speak with Oken’s content director, Jennifer Kite-Powell, about the importance of search visibility for your brand and the most significant tech shifts that are affecting SEO today and in the future. 

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create a custom domain like a rockstar

So, You Want To Make A Custom Domain Like Will.i.am?

Will.i.am, the multi-talented Black-Eyed Peas artist, has not only created a brand with his name but also a domain that represents his identity and what he stands for. His success inspires us to learn from his experience and follow in his footsteps. Here are four amazing tips to do it like a pro and create a successful brand.
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