The new .tel domain - how to use it to your advantage.

A new domain extension has recently been introduced. General availability of the .tel domain was granted on March 24 2009.

The .tel domain allows all businesses worldwide to record, publish and update online all of their contact information and keywords under a unique domain name.

If a business purchased a new domain name today such as a .com they would not automatically get a website or even a holding page. The .tel offers the advantage that there is no need for a website. Once the .tel domain is registered a business is able to add its contact details. Furthermore, these details can be added without the need of any web development skills whatsoever.

For example, if your company's domain name is:
www.yourbusinessname.co.uk

It would make great sense to also register the new .tel version of your domain eg:
www.yourbusinessname.tel

Although there is an associated cost businesses should realise that for a very modest investment they are gaining entry into the only real time global directory in existence. So, in reality, the cost is a snip.

Businesses should consider adding the .tel domain to their online and offline printed stationery.

Once you have set up your .tel space your customers will be able to easily access your contact details from any device such as a:

• Blackberry
• Mobile phone
• i phone
• laptop
• PC

Companies with a regional or international presence are easily able to route customers to the correct geographical location or department using the .tel domain with a simple, inbuilt, intuitive navigation structure.

Companies across the world should be particularly aware that mobile devices are set to be the largest growing sector of internet usage. A .tel site is optimised for mobile devices as it uses smaller and faster look ups rather than using traditional web and html content. This means it will load quickly and easily on a mobile device which gives an edge over competitors who don't adopt this new technology.

You will be able to update your .tel in real time from any device connected to the internet. Rather than being tied to using a PC; business people can make changes "on the fly" from their Blackberry or compatible mobile phone handset.

Another important feature of a .tel is that it allows businesses to increase their chances of being discovered online by adding keywords and keyphrases. The .tel domains are indexed by leading search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN which increases your chances of ranking highly in search engine results.

To recap, the .tel domain provides the following benefits:

• No website or web development skills necessary
• Speed - a .tel lookup takes just a fraction of a second and is much faster to download than a traditional website page
• Realtime - whenever you make an update to the .tel domain it appears to your customers in real time

It makes a great deal of sense for companies to register the .tel domain. There is a danger that your .tel domain may be taken by another company - particularly if your domain consists of initials such as ABC.com.