Making Domain Your Trademark

In the advent world of technology, most people especially those who are techie fanatics wants to have their own domain. 

A domain is a name which distinguishes IP addresses. For you to recognize a particular web page, domain names are needed. Every domain name has a suffix after it to indicate its category or what they call “top level domain,” (TLD). Some of the common categorical suffixes are: 

.gov -	denotes government institutions 

.ca - denotes Canadian territories 

.edu - denotes educational institutions 

.net - denotes network associations 

.mil - denotes the Military group 

.com - denotes commercial establishments  

A lot of people wish to secure their own domain name. While some wish to do this for personal use, majority needs it as a marketing tool for their business to flourish.  

If you will be choosing a domain name for business use, you must first pick an identifier from the above-mentioned suffixes. For the domain name you can: 

1. Choose your own business name. For instance, your business name is “speed articles,” then you can have it as a domain name. 

2. Choose a new domain name. If you decide to choose a new domain name, make sure that the name itself is “catchy” and your target market will easily remember it. In addition, your new domain name should have a link to the product or service you are offering. Most importantly, it should not have the same domain name as others.  

There are business owners who are not satisfied with having their own domain names. Some wants the domain name to be trademarked. 

Who says you cannot make your domain a trademark?! You can.  

While some people argue that it is difficult to make your domain a trademark, there are those who disagree. With proper rules to follow you can make your domain a trademark.  

- Select a domain name that is distinct and crafty. By doing so, you will not encounter much difficulty in protecting your domain name as trademarks. Additionally, domain names that employ geographic identifiers or surnames are not likely to be given trademark protection.  

- You need to verify your domain name. There should not be two the same domain names. Having so, your wish to have your domain name trademarked will be disapproved. Hence, it is highly recommended that you undertake a thorough research to see if your domain name has not yet been taken. 

- After you have gone through with your “domain name search,” and you found out that your domain name is exclusive for your use only, then the next step is to trademark your domain name.

To help you with the registration process, you can seek professional help from a lawyer who specializes in trademarking and who is also knowledgeable about the internet technology. 

A domain name can be trademarked with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). You need to obtain an application from the said office. Once you have completed an application form and complied with the requirements given by the office then you can submit it for evaluation.  

The evaluation may take months after you will be given a result. As you wait for the decision, you may temporarily use the TM symbol to notify the public that you have rights over the domain name. Once the decision has been out and your application was approved then you can now lawfully use the trademark symbol, "®".

There is no problem if you want to trademarked your domain name; all you need to do is undertake the necessary steps to fulfill your goal. After all, there are many benefits if you own a trademarked domain name.
