Brands encouraged to adopt .London domain to exploit capital’s pull
The Mayor of London’s office is calling on brands to adopt the .London domain name for their websites and exploit the strength of the capital’s brand worldwide with Selfridges said to be interested in making the switch from .co.uk.
Global internet body ICANN has given the go-ahead to use the domain from next year meaning London-based brands will be able to apply for the right to have their site addresses end .London and not .co.uk.
The mayor’s office and its advertising agency, London and Partners are selling it as an opportunity for brands to boost their SEO when Londoners and more importantly tourists are searching for services online.
In a statement, Mayor Boris Johnson says: “Adopting the .London suffix will enable organisations to more closely associate themselves with our great city’s powerful global brand.
This is also an excellent opportunity to expand London’s digital presence, which in turn is set to generate funds to invest back into the city.”
Selfridges and the company that manages Carnaby Street are said to be among the “tens of thousands” of companies interested in acquiring the domain name.
Hazel Kay, interim head of marketing at Selfridges, says: “As an iconic London retailer, Selfridges has always taken care to be at the cutting edge of innovation in order to better serve our customers.
”Having a selfridges.london address is an exciting new opportunity to be creative with our web presence while showcasing our strong association with London, which is a key component of our identity.”
