The top-level domain .BOOK is an internet domain name extension that specifically aims at the book industry. These are industry-specific top-level domains that ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) assign to credible organizations that manage their respective domain extensions.
The .BOOK TLD is primarily intended to serve the book industry and individuals or entities associated with it. These can widely range from publishers, authors, sellers, reviewers, libraries, educational institutions, to book clubs and bloggers who regularly engage with the literary world.
The .BOOK domain was introduced in the year 2015 as part of ICANN’s gTLD (generic top Level Domain) program, aimed at enhancing competition and providing greater choice in the field of domain name space. In the ICANN’s list of new gTLDs, .BOOK has been included, which shows its official recognition.
Amazon Registry Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Amazon, manages the .BOOK TLD. Initially, there was competition from several companies such as Google, R.R. Bowker and Amazon to acquire the rights to the .BOOK domain, but ultimately Amazon secured the registry contract in 2014.
The .BOOK domain has the potential to provide numerous benefits. For instance, it permits a more descriptive and memorable website name that represents the nature of the site’s content and its association with the book industry. Authors can have theirname.book, which easily identifies them and their work. Similarly, publishers can have genre specific domain names like mystery.book, romance.book, etc. This makes it easier for a user to navigate, locate and understand the particular website they are visiting which ultimately provides a better user experience.
Despite some criticisms concerning the monopolization of the domain by Amazon and the implications for competition and innovation, the .BOOK domain has managed to become a successful top-level domain choice for both individuals and organizations affiliated with the book industry.
In conclusion, the .BOOK domain is a specialised, industry-specific top-level domain managed by Amazon Registry Services, Inc. It affords the book industry a unique digital space for various industry-focused online activities. Just like other TLDs such as .edu for education, .gov for government, .book for the literary world is a valuable addition in the digital space.
Sources:
1.https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/about/program
2.https://domainnamewire.com/2018/11/01/amazon-launches-first-public-beta-for-its-own-aws-brown-label-registrar/
3.https://www.icann.org/resources/agreement/book-2015-07-09-en
4.http://www.circleid.com/posts/20140308_icann_last_resort_auction_update_will_google_and_amazon_bidder/
5.https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/nov/08/amazon-buy-book-domain-name
