The top-level domain (TLD) “.woodside” does not exist as of my present research. Let’s understand more about TLDs, so we can appreciate what it would mean if “.woodside” existed.
TLDs or Top-level domains are the last segment of every domain name. An example of familiar top-level domains includes “.com”, “.org”, and “.net”, among others. The highest level in the hierarchical Domain Name System (DNS) of the Internet, TLDs form the DNS root zone of the DNS.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a nonprofit organization, is responsible for coordinating and managing these domain names. As per ICANN’s records, there are over 1500 TLDs as of now (ICANN TLDs list).
There are primarily two types of TLDs – gTLD (Generic Top-level Domains) and ccTLD (Country Code Top-Level Domains). The gTLDs include domains like “.com”, “.org”, “.net”, “.gov”, etc. On the other hand, ccTLDs represent a country or a geographical location, e.g., “.us” for the United States, “.uk” for the United Kingdom, and “.au” for Australia.
But, what if there was a .woodside TLD? The “.woodside” TLD would presumably be a brand TLD, as Woodside could be a brand name. Brand TLDs represent a trademark or brand, like ‘.google’, ‘.nike’, or ‘.canon’. If a company named Woodside decided to create a “.woodside” TLD, they would have to apply to ICANN during the application window for new TLDs. It’s a complex and expensive process, costing approximately $185,000 just to apply, with more costs down the line (ICANN’s TLD application guidebook). The benefits, however, could be significant by providing more control over their domain space, enhancing brand visibility, and achieving a stronger customer connection.
In conclusion, the “.woodside” TLD does not currently exist, but if a brand or company by the name of Woodside undertook the process and investment of applying to ICANN, there’s a potential “.woodside” could become a TLD in the future.
Sources:
1. “List of Top-Level Domains” – ICANN.
2. “New gTLD Program” – ICANN.
3. “New gTLD Application Process FAQs” – ICANN.
