Are Emoji Domains The Next Big Thing? ?

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a new trend comes along and throws a curveball. This time, it’s emoji domains which are being touted as the new ‘thing’ on the scene! ?

Although still relatively at an early stage, there are some signs that this is an area for potential growth. The first ever emoji domains (☮.com, ♨.com, ♨.net) were registered way back in 2001, with others since jumping on the emoji bandwagon. This includes this fun cloud domain ☁.com used to promote a fragrance with the same name, and this cheerful ❤️?.ws URL taken by Budweiser.

Slow Growth

But despite all the hot air ?, emojis haven’t quite taken off in the way that some analysts predicted. In part, this is due to the complexity of the way it works, converting images into recognisable letters (also known as the ‘punycode’), and the limitation of domain names, mostly ending in .ws and .to, which have the capability to use the codes required.

The World’s Language

Nonetheless, emojis are clearly the world’s language transcending the usual communication barriers, and have grown in use over the years. Today there are 5 billion emojis sent a day on messenger alone.

They are so popular that they inspired ‘Animojis’ on the iPhone X and even have their own movie and merchandise range. ? Better still, in 2015 the ‘Joy Emoji’ was named the word of the year by the revered Oxford Dictionary! ?

Has the world gone mad, maybe?

Trend ?Spotting

So, if emoji’s aren’t the big trend they anticipate, what should we be looking out for? ?

Daragh MacLoughlin, CEO of LetsHost.ie believes it’s all about local domain names and a personalised service. He said: “Although dotcoms serve an important role, many businesses are finding that they can get lost and become anonymous by blending in. Forward-thinking companies are now seeing the value in localised URLs, particularly ie domains that come with a lot of kudos and are only available to Irish companies and residents.

“At LetsHost, we’ve seen a growth in domain names in Ireland over the past three years and believe that this is only set to grow. With far greater availability than dotcoms and with the ability to show your Irish origin, it’s no wonder everyone wants to be a part of it.”

Emojis in Business

With more than 2,823 emojis available in the global dictionary, there’s no denying that there’s a global marketplace for them.

Daragh added: “It would however, be wrong to overlook the importance of emoji’s. They are a fun and light-hearted way to connect with the right audience, particularly millennials.“

This has been a widely adopted approach by businesses looking to connect to their consumers, and there’s some good reasons for it. When used correctly, emojis can:

• Show off a brand personality
• Tell a story in a colourful way
• Make your business more personable and friendly
• Communicate with a global audience

The Future is Green

So, does LetsHost.ie have any plans to expand in to the emoji business? “Not at the moment, there isn’t enough interest, but we’ll keep an eye on this space” explains Daragh with a cheeky ?.

If he does, we’re pretty sure that ☘? .ws might be one of the first domain names to go! ?

For a wide choice of domain names, including ie domain names visit LetsHost.ie