The absence of clear protocols for acquiring available domain names, coupled with insufficient attention to protecting them, could expose companies to risks, according to participants in the panel discussion, The Value of a Name: Domain as a Digital Asset.
Marina Brik, Business Development Director, Technical Center of Internet, drew attention to domain names that are being released and the mechanisms for acquiring them. As a potential solution, she cited the practices in Belarus and Uzbekistan, where domain auctions are already in use.
“Auctions have been a longstanding mechanism because they establish a clear procedure: who can participate, how the winner is determined, and what happens after the bidding concludes,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Aleksandra Pashko, Head of IT Projects at VK, noted that when choosing a domain name, a company should assess its clarity for the user.
“For major customer-facing products, I would highlight three key criteria. First, clarity for the user – meaning the domain should be easy to pronounce, spell, and remember. Second, a strong connection to the brand or the product itself. And third, operational predictability,” she noted.
Andrey Savelyev, CEO of DOMENY.RF LLC, urged business owners to rethink their approach to domains and treat them as critical business assets.
“Business owners often register a domain under just about anyone’s name except their own. They frequently register it to the IT director, the system administrator, or the secretary. Consequently, when that employee leaves the company and forgets to hand over access, the business owner loses the domain,” he emphasized.
To protect their domain assets, Savelyev recommended that business owners register them directly in their own names, regularly log in to the registrar’s account portal, and monitor the renewal date and ensure sufficient funds are available for payment.
Khan Mohammad Nakib Swadhin, CEO of Diana Host Ltd. (Bangladesh), shared his views on the role of domain names in ensuring business continuity and building strong brands in developing economies. He emphasized the need to strike a balance between security and ease of registration.
Swadhin noted that businesses in Bangladesh continue to prefer .com domains because of the additional restrictions associated with registering a domain in the national .bd zone. He also warned that failing to secure a national domain name can increase the risk of fraud.
“A domain name is more than just a web address. It represents your brand’s value and is a valuable asset, so you need to secure it before someone else does,” he said.
