Why use .lgbt domain: Marketing Benefits and other Tips

Six years ago in February 2015, the .lgbt domain became available to the public. It was an

important and significant moment of inclusivity on the internet. Not only did it mean you could

snap up the domain if you were lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender yourself, but any

organizations who supported the movement could, too. When Afilias, the global domain registry

operator, announced .lgbt’s opening it was a moment that acknowledged and celebrated

diversity in the market place. But are there optimization and marketing benefits to it too? In

short, why use a .lgbt domain?

A quick domain education

Internet language can sometimes be overwhelming. Here’s a brief breakdown of some

important internet jargon.

Your domain is your website name. A domain name is essentially like your business’s home

address on the internet: It tells people where your business lives so that people can find it and

keep coming back. If you didn’t have a domain name, you’d have to give out your IP address,

which is a long series of numbers – and nobody is going to remember that.

Domain names allow you to own your website address so that nobody else can use it, and it

allows people to find you quickly and easily online, whether by search engine or direct URL

input.

Finally, a domain extension is the last part of the domain name. In www.google.com, the domain

name is ‘google.com’ and the domain extension is .com.

Why use a customized domain extension?

A domain name doesn’t only allow people to find you. In conjunction with your logo and your

customized levels of corporate identity, it also establishes your credibility, reinforces your brand

and helps you to stand out from your competitors. Beyond this, it helps your business develop

search authority with search engines.

A customized domain extension does all this, and then a bunch extra.

If this is the case, what are the marketing benefits of having a .lgbt domain?

Connect with your Audience

.lgbt is an inclusive domain name, which signifies a brand’s commitment to diversity in

marketing. It demonstrates inclusivity and a desire to connect to an LGBT+ audience. When you

use this domain extension you’re telling your audience that both your site and your business

features content that will appeal to and be relevant to the LGBT+ community.

Show off your Diversity in Marketing

Not only will you connect with the LGBT+ audience itself, but you’ll also communicate that your

brand celebrates diversity and inclusion. There are millions of people all over the world who

don’t identify as LGBT+ themselves, but who support and celebrate the community, and who

may wish to express commitment and unity with them, or simply explore gender equality in

marketing.

Does a .lgbt domain have SEO value when targeting the LGBT community?

Roland LaPlante, chief marketing officer of domain registry operator Afilias, which manages

.lgbt, says the domain extension allows businesses to instantly convey an LGBT+

message” When it comes to boosting traffic to your website, this is SEO gold.

Your domain extension has an impact on how your website is perceived and what its users can

expect. It adds character to your domain name and allows your audience to establish an instant

connection with your business. Your brand becomes memorable, relevant and intuitive, inviting

visitors for repeat visits over and over, which are key factors when dealing in the currency of

SEO.

Tips for Marketing to LGBTQ Communities

Community is vital for business, and the LGBT community is becoming more and more

mainstream in the US. Dan S. Kennedy says, in his book No B.S Marketing to the Affluent, that

if marketers are going to go where the spending power is, then they have to go to LGBTQ+

consumers: “If, for your own non-business reasons, you have no interest in or willingness to

deliberately and specifically market to affluent gays and lesbians, just know it’s a

bad business decision and, if you’re running a business in which there are shareholders other

than yourself, a fiscally irresponsible decision.”

LGBT+ representation in advertising reaps huge rewards.

Some quick LGBT marketing statistics:

● 80% of gay people have incomes above the national average.

● As of 2016, the combined buying power of the LGBTQ+ community in the US was above

$915 billion.

● The LGBTQ+ community spends more than $64 billion a year on travel. It’s no

coincidence that this industry has been one of the most inclusive in its marketing

towards LGBTQ+ consumers.

What is inclusive marketing?

All of this begs the question: what is inclusive marketing and how can you get it right?

When all messaging, processes and people in your marketing machine are geared towards the

underrepresented and marginalized so that they can fully experience and connect with your

brand, that’s when you’re engaging in inclusive marketing.

LGBT consumer behavior will be influenced by the following:

● How much your brand supports that audience;

● Your brand’s exploration into what’s interesting, unique, inspiring and different about the

community;

● Avoiding stereotypes and appropriation; and

● Ensuring representation.

In addition to using .lgbt in your domain name, here are three other inclusive marketing

strategies you can implement:

● Advertise in LGBTQ+ media;

● Publish articles and news stories (it’s vital that your engagement with the community is

authentic and truly supportive); and

● Sponsor LGBTQ events or organizations

.lgbt Opportunities

Inclusive marketing is incredibly powerful. Not only does it increase sales and brand awareness,

but it also allows your business to participate in a world that elevates the voices of people who

have been historically marginalized. It creates conversations, fosters brand identity and it

resonates with millions of people.

It seems obvious then that the .lgbt domain extension would be something to seriously consider

in your website domain name or, if you already have a domain, a supporting domain that

redirects to your page,

If you’d like to find out more about the support we give to business in and around Washington

DC, visit our website.