During our recent webinar: “Back to Basics – Domain and Trademark Management”, we addressed a topic that we’ve seen cause significant challenges for companies of all sizes — the mismanagement of domain names and trademarks. Whether you’re a startup or a global enterprise, the disconnect between these two key aspects of your intellectual property (IP) can lead to costly errors and even jeopardize your brand’s reputation. Today, we want to share some insights from that session and provide a roadmap for why a synchronized strategy is essential, and how we can help streamline this process for your business.
The Hidden Risks of a Disconnected Strategy
One of the most common misconceptions we encounter is the belief that securing a single domain, such as your .com, is sufficient for online protection. This is a major pitfall. While owning your .com is certainly a strong foundation, it’s far from enough in today’s digital landscape. Different countries have different preferences for top-level domains (TLDs), and not securing the appropriate country-specific domains can lead to lost opportunities and worse — your competitors or third parties might grab them before you even realize.
Equally risky is not registering critical domains before you file a trademark application. The moment a trademark is made public, it becomes vulnerable to domain squatters. This can force your company to spend significant sums on acquiring domain names that should have been yours in the first place — or worse, lose them entirely.
We’ve also seen many businesses fall into the trap of assigning domain management responsibilities to individuals instead of creating a centralized strategy. This can result in outdated or incorrect information being tied to your most valuable domains, such as an email address linked to a former employee. Imagine missing important renewal notices because they were sent to an inactive inbox. The outcome? The potential suspension and deletion of your domain — a disaster for any company that relies on its digital presence.
Moreover, we frequently observe companies failing to align their domain and trademark strategies. Often, trademarks are managed by legal teams while domain portfolios are handled by IT departments, without any collaboration. This lack of synergy results in missed opportunities and higher risks of infringement, both online and offline.
One takeaway from our webinar that was clear was: businesses need to consider domains as a key part of their IP portfolio, alongside trademarks. Domains are your digital identity, just as trademarks protect your brand in the physical world. By aligning these two, you can strengthen your market position, protect yourself from competitors, and enhance your brand’s visibility.
We recommend taking a proactive approach. When launching a new product or expanding into new markets, always conduct simultaneous checks on both domain availability and trademark registrations. Doing so will ensure that you can secure your brand’s online presence without expensive acquisitions or legal actions down the road.
At AWA | Dotkeeper, we specialize in building synchronized domain and trademark strategies that support your business from end to end. We assist with everything from domain name registration and acquisition to trademark filing and enforcement. Our expertise ensures that your digital and legal protections are not only in place but working in harmony.
Navigating this space might feel challenging, especially if your portfolio is already spread across multiple providers or platforms. That’s why we advocate for consolidating your domains under one proactive corporate partner — like us. By doing so, you reduce the risk of human error, minimize administrative burdens, and ensure that your IP strategy is not fragmented.
Furthermore, we offer monitoring services to help protect your brand from infringers. Together with a strong enforcement strategy in place, we can help mitigate risks and keep your brand secure.
A strong IP portfolio — one that integrates domain management and trademark protection — is key to staying competitive, safeguarding your assets, and maintaining a robust online presence.
At the end of the day, this isn’t just about avoiding mistakes. It’s about making sure your business can grow, thrive, and succeed without unnecessary legal or financial roadblocks. By partnering with us, you gain a dedicated team of experts who will guide you through every step of this process, from strategy to execution, ensuring your IP rights are protected on all fronts.
To summaruize all the information, we’ve created a checklist to help you synchronize your domain and trademark management effectively:
- Conduct a comprehensive search
Check domain and trademark availability before launching any brand or product.
- Register domains and trademarks simultaneously
Secure key domains and trademarks at the same time to prevent third-party registration.
- Update ownership info
Ensure domain ownership details are up-to-date and registered under the company.
- Consolidate domain management
Centralize your domain portfolio with one provider to minimize administrative errors.
- Align Legal & IT
Foster collaboration between legal (trademarks) and IT (domains) teams.
- Monitor continuously
Set up trademark and domain watch to catch unauthorized use early.
- Plan for future expansion
Secure domains and trademarks in future markets before entering them.
- Enforce proactively
Have a plan for handling infringements, including ADR for domain disputes.
- Regularly Review and Update Your IP Portfolio
Periodically audit your IP portfolio to ensure it aligns with business goals.
- Partner with Experts
Work with a full-service IP partner to guide your strategy and handle enforcement.
If you’d like to learn more or explore how we can assist you with your domain and trademark management, don’t hesitate to reach out.
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