Google Keeps it Simple with G.cn in China
G.cn points to Google.cn.
Beijing. October 29. INTERFAX-CHINA - Google China began operating from the new, simplified Web address “g.cn” this afternoon to overcome difficulties users have in remembering “google.cn”.
http://www.interfax.cn/displayarticle.asp?aid=29084&slug=CHINA-IT-SEARCH
***FS*** Can’t get any shorter than a single character.. Well, perhaps they could make it so you just press enter and Google appears.
I love single digit domains as much as the next hoarder, but g.cn is awfully ugly looking, no?
Frank,
Alot of companies in China use short numerical and alphabetical domains in order to allow for direct traffic navigation from advertisments etc.
I can’t even imagine the immense effect that IDNs will have on main stream marketing in China, when companies are finally able to present and market themselves to the public with domain names thaat are relevant to the nature of their businesses.
谷歌.中国 (Google.cn in Chinese) coming soon!
Well the reason given was that browsers could not remember GOOGLE. So much for branding in ASCII! I guess if you can afford single character monikers that is one way forward. It might have been even more obvious a solution to come up with branding in Chinese Characters. Still I guess they struggle to afford that level of marketing expertise. Certainly won’t find it down Maddison Avenue.
The fact that Chinese Internet users have difficulty in remembering “google.cn” points to the need for (and value of) IDN domain names in the Chinese market.