Cybersquatting the domain name of a celebrity and selling it for a king's ransom was one of the great get-rich-quick schemes of the early internet. But since courts now tend to favor the star over the squatter, a new kinder, gentler cybersquatting tactic has emerged.
These days, cybersquatters seek to register a star's domain before that person becomes famous, and then develop a business relationship with the new celebrity, offering website hosting or design work.
These so-called soft squatters are registering the domains of hundreds of amateur athletes, musicians and other would-be stars in the hope that one or two of the names will become well-known.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Soft Squatting
- New type of cybersquatting where individuals register a celebrity's domain name before they become famous and offer web services.
- Celebrity Business Relationships
- New tactics explored in creating business relationships with celebrities beyond traditional sponsorships through registering domains early.
- Amateur Star Prospecting
- Individuals registering domains for hundreds of amateur athletes, musicians and others in the hope they become well-known while offering web services.
Sectors Adopting This
- Internet Services
- This industry can innovate by providing tailored website hosting or design services as a way to capitalize on the new soft squatting trend.
- Celebrity Marketing and Management
- This industry can innovate by exploring new ways to leverage domain registration as a potential strategy for creating profitable business relationships between themselves and clients.
- Domain Name Registration
- This industry can innovate by enhanced tracking services for potentially popular amateur domain name registrations as part of their feature offerings.
