Definition of a Category Killer Domain

In an article I wrote about Vino.com yesterday, I mentioned that it was a category killer domain name and a couple of people commented that it wasn’t. Just like in the National Football League, I am doing an instant replay review, and the call is overturned. Vino.com doesn’t really meet the definition of a category killer domain name, although I do think it’s a brandable and memorable wine domain name.

So… what do I think defines a category killer domain name? Well, Wikipedia says the term “category killer” is a marketing term used “to describe a product, service, brand, or company that has such a distinct sustainable competitive advantage that competing firms find it almost impossible to operate profitably in that industry.”

Similarly, in my opinion, a “category killer domain name is a domain name that creates a distinct competitive advantage for a company that is in, or that wishes to enter a specific industry, where that term defines the industry or a specific sector within the industry.” A category killer domain name gives a company a consumer marketing advantage as well as a search engine optimization edge.

Some category killer domain names discussed on my blog in the past include Bobbleheads.com, Candy.com, AmericanFlags.com, Bodybuilding.com, Cars.com, and Apartments.com.

Elliot Silver
Elliot Silver
About The Author: Elliot Silver is an Internet entrepreneur and publisher of DomainInvesting.com. Elliot is also the founder and President of Top Notch Domains, LLC, a company that has closed eight figures in deals. Please read the DomainInvesting.com Terms of Use page for additional information about the publisher, website comment policy, disclosures, and conflicts of interest. Reach out to Elliot: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

15 COMMENTS

  1. Vino should be considered a category-killer in English, and it’s clearly a category-killer global brand. After wine.com, what is the best name to sell wine online in English? The obvious answer is vino.com. After wine.com and vino.com, there is big drop-of in branding value down to words like winery.com. Wine-varietal.com or wine-region.com may also be considered category-killers, but they limit you to a subsection of wine.

  2. Hey,

    Don’t leave out the customers!

    Wino is just as good a category killer as any other for those afficionados of the grape. Wino.tv has potential to push that envelope. It’s all in fun, so don’t be a stuffed shirt about it.

    BTW, Vino.com is a heavy hitting category killer considering the number of countries having that word that translates into wine andthat the United States also likes to use the word signifying same.

  3. I much prefer the term “Dynamite Domains” rather than category killer.

    I heard it recently at a conference where the guest speaker Kenny Goodman went through every aspect of what made a dynamite domain name. Most of the components were SEO related but he did also talk about the brand ability of dynamite domains.

    So do I believe that Vino.com is a dynamite domain?

    Absolutely – it is a huge keyword and I probably would have focussed it ion a country that uses the term vino – mainly spanish or Italian speaking to gain most benefit

  4. the Wikipedia definition doesnt really apply well to domains, strictly speaking, as if it did, and if Vino.com finds it possible to operate profitably, then that would make Wine.com NOT a category killer. I wouldnt get too caught up in definitions. I dont think any one domain will ever ‘kill the category’ for all other domains in the space. its more semantics

  5. I think I have a category killer Italian domain name.
    Abbigliamentobambini.com
    It means baby clothing and it gets over 300,000 global searches per month.
    Only problem is I have no idea how to develop it

    I also have abbigliamentoeaccessori.com means clothing and accessories. Over 300,000 searches a month as well.

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