Asian Internationalised Domain Names and ccTLDs
Internationalised domain names (IDNs) and ccTLDs are now available. For webmasters that only deal in Latin scripts, this will have little or no impact on their online operations. However, companies targeting audiences in Asia in particular should sit up and take notice...
The availability of domain names and ccTLDs in Asian scripts (e.g. '.ไทย' for Thailand, or '.香港' for Hong Kong, to name just two) represents an important opportunity to register the local language version of your domain name. This will give you several key advantages... for example, important keywords in the language of your target audience, and a highly localised brand awareness.
Furthermore, registering your domain in the script of your target audience will give you critical brand protection locally.
An example site would be one we manage here at OrientPixel... www.khaojai.com provides translation services between the English and Thai languages. At the .com version of their website is the English version. The Thai script version of their domain name is at: เข้าใจ.ไทย
The method used to convert the domain into Thai script is called 'Punycode transcription'. The above Thai domain name looks like this in Punycode: xn--22cm9j4br8a.xn--o3cw4h
It is presented to potential Thai customers in a fully Thai format... even the domain name is in Thai script. This presents a website that can be fully understood and trusted by the Thai market.
This is something you must get right on the first attempt. We fully understand the complexities of this process, the SEO implications, the procedures involved in registering the IDN, and can fully manage the process on your behalf.