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.