Direct Navigation

The Foundation for the Online Business of Brands and of Cybersquatters
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Direct Navigation, also known as type-in navigation, describes the process wherein a user opens their browser, goes to the address bar and types in a domain name that has either been communicated to them through marketing or is assumed to be a source for content they are looking for. For example, a user might type www.weather.com into their browser in order to determine what to wear to work that day, or type in www.niketennis.com to get the latest news on Roger Federer. The practice of Direct Navigation presents a new range of opportunities and concerns for brand owners. While the exact percentage of people who practice Direct Navigation is often debated, it is prevalent, and ignoring its implications can negatively affect brand management and create avenues for cybercriminals to victimize companies and consumers.

Direct Navigation exists in contrast to Search Navigation, wherein an Internet user chooses to search for a string of keywords or terms using a search engine such as Google, Yahoo!, or MSN. Search Navigation is used to varying degrees, ranging from users who only turn to search engines to find information they are unsure about, to users that go to search engines even to find directly communicated sites. In the first case, a user might search for the term, “DC florist with MD delivery.” This user does not have a clear idea of what Web site he or she wants to visit; rather, they are using a search engine to find a company that can meet a specific need. In the second case, a user may know the address of the Web site that they want to visit—www.xerox.com, for example—and will still enter this complete URL into a search engine’s search box. They will arrive at their intended destination by clicking on the appropriate link from the search engine results (which may be a natural or paid search result depending on which they click).

FairWinds Partners has identified two types of Direct Navigation. The first is “Freestyle Navigation,” which refers to the growing practice of entering creative domain names directly into a browser in hopes of reaching more specific content. For example, a user looking for a download of the popular MSN Messenger program may type “msnmessenger.com” into their browser, which today resolves to a Microsoft sponsored search.live.com Internet search page.¹ Based on the traffic garnered by this site, FairWinds estimates that more than 4,000 users type this domain name into their browsers each month. In another instance, a user looking to track their UPS package may type “upstracking.com” into their browser, only to find a pay-per-click site. FairWinds estimates that more than 12,000 users visit upstracking.com each month.

The second type of Direct Navigation is “Evolved Navigation,” which refers to the practice of interacting with brands by typing an address and expecting relevant content from that brand. Evolved Navigation plays on a user’s expectations that a well-known brand will have registered domain names most relevant to their offered products and services. For example, a user who expects Sam’s Club to have developed a complete, optimal and relevant Internet experience for its consumers may type “samsclubphoto.com” into their browser in order to find the online home of Sam’s Club photo processing. As of today, this site points to a pay-per-click Web site that, according to FairWinds estimates, receives over 1,000 visitors per month.²

Regardless of which type of navigation an Internet user practices, almost everyone will enter a domain name into the browser at some point. Even those that engage in Search Navigation often enter the domain name of their intended search engine, and the traffic to these search engines and common typos of their domain names is a testament to the advantages of fully leveraging Direct Navigation. As of September 2008, FairWinds estimates that the domain name “gooogle.com” was receiving over 70,000 visits monthly, while “goole.com” was receiving over 500,000 visits monthly. “Yaho.com” receives 40,000 visitors a month, while “yaoo.com” receives 20,000. Each of these examples highlights the potential benefits associated with Direct Navigation. However, they are also representative of the number of opportunities that cybercriminals have to infringe on your brand.

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