13 name registrars handling the .org top-level domain, including the largest, Go Daddy, are offering DNSSEC, according to PCWorld. That alone is reason to believe all registrars will do the same in short order. VeriSign plans to add it to .net by the end of the year.

The master root key for the encryption was generated last week at a meeting hosted by ICANN, according to Network World.

When the IP/URL system was first being rolled out, it was done with the idea of scalability and speed. There's a trade-off in every system and in this one it was security. Implementation of NDSSEC should go a long ways toward plugging that hole.

Top photo by Mike Baird
Bottom photo by Rafael López Diez

The concept of personal branding online has become a part of many conversations about social media and social networking recently. The popularity of social sites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and various smaller niche sites has continued to skyrocket, offering individuals a chance to create a more robust online presence. The age of anonymity online has all but ended, and individuals should seek to gain further control of their online identities.

Some Personal Branding Background

Personal branding is inherently somewhat egotistical, but not necessarily more so than networking at a conference or sharing business cards. The influence that personal branding online can have has continued to grow as people change the way they seek and consume information. Just over a decade ago, social circles were limited to face-to-face interactions and numbers in a phone book. Now, you can have a much larger reach and audience online. Think of personal branding simply as conducting some marketing as the president of Brand You.

The key to successfully branding yourself online is sharing. This could include contributing valuable information to an online conversation, creating original content, passing along great content from others or sharing knowledge from your experiences. Whatever your interests, social networking provides the opportunity to connect with others who share those same interests and want to hear what you have to say. The tools you can use are nearly infinite, but some of the larger social sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook are great places to start if you're not already there.

Where a Domain Fits With Personal Branding

Whether you're just starting out online or you're a social media power user who has more social profiles than you can keep track of, a domain is an essential part of owning your brand online. Domains were around long before social networking sites, but many people have never owned one, and they're more relevant now than ever. Owning a domain is very affordable, at under $10 per year, and well worth the cost as long as you put it to use. If you don't already own yourname.com, do a domain search to see if it's available. If yourname.com is already taken, the .net or .me extensions are also great options for a personal site. If all else fails, you can use a middle initial, nickname or other variation. Once you've found the perfect domain, consider registering other extensions (.net, .org, .tel, etc.) as well and redirect them to your primary domain.

Once you own your domain, you might wonder how best to use it. The option that comes to mind for many people is to build a website. If you have some knowledge of HTML or a website-building program, then creating a basic website is relatively simple. Content management systems like WordPress and Joomla are increasingly popular among people who want to build personal websites or blogs without learning HTML or Web coding. Here are just a few ideas of what you can do with a personal website:

• Showcase your work in an online personal portfolio.
• Build an online resume that highlights your strengths and creativity.
• Make a website that features your hobbies and interests.
• Create a hub that links to all of your social networking profiles.
• Start a blog about a professional field or subject that you have expertise in.

If you don't want to create a website or blog with your own domain, there are still many other uses for it:

• Brand yourself with custom email (you@yourname.com). You can even hook up services like Gmail to your domain using MX records, if you don't want to use separate email hosting.
• If you already have a blog set up with a service like Blogger, Posterous or WordPress.com, use URL forwarding to direct visitors to that blog when they type in your domain.
• Forward your domain to your Facebook, Twitter or other primary social networking profile.

Regardless of what you use the domain for, connecting your name to your online presence is important. When you connect with someone in your everyday life, you can share your domain name rather than having them search for you on Facebook. Use your domain on business cards, resume and other professional materials. Whatever the purpose, your domain can be an essential part of your online identity, without you having to rely on numerous online profiles. As Marshall Kirkpatrick puts it, "I'm in charge here at Marshallk.com and that's the way I like it."

Why Create a Personal Brand Online?

Personal branding has a great number of applications, particularly in the professional world. If you're searching for a job, having a well-rounded online presence is an increasingly important factor that many companies consider. Businesses often take more than a peek at what comes up in Google search results for candidates, whether you think they should or not, so use your domain name to rank well in Google to put the content that you want potential employers to see front and center.

Similarly, use your domain and social media profiles to network on a professional or personal level with others who share the same interests and goals. If you have consistently useful knowledge and content to contribute online, you can come to be known as an influencer and thought leader in your field. If you aim to start your own business or new project, having an established presence and network of online connections that trusts you can make a huge difference in your ability to succeed. Regardless of the direction you take with personal branding, a domain name is a great place to start and can serve as the backbone of your online presence.

Have another innovative use for your domain? Please share it in the comments.

Shortly after Montenegro gained independence in June of 2006, the ISO 3165 Maintenance Agency assigned the emerging nation the country code "ME." By submitting an application to the IANA to have .Me designated as the country's top-level domain (TLD), the Government of Montenegro took its most important step in establishing .Me. The designation was finally approved and took place in September 2007.

What Can You Do with .Me?

.Me is a true phenomenon among TLDs. With its unforgettable meaning and limitless word combinations, .Me gives a truly personal tone to your domain name. If you are looking for a name that speaks for itself, .Me is your best choice. Let .Me speak for your online business or personal blog.

.Me's potential is enormous, and it simply asks that you be creative and coin the name that best suits you. If you have a great original idea for a domain name, register .Me before it's taken. To check out other ideas, explore the world of .Me.

History of .Me

.Me opened to the world of domains on 17 July 2008. Because of its unique meaning, it is used as both a personalized Web address and a catchy business marketing tool around the world. It caught on initially in English, soon followed by localized and standards-compliant international domain names in, for example, Spanish, Italian, and Montenegrin.

By May 2009, less than one year later, more than 250,000 .Me domains were registered by people in 182 countries. This makes .Me a truly international domain.

.Me Is...

• Great for personalized domains, such as John.Me, Bob.Me, and Mary.Me, which could, for example, be used for a personal blog or website.
• Fantastic as a call-to-action domain, such as LookAt.Me, WillYouDate.Me, ChatWith.Me.
• Perfect for social networking, e.g. TheWorldof.Me.

.Me domains can currently be registered through one of 117 accredited .Me registrars. To find out more about becoming an accredited .Me registrar, go to www.Domain.Me.