How to choose which Top-Level Domain to use?
A domain name is not just an address on the internet. It is an integral part of your brand that influences its perception, SEO, and user trust. In addition to the name itself, the top-level domain (TLD) you choose is also important.
For example, .com, .net, .org, .ai, .store – there are hundreds of options, and each can impact your business and audience differently.
So, how do you choose the right one?
What is a Top-Level Domain (TLD)?
A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of a website address, the one that comes after the dot (.). For example, Google.com has a top-level domain of .com, while bbc.co.uk has a top-level domain of .uk.
All TLDs fall into three main groups:
- generic top-level domains (gTLDs). For example, .com, .org, .net, .info. These domains are available to all users and are not tied to specific geographic regions.
- country code top-level domains (ccTLDs). For example, .kr, .jp, .de or .fr. These domains were originally created to designate specific countries.
- sponsored top-level domains (sTLDs). For example, .gov for government organizations, .edu for educational institutions or .aero aviation industry.
When the Domain Name System (DNS) was introduced in 1985, it included only six top-level domains:
- .com (for commercial organizations)
- .org (for nonprofit organizations)
- .net (for internet service providers and network companies)
- .edu (for educational institutions)
- .gov (for US government sites)
- .mil (for US military sites)
Popular TLD options
Today, there are more than 1,500 top-level domains, but not all of them are widely recognized or commonly used. Some domains have become the standard for businesses, while others are actively used in the technology sector or stand out due to their creativity.
Classic domains
Classic domains were the first to appear and remain the most common. The absolute leader among domains is .com, which is used by more than 50% of all websites. It was initially intended for commercial organizations. Today it is suitable for everyone. If your brand is global, then .com is your best choice.
The .net domain was originally created for network providers, but today it is used for a variety of purposes. It is often chosen if the .com version is unavailable.
Another alternative to .com is .biz, but it is rarely used today.
Approximately 80% of all registered domains use .com, .org, or .net. These three TLDs form the “gold standard” of the Internet. The .org domain was originally intended for nonprofit organizations, but now it is used by both charities and startups that want to emphasize their mission.
The .info domain is ideal for information sites, blogs, and wiki platforms. However, in recent years, its popularity has declined.
Country-code domains
ccTLDs were originally created to represent specific countries, but today they are used for both local and creative projects. The most popular ccTLD in the world is .de. Another popular option is .co (Colombia), which is often used by companies and startups because it resembles the abbreviation for “company.”
Among regional TLDs, .me (Montenegro), .tv (Tuvalu), and .io (British Indian Ocean Territory) have also gained widespread adoption.
Fun fact: Iceland’s national domain is .is, and the time.is domain provides accurate time worldwide! So now you know what the time .is! Pun intended.
The demand for .ai domains (owned by Anguilla) has surged due to the rise of artificial intelligence, with AI-focused startups rapidly acquiring .ai domains.
The .su domain is the only historical ccTLD that is still active. Historical ccTLDs are domains assigned to countries that no longer exist, such as .cs (Czechoslovakia), .yu (Yugoslavia), and .dd (East Germany). However, .su remains the only one that is still in use.
The .su domain was created in 1990 for the Soviet Union, just 15 months before its dissolution. The initial plan was to use the .ussr domain, but a 19-year-old Finnish student, Petri Ojala, suggested the shorter .su. Today, under the management of the Russian Institute of Public Networks, the number of active .su domains has reached 100,000. Most are registered in Russia, but surprisingly, the United States holds the second place.
New and specialized TLDs
In 2012, ICANN approved the introduction of new domains that more accurately reflect specific business industries and website categories.
For example:
- .tech and .dev are great for technology companies, IT projects, and developers
- .shop and .store are ideal for online retailers and e-commerce
- .design and .art are used by designers, artists, and architects
- .blog and .news are popular among bloggers and news publications
The .app and .dev domains require mandatory use of HTTPS, making them more secure.
Brand-specific TLDs
Some companies register their own TLDs. For example: .google (Google), .amazon (Amazon), .bmw (BMW), and .nike (Nike). This practice enhances brand recognition and eliminates the risk of domain hijacking.
Interestingly, Canon was the first company to publicly express interest in securing its own branded TLD.
Weird TLD options
Some unusual TLDs were created for practical purposes, while others serve as marketing gimmicks, making you wonder: “Why does this even exist?”
The first type includes domains with a random set of letters. For example, the .qpon domain was created for coupons but is rarely used. Google used .xyz for Alphabet (abc.xyz), and it has since become popular among startups. Additionally, .ooo is an existing domain that is occasionally used for creative projects.
Another category of unusual TLDs includes those based on emotions, such as .lol, .wtf, and .sucks. The latter was originally intended as a platform for honest reviews, but brands often purchase these domains to prevent others from registering apple.sucks or microsoft.sucks. The company Vox Populi sells .sucks domains for $2,499 per year to help brands protect their reputation.
There are also domains related to food and beverages, such as .pizza, .beer, .coffee, and .wine. One example is Budweiser, which owns the kingof.beer domain.
There are many categories of unusual domains:
- For IT enthusiasts: .ninja, .codes, .fail, and .hacker.
- For gambling-related businesses: .rich, .casino, and .money.
- For animal lovers: .dog, .fish, and .horse.
Interestingly, even though .cat refers to the animal, the TLD was created for the Catalan linguistic and cultural community. For example, the website gencat.cat is dedicated to promoting Catalan culture.
Among the strangest TLDs are .boo, .love, and .wow.
For example, there is the website CSS.ninja, a blog about web development and design where the author shares their knowledge and experience. Another example is the website Outer.space, which is dedicated to news and space exploration.
Factors to consider when choosing a TLD
Choosing a top-level domain (TLD) is not just about aesthetics or creativity. It also affects brand recognition, SEO, audience trust, and even the cost of ownership.
- Choose your target audience and geography.
If you operate in one country, it is best to choose a country-specific TLD. For global projects, .com is the ideal choice.
You can also diversify your domains, just as Car Rentals did. They have carrentals.co.uk, aimed at the UK market, and carrentals.com for an international audience. - Research which domains are more trusted by users.
Domains like .com, .org, and .net are often seen as more trustworthy. Research shows that .com is generally more trusted than newer and less common TLDs.
Some domains can raise red flags; for example,.biz, .info, .xyz are frequently associated with scammers. Meanwhile, .sucks, .wtf and .fail can harm a company’s reputation. And that would be a total fail. - Assess the impact on search traffic
Although Google officially claims that TLDs don’t impact SEO, statistics indicate that .com sites tend to get more organic traffic. At the same time, country-specific TLDs can boost local search rankings. This means that a .fr site will perform better in France than a .com site. That’s why autos.de might rank higher in Google.de than autos.com. - Choose an affordable domain
.com is the most popular domain, and good names are often already taken. If your desired .com domain is already registered, you might want to consider alternatives like .net, .co, or .shop.
Many companies buy and resell valuable domains at high prices. For example, in 2015, the Chinese company Qihoo 360 acquired the domain 360.com from Vodafone for $17 million.
Tesla struggled to acquire tesla.com for a long time and had to use teslamotors.com until it finally purchased the preferred domain for $11 million in 2014. Then, almost a decade later, Elon easily bought Twitter. What a weird world we live in, right? - Think about legal protection for your brand in advance
Register multiple domains to protect your brand. Many companies purchase .com, .net, .org at the same time to avoid cybersquatting (domain hijacking by competitors).
For example, Apple owns apple.com, apple.net and apple.org to protect its reputation. All these sites redirect to the main domain, apple.com.
Scammers love to snag up domains that sound similar to popular ones just to throw people off. For example, they might set up sites like amzon.shop or gogle.net to trick unsuspecting visitors. - Choose an easy-to-remember TLD
Short and straightforward TLDs are easier to remember: .com is intuitive for users, while .solutions or .accountant can be a bit confusing. A domain like travel.blog sounds great and is easy to recall, but something like travel-information-and-tips.website is much harder to remember.
TLDs and SEO
Google claims that it indexes all TLDs equally. But should you simply trust Google on this one? After all, the company is in a constant tug-o-war with the SEO community and may claim things that aren’t necessarily true. Data suggests that .com and country-coded domains tend to rank better. An analysis found that 70% of the sites at the top of Google use .com.
ccTLDs offer a local ranking advantage since Google automatically associates country-code TLDs with specific countries. For instance, .fr ranks higher in search results in France than .com. If you’re operating in Germany, a .de domain will boost your visibility in Google.de. For example, if shoes.de targets German users, it will achieve better SEO in Google.de than shoes.com. However, shoes.com will likely rank better in Google.com, as Google considers .com a global domain.
At the same time, some TLDs are seen as less authoritative. Domains like .biz, .info, and .xyz are often associated with spam and tend to rank lower.
So, if your business is global, go for .com. For local businesses, use country-specific TLDs. And if you’re building a unique brand, consider a niche domain like .tech, .shop, or .blog.
Tips for making the right choice
- Define the purpose of the site and your target audience
- Choose a TLD that users trust
- Consider SEO and Google ranking
- Be aware of legal and reputational risks
- Keep the domain name simple and memorable
- Check domain availability and avoid overpaying
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