Which Domain Extension should you choose?
Your domain is the digital foundation of your business. It is your website street so it is important for your brand. It is a digital asset and the cornerstone of your digital presence.
But when it comes to choosing a domain extension it is should be a logical decision based on your business needs. In fact, in order to protect your brand, you might want to consider buying a number of extensions to prevent someone else from using the same name with a different extension. You can then redirect every domain you own to the main business website.
When you’re choosing a domain extension, consider these factors:
What does your business do? What the purpose of your website?
This is perhaps the most important thing to consider.
The most popular extension is .com but sometimes you might not be able to get that so you could choose another extension that represents what you do – like online, or biz.
If you are a charity or non-profit, then .org (organization) is a viable option. Do not use this if you are not a non-profit, then do not use this extension as it gives the wrong impression online. The same for .edu (education) reserved for colleges and educational institutions. And if you have a co-operative business then a .coop (co-operative) is the extension you would choose and can only be registered at certain domain registrar companies.
If you have the blog solely for the purpose of keeping an online journal or you want to ‘be’ the brand, then an extension like .me (personal) could be the perfect solution. These are only a viable option if you have a very focused business model, or your website is focused on an individual (in the case of the “me” and “name” extensions).
Originally intended for networked websites, .net (network) is used for a wide variety of purposes today. This is a good backup if your ideal choice is taken in the .com extension. It’s also good for tech companies as “net” implies technology and networking.
.info (information) is best used if your website is purely there for information or as a database of knowledge. If you’re not selling anything, then this domain could work well.
.biz (business) is an alternative to .com domains for businesses.
Of course, they are many other choices like .name, .pro, .tv, and many more are used for very specific businesses or industries.
Where are you located?
With the rise of local SEO, you could also consider targeting a specific geographical area that you’re in. You can only register in a certain country if you have a physical address in that country. This would be an important strategy if you want to be seen as a locally owned or if you are serving a local target market.
Common ones include .us for the United States, co.uk for the United Kingdom, and .ca for Canada.
Don’t Forget about SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Search engine optimization will be a major concern for you to help your website to be ranked well. A .com (commercial) is the most popular extension and originally stood for commercial sites. But now it is used for all kinds of websites and has the best chance of ranking it’s the most popular extension.
Now, the extension is just a piece of your full domain. The extension and domain name should work together to create a cohesive brand for your website.
If you are not sure which extension to use, book a session and let’s get it set up correctly from the start.
