Did you know? In 2019, Amazon and countries crossed by the Amazon forest found themselves facing justice to obtain the exclusive right to use the “. amazon” extension online.
If the aim of the online sales platform was to strengthen its branding, these countries wish to use it as a geographical extension to promote tourism in the region. The latter thus lost the right to use sites like “trip. Amazon” or “hotels. Amazon”.
This example shows the importance of domain name extensions for your online marketing and awareness. Whether they are in “.com”, “. shop”, “. blog” or “. votreville”, they help to convey the message of your brand.
So, how do you choose the most consistent extension with your business? Follow the leader!
Why should you choose the right domain name extension?
An extension is the last part of your domain name. It plays an important role among Internet users and search engines.
Visitor confidence
The different domain extensions influence visitor perception. Some are familiar like “.com”, “.net” and “.org” … These extensions reinforce the feeling of trust and credibility of your site.
For example, a visitor is more likely to click on a site ending in “.com” than one with “.zip,” “.biz,” or “.info.” These extensions are regularly used by spammers and cybercriminals.
In other words, choosing the wrong domain extension can associate you with malicious or untrustworthy sites.
Local, targeted and qualified SEO
The particularity of domain name extensions is that they sometimes reflect your geographic area. They can also refer to a country “. for” (for France), “.be” (for Belgium), “. chi” (for Switzerland) … or indicate a region like “. Paris” or “. bah”.
This localized traffic is more likely to convert into prospects or customers.
A high trust score
If you represent a university or government agency, then you will get special favors from search engines. Especially, if you add the appropriate extension such as “. Edu” or “.org”.
According to Google, this improves your trust score because they represent a category of site with verified information. You will therefore be favored in the search results.
However, be careful to use them wisely. As a business, avoid trying to mislead Internet users (and search engines) by using these extensions…
The different types of extensions
There are more than 1,500 domain name extensions which can be grouped into 5 distinct categories:
1) Generic extensions
Generic extensions are among the best known and most used. They generally have 3 letters after the dot such as “.com”, “.org” or “.net”.
There are no special requirements for using them. All types of websites can use it.
2) Geographic extensions
Geographic extensions represent a specific country, city, or region. Example: “. for” or “. Paris”.
Each of them has its own rules. global seo company Some are reserved for organizations in the country, while others are accessible to everyone. For example, nick is reserved for businesses in New York City.
3) Specific extensions
These domains are reserved for specific industries or companies. We can cite the extensions “. news” for information sites, “. blog” for blogs, “. tech” or “.design” for specific activities.
4) Restricted extensions
Similar to specific extensions, they are dedicated to specific entities. This could be a branch of government or any other agency. The most common remain “. gout” or “. Edu”.
5) Brand extensions
These extensions are the property of a company or brand. They can only be used by the organization that owns them. Examples include “. google”, “. apple” or “. amazon”. Their registration requirements are extremely strict.
4 tips for choosing your domain name extension
Several factors must be taken into account when choosing your domain name extension:
1) The objective of the website
The purpose of your website remains an essential factor when choosing an NDD extension. For example, nonprofits opt for “.org” because it gives them credibility, while also distinguishing themselves from educational and government organizations, as well as businesses.
If you have an online business, you can opt for “.co” or “.biz”, which are both recognized for professional use. Information sites or sites containing many tutorials can choose “.info”, for example.
2) Your business needs
The best extension is the one that meets your needs. If you want to optimize your SEO, a “.com” site remains the best.
However, if you are looking to conquer a local book marketing agency a geographic expansion is still recommended. This will boost your local SEO.
3) Your budget
The price of an extension varies from €5 per year to more than a hundred euros. It all depends on their specificities and their particularities. Special domain names ending in “. tech”, “. xxx”, “. voyages” or even “. guide” are sometimes in high demand, so prices can skyrocket.
4) The rest of your URL
The domain extension is only part of your full web address. For optimal results, the URL and extension should form a consistent identity. For example, you can offset a generic domain name with a more unusual domain extension, or vice versa.
You can also compensate for a long domain name with a short and simple extension. You can also use them together to communicate key information on your website. For example, the address “whisky. benchers” clearly indicates what it is about.
If the domain name is your online identity, the extension is its DNA. It defines the nature of your site and your business. Given that the choice has greatly expanded in recent years, the termination of your NDD requires particular attention and prior reflection to integrate perfectly into your digital strategy.
