Websites are a significant part of running a business. Website design, SEO, and content creation — all these are crucial things to take into consideration as part of the business process. But the humble domain extension is just as important.
Your domain should give a customer all the necessary information about your company. The suffix you choose plays a role in that, signaling where you are based or what industry you are in. A .dev domain signals that you are involved in developing, for example.
Curious to learn more? Then read on! In this article, we’ll explain what domain extensions are, why they matter, and more.
What Are Domain Extensions?
Simply put, the domain name extension is the part of a website URL that follows the website name. Some common examples include .com, .org, and .io. Essentially, they help to organize websites into various types. These are the most common ones:
- Generic (gTLD): Commonly used by international webpages, gTLDs were the first URL endings to come onto the scene and are still one of the most popular. They are instantly recognizable to even those without much knowledge of the internet; for example, .com, .net.
- Country Code (ccTLD): Particular countries and their government agencies use ccTLDs. Common examples of ccTLDs are .us, .ca, and .co.uk.
- Restricted: Restricted web address extensions have a set of requirements that website owners must meet before they can use them. For example, only government bodies can use .gov, while educational institutions are solely allowed to take .edu.
There are also special URL endings for various occupations like .dev for developers, .biz for commercial businesses, and .info for informational web pages.
The Top Five URL Endings
With thousands and thousands of web address extensions out there, which ones have risen to the top? Which are you most likely to encounter on a daily basis? This section considers the top five most common domain extensions and what they are used for.
- .com: More than 50% of existing websites have this ending. While most of the sites are typically associated with commercial businesses, loads of different companies use them.
- .org: While the use of .org is not very heavily regulated, it is most commonly associated with non-profits.
- .edu: Agencies providing further education use this suffix.
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- .gov: URLs using .gov are exclusively government bodies.
- .net: Network-based businesses like email providers use .net for their websites.
Why Do Domain Endings Matter?
Domain extensions often go unremarked upon, but they are, in fact, crucially important. Firstly, they can help a customer figure out where your company is based. This is useful if they are looking for a service in their country or city.
Secondly, they are important for branding. Consider examples such as .biz, .dev, or .org. At a glance, a customer can already begin to build a picture in their head of what the company does and what its webpage might be like.
Finally, a widely-recognized suffix can help your website seem more legitimate. A customer is far more likely to follow a link through to a website that ends in .com or .org than with a suffix they do not recognize.
How Much Do Domain Extensions Cost?
The cost of a web address extension varies greatly. Some are more fashionable than others, and this often affects the price. For example, ones that are associated with the tech industry like .io, .dev, and .tech are often quite expensive.
Despite its overwhelming popularity, .com is actually one of the more affordable options out there. Usually, they cost around $10 per year, occasionally slightly more or less.
The price also depends on the provider you purchase it from. Some registrars are more expensive than others. With this in mind, make sure that you do not rush into a decision to buy. Instead, take the time to examine and compare the various packages on offer from different providers.
Final Thoughts
In our day-to-day lives, we rarely give URL endings a second thought — or a first one, for that matter! However, in this article, we have shown you that choosing a good web address extension is a crucial part of building a successful business website.
Decide what you want to communicate about your business through your web address. Consider the industry and region you operate in. Beginning with just these two aspects can help you start to narrow down your options.
When making your decision, keep our advice in mind! Choosing the right URL ending can help you bring in a good volume of traffic and ensure the success of your webpage.
