In the early days of the Internet, choosing a domain extension was rather simple: there was only a handful of them. In 2021, however, choosing a domain extension can be confusing because there are so many extensions. Some may even feel that the extension of a website doesn't really matter anymore.
However, the new extensions can allow you to communicate on both sides of the "dot". So how do choose?
Discover the different extensions and how to choose the one that best suits your website.
Generic domain extensions
Also called "historical", these extensions are known all over the world and therefore concern all nationalities.
Their popularity and the authority that they grant often lead to a surge in prices for certain particular domain names (and often generic as well):
.com
It was originally intended for profit-making businesses, but it is now widely used in all fields. If you have the opportunity to own a .com extension, you should do so.
.org
Again, this extension is used by everyone. Originally used for non-profit organizations such as charities, it is often chosen by non-governmental organizations or online communities that are best suited for the .org extension.
.net
The extension has been used by Internet service providers but is now a strong alternative to .com. The .net is associated with web-based technology and services and is therefore suitable for websites that fall within the technology niche.
.info
Ideal for a site focused on providing information on a subject generally stated in the domain name, it is the only one that has not yet been completely deviated from its original purpose, although we can find here and there those companies with commercial purposes a little hidden under this extension.
Country domain extensions
These extensions are considered local and are geographically specific to the place where the website operates.
The domain extensions are usually initials that come from the country's original name, in the country's language (for example .dz for Algeria). These extensions are often subject to conditions, as the future owner must prove that he belongs to the country in question.
Good to know
If you are only going to use your domain name in Algeria, it is recommended that you choose the .dz (this does not prevent you from parking the .com, if it exists, in order to protect it).
Some more permissive countries have seen their extension hijacked like Libya and its .ly that we meet a lot.
Local or regional extensions
Many regional - or big city - extensions are available and it's not going to stop! If your geographical location is important in your field and determines for example your radius of action, you should consider choosing the specific local extension.
Not everyone has a website to sell a product or service to the world: if you own a business in usa, why not register a busines.us? In the same way, a brewer from Brittany whose commercial area does not go beyond his region should register busines.bzh.
Not to mention that this can give a boost in referencing
local referencing!
All the other domain name extensions...
... and those to come: there are now several hundred extensions and, as I mentioned in the introduction, some can even become part of your domain name.
A generic name such as "marriage.com", does not say anything other than "I am a website about marriage". While "wedding.catering", "wedding.photos", "wedding.express", "wedding.party" or "wedding.fail" each tell a different story.
Conclusion
As we have seen above, there are several hundred domains available on the market. In most cases, these extensions are available at affordable prices and it is customary to register several in order to protect your domain.
You should first look for the most common extensions, such as .com, which have a natural authority. If your activity is local, try to find the corresponding geographical extension, without being afraid of being too specific.
Finally, if your business has its own extension, don't hesitate either: while for a long time we believed that the extension chosen had a negative impact on SEO, Google has admitted that all top-level extensions are treated the same way.
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