What domain extension should I use?
Learn how to pick a good domain extension for your website
The domain name is the first step of creating your website. Your domain name is what someone types to find your website. A domain name consists of a subdomain, a second-level domain and a top-level domain (TLD), as seen in the example below:
• subdomain – www
• second-level domain – one
• top-level domain – .com
The second-level domain is the most important part of your domain name. It’s your unique brand name.
Don’t forget about the top-level domain, also known as domain extension. Your domain extension is important to both people searching for your website and search engines.
What’s the best domain extension for my website?
It’s not always easy to know what domain extension fits best. .com is popular, but it doesn’t always have to be the best solution for you. There are many options to choose from, and we can help you pick what works best for you.
That’s why we’re here to help you find the best domain extension for your website.
What are the different types of domain extensions?
We can split domain extensions into two different categories: generic top-level domains (gTLD), and country-code top-level domains (ccTLD) – which are linked to a country.
Generic top-level domains
Generic top-level domains have been around since the beginning of the internet. While there were originally 7 different generic TLDs, there are now hundreds to choose from. Each generic TLD was created with its own meaning. For example, .com was a TLD for commercial websites, while .info was intended for informational websites.
Examples of generic top-level domains
- .com
- .org
- .info
Country code top-level domains
Country specific domain extensions are also very popular. These give the user a direct indication of which country your business is located in. In most countries, .com and the country code TLD are the most used domain extensions. In the United Kingdom, for example, .uk, .co.uk and .com are all popular domain extensions.
Examples of country code top-level domains
- .au
- .uk
- .co.uk
Should I register a gTLD or a ccTLD?
Which domain extension you should choose can depend on several things: the purpose of your website, the audience you want to reach and whether the domain name is already taken.
Consider the purpose of your website if you’re struggling to pick between different domain extensions. Below we explain which domain extension is best for what purpose.
Registering a generic TLD
If you want to create a website in multiple languages or reach an international audience, you should register a generic TLD. That way, you can create subfolders (www.website.com/en/) or subdomains (en.website.com) for each language or market.
The .com domain extension is by far the most popular with over 50% of all websites on the internet using it. Even if you don’t have any international ambitions, it’s a great choice. You can’t go wrong with a .com domain name.
Registering a country code TLD
For local businesses and websites with no international ambitions, a country code TLD would be the best choice. If you want to target multiple countries that speak the same language, you could also choose a country code TLD, but it would be better to pick a generic TLD. Important to remember: some country code TLDs can only be registered if you or your business can prove that you are located in that country.
More options with newer domain extensions
Domain extensions like .com and .net have been around for a long time, but in recent years many new domain extensions have been created. The addition of new domain extensions gives users more options and flexibility when it comes to registering their ideal domain name. Emerging TLDs such as .club and .online are excellent choices and could be a great addition to your brand name.
Multiple domain extensions
By registering multiple domain extensions, you don’t have to worry about someone else registering that same domain extension and potentially taking a share of your website traffic. You can simply choose one that will be the visible address of your website and redirect the other domain names to this one.
If you want to see all possibilities, browse through our selection of domain names. We offer over 380 different domain extensions!
