More often than not, people don’t put much effort into picking a domain name.
That shouldn’t be the case. Keep in mind that shorter, catchier domain names can affect traffic and other SEO metrics. But it doesn’t stop there.
If you want a better chance of ranking, you might want to invest in top-level domains. We have hosting plans that can help you achieve a great domain at an affordable cost. It will make your money worth the benefits you’ll get.
Are you ready to learn about TLD? Read on and find out more.
New top-level domain names get added as years go by but it doesn’t give that much variety. This changed back in 2014 when the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) made a new program. This is the New gTLD Program and it aims to increase the number of possible generic top-level domain names.
This enables you to submit new additions when you submit your application. ICANN received almost 2,000 applications but they had a goal of adding around 1,300 more as these new TLDs. If you apply and succeed, that TLD gets added to the internet available for general use.
There are some big companies out there that bought their own extensions. An example is the car company BMW that added the .bmw extension for their own use. Right now, ICANN still reviews thousands of applications, so expect more in the future.
Another change made by this program introduces non-latin top-level domain names. Some of the new extensions include the Chinese word for “game”, the Russian word for “site”, and Arabic word for “network”. These new rules make it a hot subject of debate among marketers and businesses.
With the new selections of the top-level domain names, a lot of people raise questions. Is it still better to pick the old options like .com or go with the new ones like .blog? To help get the right domain, you need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of these new top-level domains.
A lot of people ask whether the new TLDs will affect your website’s optimization. It’s fortunate that Google clarified that their algorithm doesn’t put the TLD into consideration. What this means is that you don’t have to worry about your TLD ruining your current SEO strategy.
When considering your domain name, your main concern is likely the price. One of the best features of the newer TLDs is the fact that they’re cheaper. The price difference between its legacy counterparts is significant.
For example, a .club domain’s price can be as cheap as €0.99. The price increases after the first year, but it doesn’t change by much. This is one of the reasons why the new TLDs became popular among new businesses.
Surveys found that a majority of people trust the .com and .co.uk domain names compared to the new TLDs. The silver lining behind this fact is that younger people tend to trust new TLDs in the same way as the classic ones. Some of these young respondents said they trust the new ones more.
It’s important to remember that it’s still too early to measure how effective the new TLDs are. Its long-term effects still remain unclear. But its rising popularity might mean that the change is starting to take effect.
But the question remains: when do you need to use the new TLDs for your website?
There are factors you need to consider when you’re considering new TLDs. These can help you think whether you need new ones or stick with classics. Here are some of the factors:
The kind of site you have is the most important factor to consider. Some companies need trust and rely on it to ensure they stay on business. If you’re one of those companies, it’s best to avoid the new TLDs for the time being.
If your website relates to entertainment or technology, new TLDs won’t give you negative impacts. It’s more preferable if you’re running a website that hosts an online community.
Again, younger audiences are more receptive to new TLDs. If your primary demographic comes from this age bracket, you can benefit from it. Otherwise, stick with the classic domains to ensure your audience trusts you more.
A big problem with the old TLDs is that it’s more difficult to find a suitable one for your business brand. This isn’t an issue when you’re using the new ones due to the sheer number of options available. The new TLDs give you the ability to make vanity URLs.
The right domain name might cost you a lot, especially if you’re in a competitive industry. With the new TLDs, you have more chances of getting names or keywords you want. Once you do, you have an equal opportunity of ranking in the search engine results.
The main difference is that the newer TLDs won’t need you to pay a lot to maintain. It’s especially important when you’re starting out and don’t have much to spend.
It’s always important to remember that the state of the new TLDs will change as the years go by. It’s expected for the new TLDs to become more effective as trust builds up. Take these things into consideration and let your conclusion decide whether it’s worth it.
Your main benefit for choosing the new top-level domains is the sheer number of options. The process of buying a new domain name with the use of the new system is easy. If you decide to break away from the norm, you have these at your disposal.
Do you need a good top-level domain? Contact us today and we’ll help you in any way we can.
