How to choose a TLD

The availability of the more traditional gTLDs becoming more limited led to the introduction of new gTLDs. There are now hundreds of extensions which has made the acquisition of memorable and catchy a lot more accessible. These new extensions cover different types of websites, industries, hobbies, geography, business, sport, education and more and are proving to be extremely popular. That’s not to dismiss the more traditional gTLDs and ccTLDs such as .com or .co.uk, these extensions can carry a certain amount of trust with users who are less familiar with the new TLDs as they are still relatively new. ccTLDs are particularly beneficial if you are targeting a domestic market, potential visitors knowing your locality before visiting your site can add that extra appeal to a regional audience. Obviously pricing does come into your decision, but on the whole domain name registration fees are going to be one of the least expensive parts of building your online presence.

The best thing to do is to come up with some good keywords or brand name that you’d quite like to include and put them into a domain spinner to find out what is available.

Learn more about demystifying domain names:

1. What is a domain name?
2. What are the different types of TLDs?
3. What is a registry, registrar and registrant?
4. What is DNS?
5. What is the WHOIS database?
6. How do I choose a domain name?
7. How do I choose a TLD?
8. The future landscape of domain names

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Author: Gavin Kimpton
A founder of Pipe Ten, Gavin has been professionally embedded in the digital sector spanning 3 decades since the original dot com boom of the late nineties. He has extensive experience in the design of many major international website launches and is a seasoned expert in the intricate world of domain registration and management. Gavin has navigated the ever-evolving landscape of internet governance, witnessing the birth of new top-level domains (TLDs) and the proliferation of domain name industry regulations. He spearheaded purely.website to be a Nominet accredited channel partner with a profound understanding of the symbiotic relationship between domain names and the broader digital ecosystem.