To continue with our 'what does a website cost?' blog series, today we're talking top-level domain names, and why they may or may not be worth the investment.
If you're wondering what a top-level domain (TLD) is, it's basically the part of the domain name that comes after the dot. So, for instance, while .com or .ca are pretty common here in Canada, there's also, .net, .org, .biz, .info, and many more. In fact, TLD's have attracted a lot of attention over the years, mostly because some companies have literally spent millions of dollars on their domain names and obscure TLD's in particular. Yup, that's right, unique TLD's have taken the internet world by storm and you, too, could own a .salon or .pizza domain name - if you're willing to pay for it!
It goes without saying that your domain name is an important part of your website design. After all, catchy or easy to remember domains ensure that people won't forget your site. But, when it comes down to price, which TLD's make the most sense? Should you stick to .com or .ca, or go with something more memorable? Just like web design prices, it all depends on your website needs.
In a nutshell, some companies are choosing to go with less common TLD's to A) save money, and B) to be different. For starters, there's a lot more availability for .salon and .pizza domain names, which means the cost can be less than the .com's and .ca's that are growing more and more scarce. If you and 30 other businesses are bidding on 'doggieboarding .com,' you'll pay more than you would if you were the only one who wanted the 'doggieboarding.dog' domain.
While you might think that nothing could be better than a .pizza TLD for your pizza business, there are a few drawbacks to straying from the popular and widely recognized .com's and .ca's. For starters, people can sometimes view TLD's that are less recognizable as suspicious, and may avoid sites with anything but .com, .ca or .org in their domain names.
Similarly, people looking for your business may actually forget that your website's domain ends in something different, and may visit a company with the same domain but a .com or .ca TLD, just because they're more familiar. And, particularly important in our fast paced world, people don't want to type super long domain names, which is one of the reasons .com and .ca have remained while lengthier TLDs have faded into the abyss.
The long and short of it is that choosing your TLD really depends on what it is that you intend to do with your website. The best course of action is to speak to exert website designers who can evaluate your business' needs and make suggestions on which domain makes the most sense. Give us a call and let's get started!
We live, work, and gather on traditional, unceded, and treaty territories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples from coast to coast to coast. We’re committed to our collective responsibility to the original caretakers of this land and to listening, learning, and acting in ways that support reconciliation.
