It doesn’t always have to be .com or the country code. Which domain extensions are suitable for companies? Companies can choose from a variety of extensions for domain extension. What are the options, and what are the advantages of each?
Top-Level Domain (TLD)
The domain ending is called top-level domain in technical jargon – or TLD for short. The top-level domain is the part of an Internet address to the right of the last point. TLDs are divided into two categories. Endings that refer to countries are called country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs). All other TLDs belong to the group of generic top-level domains (gTLDs).
Country Endings And Generic Endings
Country endings always consist of two letters and are therefore easy to recognize. Country endings include, for example, .de for Germany, .at for Austria or .ch for Switzerland.
All other domain endings belong to the group of generic top-level domains (gTLDs). This includes endings like .com, .net, or .org, which have been around for a long time and primarily cover a thematic field. For example, .com stands for “commerce” or “commercial” and indicates that the website with this domain is used for business purposes.
Numerous new domain endings were introduced, which also belong to the generic top-level domains. On the one hand, there are “speaking” endings such as .digital, .events, .immo, .reisen or .shop. They describe the purpose or direction of a company in more detail. On the other hand, there are endings with a geographical focus, which emphasize affiliation to a city or region.
Domain Extension And Search Engines
Whether a country or a generic ending is better suited to the company website depends on the company. Many Internet users become aware of the company or the offer via search engines. The Internet address is one of the first pieces of information that a prospect receives. The extension can already tell the user something about the type or location of the company.
The domain ending does not influence the search engine ranking. Google does not treat the new domain extensions any differently than those around for a long time. Companies do not have to worry about advantages or disadvantages in search engine ranking due to the ending.
National Or International
In any case, the markets in which a company operates should be included in the considerations. Many international companies choose .com. With around 138 million addresses, the extension currently not only has the highest number of registrations it is also well known worldwide.
If you only work in your home country and don’t want to connect to a specific city or region, you can’t go wrong with the country extension. A domain with the country ending is aimed at the public throughout the country.
Geographic Domain Extensions
The geographic domain endings are particularly suitable for companies that focus on one location. For example, those who want to show their target group where the company is located can use an address such as www. firma.Hamburgs. This domain is shorter, more intuitive, and easier to remember than www.firma-in-hamburg.de. A geographic domain extension can also transport the values that a city or region stands for. Take Berlin, for example. The city stands for cosmopolitanism and tolerance, among other things. These values can subtly resonate via an address with the ending .berlin.
“Speaking” Domain Endings Indicate The Activity
“Speaking” domain endings are particularly suitable for companies with a clear focus on content. Online shops and companies from the e-commerce sector make it clear to future customers with the finish. Shop what the company is doing at a glance. A company that sells cosmetics reveals with beauty the industry in which it operates.
And real estate companies can opt for the ending .immobilien or .immo and thus stand out from the competition. More than 1,000 new domain extensions have been added in recent years – so there is a large selection. However, many of them are in English. So before companies decide on a term, they should make sure that potential customers understand it.
Company Name As A Domain Extension
Finally, there is also the option of applying for your internet extension. Such domain endings are also assigned to the generic top-level domains – however, they do not describe a general term but are mostly like the company that applied for them. The supermarket chain Edeka has its internet extension with .edeka, just like the pharmaceutical company Stada (.stada) or the automobile manufacturer VW (.volkswagen). There are special rules for applying for your domain extension – and it’s not cheap. Your top-level domain is, therefore, primarily an option for larger companies with well-known brand names.
Conclusion
There are numerous domain extensions available to companies. If you are unsure which address is best, you should try different versions before registering: www.firma.de, www. firma.berlin, www.firma.digital or even www.hallo.firma? Friends and acquaintances are also good advisors: What associations do you associate with the respective Internet address? The new internet endings are an excellent way to raise certain expectations and fulfill them on the website. In addition: Many suitable lessons among them have long been available under .com or .de.
