Ecommerce Domains 101: What You Need To Know Before Buying New TLDs

Domain names can be one of the most crucial decisions you ever make for your business. The reason is it directly affects your branding. However, getting the domain name you imagined might not be as easy. Most of the best TLDs (Top-Level Domains) are already taken. Coming up with a creative name that still resonates with your brand can be difficult. It is vital for you to understand that finding a domain name must be given thought and time. The user will get the first impression of your business when they encounter your domain name.

Users get the first impression of your business from your domain name

What Are New TLDs?

Earlier, TLDs consisted of dot com, dot net, dot org etc. The new TLDs introduced by ICANN helped businesses create their own TLD extensions. There are hundreds of new TLDs that are currently available for you to use. Some of the popular TLDs include: dot services, dot photo, dot academy and dot dating to name a few. Just because they are new, does not mean that they are cheap. Some TLDs can cost you hundreds of dollars per year. However, they are something new from the usual dot com or dot org TLDs that has ruled the Internet for decades.

Benefits Of New TLDs For Your Business

• You can specify your business name and the area of expertise with the help of new TLDs. For example, www.businessname.areaofexpertise is a way in which you can layout the new TLD. This will help potential customers and users know what your business is directly associated with.

• New TLDs let you get more creative. You can create domain names that are shorter. The shorter your domain name, the easier it will be for the users and potential customers to remember. Users are more likely to recommend your business to other people as they will remember your unique domain name.

• You can divide your business name strategically. If you have a long business name then you can cut it down without losing its essence. Of course, changing the business name in its entirety is not a good idea. However, you can make it more memorable.

• A TLD is localized which means you are going to reach your target audience better. For example, if your business offers services to a particular location, then you can use the name of the country or city or state in your new TLD. This will let you reach more customers in that area.

• You get more options to move away from the usual dot com extensions. Using extensions that speak more about your business can be more beneficial as they will be less generic in nature. If you have an extension such as .dating then your users automatically know that your business provides dating services.

Drawbacks Of New TLDs For Your Business

• When you buy a domain, you must have realized that most of the websites are dot com. That is what users are used to viewing. Hence, having an extension that is not dot com might not be as fruitful as having a dot-com extension as it may raise questions about your authenticity.
• As new TLDs are rarer, you have to make more effort into making your business known. This means you need to spend more energy, money and time on making your brand known. You will need to ensure that the users do not get redirected to your competitors with established dot-com TLDs.

Should You Buy New TLDs?

Buying a new TLD should be a conscious decision. You need to think about your target audience and about your competitors. You can use a new TLD if your audience consists of technical users. However, if your audience consists of people who are not, then they might be more confused. Does your competitor have the dot-com domain? Then you should definitely refrain from getting a new TLD especially when non-technical users are part of your audience. If that is not the case, then you should not think twice before getting the new TLD.

Shopify makes it easy for you to buy domain name for your business. It clearly shows the domain name available and the price. Even if you are a startup, you can make use of the new TLDs to expand your business’s growth. Dot-coms won’t be here forever. The new TLDs will create their niche sooner than later. However, you know your business best. Buying a domain should be your own decision. Carefully weigh the pros and cons before deciding whether you want to stick to traditional TLDs or whether you want to try new TLDs.