Choosing a domain is an important step in forging the identity of a business. Much like creating a name or logo, it’s about building a connection with your target audience. It’s a massive part of your branding efforts too.
Often the customer’s first perception of a business is from their online presence so its wise to use this opportunity to your advantage. Your domain should be concise and easy to remember to convert as many visitors as possible into loyal customers.
There are a number of resources available for businesses making this important decision. One good example is Hostinger, a registrar and hosting service that offers a domain checker designed for businesses in the United Kingdom.
With a user-friendly interface, Hostinger users can complete a quick search to see if their desired domain is available. If it is already taken, the company provides a number of alternatives at several different price points.
In addition, customers can easily purchase the domain directly on the website and choose from several hosting plans.
Why is Choosing the Right Domain and Extension Important
When choosing a domain extension, you are presented with an exciting opportunity to make a strong statement about your business. Your domain extension has the ability to indicate where your business operates, what sector or industry you are in, and what kind of services you offer.
It can also influence the way your business responds to SEO, yielding either positive or negative results. You may find for instance that choosing a country-specific extension helps your domain to be prioritized in local searches.
In the same vein, businesses looking for international engagement may wish to steer clear of country-specific extensions.
The 5 Best Domain Name Extensions for The UK Businesses
Choosing a domain extension wisely can help your business to achieve the desired impact and not get lost in the mix. We’ve put together a list of the most popular domain extensions in the UK and weighed out the pros and cons of each.
Bear in mind that your goals as a business may be drastically different from another’s. It’s important to take into consideration what your own unique set of goals are, who you want to become your valued customers, and how you want them to perceive you.
.com
Designed for commercial businesses, trusty .com is without a doubt the most popular domain extension for businesses in the UK (and indeed the whole world).
Using a tried and true domain extension helps to create familiarity right off the bat, building trust with your prospective customer.
Furthermore, as an internationally recognized extension, a .com domain has the advantage of appealing to a global audience. Statistics show that with nearly half of domains using .com as an extension, it remains a favorite by a landslide.
.net
This extension was initially intended for internet service providers and online networks but has since developed into a popular alternative to the .com extension.
There are several resources available to help businesses choose between .com and .net. While it may seem like splitting hairs, bear in mind that .net is significantly less used than .com, so the chances of you finding your short and snappy domain are more likely.
Furthermore, with connotations of networking, it can be great for websites with forums and messaging capabilities.
.co
Designed for commercial businesses, the shorter .co has the potential to create a punchy, concise domain that can easily be recalled.
However, it is not used as widely as .com, so there may be some winning over to be done with your prospective customer. Association with a TLD country code such as .co.uk to create a second-level domain is a popular solution.
This achieves a lot in creating a connection with local customers. If you are trying to make an impact in your country of operation, this can be a very effective way of making a simple statement: “our business is for you.”
.uk
Business owners may want to consider the more recently developed .uk, which is gaining ground with consumers and businesses alike as an alternative to the .co.uk extension.
Again, this makes a statement of the business’s region of operations in an astute manner and can help to prioritize the domain in regional search results.
However, its relative novelty and similarity to .co.uk raise the possibility of creating confusion and uncertainty with some demographics.
.org
Designed for businesses in the non-profit and public sectors, the .org domain extension has the ability to create an authoritative voice, but it should be used with caution.
While it can be easier to find a domain with this extension, being so widely associated with charitable businesses and governmental organizations it has the potential to develop a sense of mistrust with your prospective customer if your business does not fall in this category.
In addition, some reports show that many mobile phones are not enabled with a .org button. Businesses that intend to operate through mobile devices should thus proceed with caution using .org as their domain extension.
Wrapping Up
Picking a representative domain and extension is essential for effective branding. Make it easy for customers to reach you, and represent your business in the best way possible. I hope this article helps put you on the right track for fighting the perfect domain extension for you.
