From the very beginning of the global web until recently, .com was king as most users trusted this domain zone the most. However, today – due to the huge competition – niche TLDs, i.e., alternative domain zones like .shop, .tech or .blog, have entered the scene.
Some experts claim that the new domain zones provide greater precision in how you position yourself online as well as new opportunities. However, in times when search engine position and brand strength are the most important factors, you need to know how alternative TLDs affect SEO and branding.
We’re here to tell you whether you should take a risk with a new domain zone or stick with the good old .com even though most of the memorable and concise domains are already taken.
What are Niche TLDs and Where Do They Come From?
In simple terms, a TLD is the part of the URL that comes right after the dot in the domain: .org, .info, .com and others. While familiar (one might say classic) variants like .net and .com are generic top-level domains (gTLDs), country codes like .uk and .de are ccTLDs.
As for niche top-level domains, these are a subspecies of gTLD designed so that you can emphasise the subject matter of your web project. That is, they are letters that signal what your website is about: .shop for e-commerce businesses, .art for creative people, .club for communities, and so on.
The domain revolution started in 2011 when ICANN launched its new gTLD program, introducing many new domain zones, including such specialised variants as .pizza. Today, niche TLDs already occupy a significant share of the many registered domains.
This was done to give more choice and freedom to anyone wishing to launch a web project. If you want to clearly show exactly what you do, you can buy org domain on Spaceship or choose .tech if you have a technology startup.
How Niche TLDs Impact SEO
Before choosing a top-level domain, many people wonder if .shop or .xyz can climb to a high position in the search engine rankings. Back in 2015, Google stated that the search engine algorithms perceive new TLDs in the same way as the well-established .com.
However, when it comes to SEO, it’s not just code and search engine robots that matter – it’s how domains are perceived by regular people. While a TLD doesn’t directly raise a web project’s position in SERPs, a memorable and relevant domain can significantly raise CTR.
Let’s say you have a website for your fitness school. Look at two options and choose which one looks better: fitness.club or fitness-online.com.
The more clicks you get, the more relevant and useful your web resource looks to Google and other search engines. In addition, an alternative domain gives you a keyword bonus, for example, coffe.shop where ‘shop’ immediately indicates that you have a shop.
How Niche Domains Help with Branding
Since most short, precise and clingy .com domains are already taken, the only chance to stand out is to use an alternative that emphasises the subject matter of the website. Since the new generation of internet users prefers creativity and precision, businesses with niche LTDs have more success with millennials than those using the outdated .com.
However, if the audience doesn’t know what domains like .app or .club mean, there is a risk that users will leave for competitors with a .com domain zone. In other words, some companies still choose .com because it wins thanks to its versatility and time-tested reliability.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Niche Domains
If you’re choosing between .com or an alternative that can emphasise what you do, here are a few pros of using niche TLDs:
- Accessibility. It’s much easier to find a short and memorable – and not yet busy – domain name with a niche TLD rather than using the ‘com’ after the dot.
- Relevance. By choosing the right TLD, you can explicitly mention the subject of your website or the specifics of your online business.
- Uniqueness. Since most options are not yet taken up, you can pick a short, concise, well-pronounced and memorable domain name to stand out.
However, niche TLDs have some drawbacks that you should be aware of:
- Some TLDs may seem less solid than the well-established .net and .com.
- Not all Internet users – especially baby boomers – know what .xyz and similar options are.
- Old DNSs often don’t work well with new domains, resulting in delayed website load times.
Even though the market for niche TLDs has grown significantly recently, you should still consider the possible risks when using such options.
Picking the Best TLD
Choosing a domain is a strategic step because it determines whether your business will be successful in the long run. Here are three important steps to help you choose the best option:
- Start by defining your purpose. For example, if you have an online shop, use .shop. If you want to start a blog, then consider .blog as an option.
- Check the domain’s history. If the domain is already taken, you need to find out if the one you are considering has a dark past. For example, by checking the domain’s history, you can find out if it has been sanctioned by search engines for fraud or spam.
- Test the speed of the domain. If the DNS provider for your domain is too slow, it is fraught with user churn due to the slow loading speed of the site.
Finally, know your audience, specifically the demographics of your users. For example, if the majority of your customers are people aged 40+, .com may be a more viable option for you.
