CSP
Choosing the right domain extension is the first concern while building a website. The success of the website often depends on the domain extension. Different types of top-level domain extensions are mostly used for websites. TLD is one of the factors to get a high amount of traffic on a website. Think, when you write a domain, you must end up it by .com. Like you, every web surfer considers a .com domain. In the case, if your site name contains other extensions, it is sure, you will lose some direct users and visitors. So, imagine how a popular domain extension is essential for the success of a website.
Here, let’s have a list of the Top Level Domain Extensions, their meaning and usages.
.com
‘Com’ in .com stands for commercial. This extension is the most popular and widely used throughout the world. Nearly 47% of the total websites are using the .com extension. It is for the domains registered as commercial organizations. First, it was not open for public usage. After the 90s, the restriction was withdrawn and this domain became open for all users. From then it is the main top-level domain in networking, email, business, and websites. Nowadays it is used for business, blogs, commercial websites, and so on. You can see apple.com, google.com and many other popular and profitable companies are using it. This domain is easy to remember and builds credibility with your company.
.net
Net in the .net stands for “network”. It was for companies or organizations that work with networking services like infrastructure companies and internet service provider companies, database service providers, technology-related services, etc. Though it was created for networking purposes, now it is used for general purposes. It has become one of the most used domain extensions. For example, slideshare.net, php.net, battle.net, and many more. It is slightly easier to get a .net domain as only 3.5 of the total websites are using it. You can take a .net domain if you want to create a website for network services, technological subjects, and brand protection.
.org
‘org’ in .org is derived from the word organization. It was created for non- profitable organizations. But now no such restriction exists and it is open for all kinds of projects, communities, schools, etc. Wikipedia.org, khanAcademy.org, telegram.org, coursera.org, mozila.org, and so many other websites are using this domain. So, it can be used for nonprofit organizations, free educational sites, open-source software websites as well as profitable companies. As it is not as used as the .com domain, it is easy to get a .org domain. 5.2% of the total websites are using it.
.info
‘info’ is derived from the word information. It is cheap and easy to register than any other domain extensions. Though the meaning suggests information you can use it as your personal websites. It does not work well for SEO and business. It is easy to get the desired name in the .info domain. Popular websites using it are blockchain.info, rutor.info, movielab.info, etc. Spammers often use this domain for its availability and low cost. Though professionals do not like it for their website due to the spam-y impression. That is why it is a bit to get success on a .info website.
.gov
‘gov’ in .gov stands for government. This domain was for American governmental websites only. But now it is used by any governmental departments, agencies programs, and many other websites. Though if any country wants to use this domain other than the U.S government, they use a second-level domain as .gov.uk, .gov.bd. It makes the government services easy to find out on the internet. This domain is very carefully maintained so that there cannot be any misunderstanding. No political parties or non-governmental organizations can use it. .gov domain is registered for a one-year eligibility period as it keeps asking for updated information.
.us
Every country has its own TLD based on the country name and code. .us is a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) that is reserved for the United States solely. It is available for US citizens only. Registration requires citizenship, residence, organization, or any foreign entity that is related to the United States. It is beneficial for Americans as it is easier to detect their identity and location. Registering name with this domain makes the site convenient to find out easily. You can easily get your targeted audiences in some cases. Google and other search engines tend to show .us sites to US citizens more. It is more suitable for US citizens to use it more than the .com domain in business fields and e-commerce.
.edu
‘edu’ is derived from the word education. It is used by educational institutions as the university, college, or other for their website. For example, academia.edu, Stanford.edu, Harvard.edu, mit.edu, etc. It is in 2nd position of the most used authoritative domain extension. EDUCAUSE manages and sells this domain. They check the eligibility of the requested institutions. To get edu domain, the organization must be US-based post-secondary institutions. It makes it easier to find out the websites made for educational purposes. Like .gov domain extenuations, .edu also not meant for general use.
.biz
‘biz’ stands for business. It was created as an alternative to the .com domain. Due to excessive use of the .com domain, sometimes it is hard to get a .com domain name. In that case, .biz comes as a rescue. It is meant for authentic business or commercial websites. Companies as livedoor.biz, line.biz, filmeonline.biz, Einstein.biz, and many others are using it for their business purposes. It is suitable for start-ups, e-commerce websites, and corporate companies. This domain creates a more professional impression that helps a lot in the business field. It is more relevant for business and easy to get with the name.
Hope that this top-level domain extension list will help you have detailed knowledge about domain extensions before buying a domain with hosting. We always recommend getting the best domain extension and that is the .com extension. It will give you some direct visitors just they have to know your site name.