Which Domain Suffix Is Most Frequently Used by Businesses?

If you’re setting up a business website, you’ll need a top level domain (TLD) that perfectly represents your brand. But, it’s also important to choose the right domain extension to establish credibility and build trust with new customers.

To get started, it can be useful to explore the most common domain extensions used by businesses. This way, you can register your desired domain with a suffix that communicates the type of site you run. There are industry-specific options and ones that work best for certain audiences.

In this post, we’ll introduce you to domain extensions. Then, we’ll discuss eight of the most common top level domains and show you how to register one for your site. Let’s jump in!

An Introduction to Domain Extensions

A domain extension, also known as a top level domain (TLD), is the part of the domain that sits right at the end of website addresses. For example, our domain name “namehero.com” uses the .com domain suffix, which is arguably the most recognizable TLD worldwide.

The domain name system (DNS) is responsible for serving the correct website when users make requests. But when searching for an IP address (which corresponds to a domain name), it prioritizes the domain extension. Therefore, domain extensions are an important part of the DNS hierarchy.

Top level domains were also introduced to categorize different types of websites. For instance, .com initially stood for “commercial”, so it was solely used by companies. However, the domain suffix has broadened in use and is now applied to a range of website types.

Certain domain extensions are also used to establish credibility. Highly recognizable domains make it easier to build trust with new customers.

You also find country code top level domains such as .uk or .fr. These make it clear that websites are based in specific locations.

The Most Common Top Level Domains for Businesses

Now that you know more about domain name extensions, let’s take a look at the most popular extensions to consider for your business.

.com

The most popular domain extension is the .com TLD, which was used by nearly 45 percent of all websites last year. This domain suffix was originally intended to indicate commercial websites, but now, it’s used more generally.

These domains hold an extremely high level of global recognition, so they enable you to immediately establish credibility and build trust with people who aren’t familiar with your brand.

Since this TLD is so popular, it can be difficult to obtain your preferred .com domain name. You might have to compromise on the root domain, using different keyword variations or adding modifiers to make it more distinct.

Or, you’ll need to consider .com alternatives. This isn’t always a bad thing as .com domains can be too generic, especially for niche businesses.

.io

Although it originated as the country code for the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), the .io domain suffix is now popular among tech websites. This is because of its close association with the computing protocol I/O (input/output).

This makes .io a great startup domain extension, but it’s also suitable for any business that operates in the tech or computer science fields.

It’s worth noting that .io can also be used for domain hacks to create a highly memorable business domain. For example, Baby Audio uses the domain babyaud.io:

That said, the recent popularity of .io has made it more expensive to register domains using this suffix.

And, due to ongoing controversy surrounding BIOT territory, there’s a risk that the domain extension gets repatriated to the territory. In this case, you’d need to change your domain name.

.ai

The benefit of .ai domains is that it’s instantly clear to visitors that you operate an artificial intelligence business. This domain suffix was originally created as the country code top level domain for Anguilla, but it’s now more recognizable among tech companies:

The .ai extension shows a high level of innovation, and visitors might perceive your brand as fresh and ahead of the curve. But as a fairly new technology, AI isn’t known among all internet users.

.biz

As the name suggests, the .biz domain extension is applied to a range of business websites. It emerged in 2001 as another .com alternative, and it immediately indicates your website type, which can be helpful for users and search engines.

The .biz domain extension is fun and informal, and can therefore be a great fit for niche businesses or small to mid-sized companies. However, if you run an enterprise-scale website or offer professional services (like consulting or legal), it’s best to avoid the .biz domain suffix.

.net

The .net domain extension is another popular option. It’s commonly used for network and tech businesses including software services, web hosting providers, and other internet-based companies:

However, .net has been around a lot longer, so it isn’t exclusively tied to tech-related business anymore. Therefore, you could try it for ecommerce websites or even personal sites.

You’ll also benefit from the extension’s longevity since it’s more recognizable than newer tech-based suffixes.

.co

Many people don’t know that .co originated as a country code TLD for Colombia. However, it’s more widely known as an abbreviation for “corporation”.

This makes it suitable for a range of businesses, particularly startups and websites with a younger target audience, since it’s a fresh and exciting .com alternative:

Plus, you can obtain a .co domain for a very fair price. And, with less competition, you’ll have a much better chance of snagging your preferred domain name.

.store

The .store extension is a great option if your .com domain is taken. It’s ideal for ecommerce sites since it makes your website purpose instantly clear.

But it also works great as a subdomain if your main website purpose isn’t selling products or services, as is the case with Manchester United F.C.:

This top level domain can be helpful for people who aren’t familiar with your website. But it’s also useful for search engines, so you could gain higher rankings in online shopping searches.

.shop

The .shop domain extension functions a bit like the .store suffix. The difference is that you can apply .shop to a wider range of websites including online retailers, dropshipping businesses, pop-up stores, and of course, ecommerce sites.

Its immediate classification of your website can help you capture highly relevant web traffic by gaining greater visibility in the search results. That said, .shop domain names have been around since 2016, so they don’t hold as much global appeal. This can make it hard to build trust with new customers.

How to Register a Domain for Your Business Website

Now that we’ve looked at some common domain extensions for your business, you might be ready to register your domain name. To do this, you’ll need a reputable domain registrar like NameHero.

With our free domain search tool, you can check your domain’s availability and explore other options:

You can filter the results by industries like real estate, education, technology, and more. You can also focus your search on premium domains.

If the domain you want is already taken, you might be able to find the owner’s details through a WHOIS lookup. In that case, you can contact the owner to purchase the domain.

Once you’ve found the right domain for your business, simply add it to the cart. If you don’t yet have a website, check out NameHero’s web hosting packages. Many of these plans include free domain registration.

After that, you can add various domain options to your order including domain privacy protection and email forwarding. Finally, set your nameservers (or skip this part if you’re using NameHero servers) and enter your payment details.

Conclusion

It’s important that you choose the right domain name for your business. This will help you appeal to your target audience and demonstrate credibility.

The most popular top level domain is .com, but .store makes a great alternative if you have an online shop and your preferred domain is taken. Some options that work well for tech-based businesses include .net, .ai, or .io. Meanwhile, .biz and .co are great for targeting younger generations.

Once you’ve chosen the right domain name extension, you can register it with NameHero. Plus, you’ll get a free domain name when you sign up for a web hosting plan. Get started today with the free domain search tool!