If you’re a business owner in need of some new internet real estate for your local business’ website and want to be more identifiable online to the local and global Irish community; then you need the new .ie TLD extension. Join the fastest growing TLD extension in the UK to help build your online brand. Let us breakdown the all the reasons why you should register for a .ie domain extension today.
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What is .ie?
.ie is the official ccTLD extension for Ireland and the only online address that is 100% Irish. A .ie tells the global community that you are Irish and tells the Irish community that you are local. You can even register an Irish language like a Gaelic name if required.
What is a TLD Extension?
TLD stands for top-level domain. It is the extension that is at the end of domain or URL addresses. The more common ones include .com, .net, .org, .edu, and .gov. There are the popular country code top level domains (ccTLDs) like .co.uk, and .fr. Plus special domain names exist which have built-in HTTPS like .app. Find your domain name and register it here.
Well .com is the most widely used and recognisable domain extension on the internet. No matter where you are in the world .com is trusted and gives a website a level of trust and legitimacy. However, this year more specific TLDs have become trendier among website owners.
What makes .ie TLD so great?
Being visible online is a crucial part of growing your business. And a .ie domain name is your online address for your website or an email, which enables you to reach out to new local and international customers, build existing relationships and sell your goods and services. So what are the total benefits of having this domain extension?
As we said before, .ie is the country TLD for Ireland. The benefit of using a country specific TLD like .ie, enables your local business to be easily identifiable in the Irish Market. Your prospective customers will know you are locally based and are more likely to convert and boost your following.
Important note: Registrants must respect the .ie TLD registry’s standards outlining that IE namespace are open just to people having a connections with Ireland.
More Domains are available
.ie TLD has a wider availability of domain names. Because .ie is the new kid on the block; it is more likely to find and register unique domain names that are no longer available on the more popular extensions like .com.
Be more visible to your customers online
When your customers use Irish based search engines like Google, having a .ie web address makes your business show up quicker than .com sites. So automatically get higher rankings on geo-specific search engines like Google. These search engines funnels traffic to your site and increases your chances of higher conversions. Irish internet consumers are more likely to click on a local business than an international one; so stand out in the crowd.
Customers will trust you
Every .ie TLD applicant’s identity is checked and validated at the point of registration to prove some level of Irish connection. Consumers will have confidence in your business as .ie is a well-established and trusted domain. It’s the preferred online address for businesses in Ireland 75% of all registered .ie online addresses are businesses which proves that they recognise the value of having a .ie TLD.
Protect Your Brand
Securing your .ie TLD online address strengthens your brand and protects your online identity. All .ie domains are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, the time is now to act and ensure that you have your domain at .ie secured.
The Statistics
Ireland’s steady economic growth can easily be seen in the surge in online activity by Irish Business Owners. The IE Domain Registry’s Domain Report for 2018 states that, the first 6 months of 2018 showed the highest growth for .ie TLD new registrations with over 28,000.
In fact, new .ie TLD registrations were at an all-time high with 154 applicants every day. This translates to a 39% increase since last year.
Registrations saw a surge in every province and in 31 or the 32 counties in Ireland. Talk about exponential growth! In the end, .ie saw a total of 255,222 registered domains.
What percentage of that 255,222 are businesses? Well of all new .ie TLDs registered 62.5% of them were businesses. Even better, 75% of all the domains registered in the database are businesses.
Now in Europe, Ireland ranks 16 out of 22 for the number of country domains per 1,000 people.
Who needs a .ie TLD Extension?
- Business owners with Store Front businesses in Ireland
- Locally based online businesses
- Blog owners in Ireland
- Inviduals
How do you register a .ie TLD Extension?
Registering your new .ie TLD name is simple and easy and can be done in 4 quick steps.
Step 1: Choose your domain name
We covered the importance of choosing a short, catchy and brandable domain name here. Be sure to create a domain name that clearly identifies your business or the brand. Once you have the domain name you are going to marry your business to, search for the availability on the site you’re registering with.
Step 2: Have Proof of Citizenship
Ensure you have the necessary documentation to prove that you indeed have connections with the Ireland. In many cases, just one document will be needed to prove connection and identity e.g. an Irish passport, Irish VAT number (registered in the Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland), Irish or EU Community Trademark number etc.
Step 3: Arrange Domain Name Hosting
Choose your hosting package and domain registry at the same place. You want to use a reputable company that offers you all-one-benefits.
Step 4: Submit Your Application
Submit an application to your chosen Registrar with the supporting documentation showing your connection to Ireland and we will register your .ie domain for you. That’s it! You are all set with your new .ie TLD name. Now you can begin building your site and promoting your new business.
Recap
Having your website at .ie TLD is pivotal if you are an Irish citizen with a local business. Not only does the .ie identify you to your Irish clients and would be customers, but it ensures that your brand is identifiable across the world.
