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Innovative Domain Extension Exploration: Enhanced Article with Citations
The Rise of Domain Extension Variety
In recent years, the rise in the variety of domain extensions has been significant. The choice ranges from the universally acknowledged .com or .org to more industry-specific and country-based domains. For instance, as of June 2022, the most popular new generic top-level domain (gTLD) was .xyz, with approximately 5.05 million domains, accounting for about 16.71% of all gTLDs^1^. In June 2023, 47.8% of global websites were using a .com domain, thereby showcasing its immense popularity and trust^5^. However, numerous other gTLDs were also popular choices among businesses and individuals.
Impact of Domain Extensions on SEO and User Perception
While domain extensions may not directly impact search engine optimization (SEO), they indeed have an impact on user perception and trust. For instance, with a .com domain being the most identifiable and trusted among domain extensions, businesses often seek a .com top-level domain for their websites. The impact of .com is so profound that users are 3.8 times more likely to assume a URL ends in .com than with any other domain extension^2^. However, it is not just about .com anymore. A shift has been noticed where businesses are exploring new TLDs, such as .space, with Google stating that these new TLDs are as effective as .com in terms of SEO. However, the choice of domain extension still plays a significant role in branding and user perception^3^.
Selection of Domain Extensions Case-Study and Industry-specific Analysis
The strategy behind choosing a domain extension can differ greatly across industries. Every industry, be it business and services, creatives, or others, can benefit from tailoring their domain extensions to their activities. For example, a domain ending with .business, .biz, .company, .group, or .global would be perfect for medium to large businesses. Similarly, creatives like photographers could use extensions such as .photo, .photos, .film, or .photography to make their websites more noticeable. This strategic choice of domain extension can significantly contribute to a business’s visibility, branding, and SEO optimization^4^.
^1^: Leading new gTLDs by number of domains 2022 | Statista(https://www.statista.com/statistics/569300/gtlds-by-number-ob-domains/) ^2^: Not Com? What Are Your Domain Name Options? | Growth Badger(https://growthbadger.com/top-level-domains/) ^3^: Does the Domain Extension Affect SEO? | Search Engine Journal(https://www.searchenginejournal.com/does-domain-extension-affect-seo/431956/) ^4^: Domain extension examples: How to make the right domain choice | EuroDNS(https://www.eurodns.com/domains/choose-the-right-domain-extension) ^5^: Most popular TLDs worldwide 2023 | Statista(https://www.statista.com/statistics/265677/number-of-internet-top-level-domains-worldwide/)