The suffix at the end of a domain name is known as the domain extension. A domain extension helps define your business, making it an important part of your domain name. Over 700 million domains have been registered, making it tough to find a unique and memorable domain name for your website.

So, businesses looking to establish a distinctive online presence find the .io domain an attractive option due to its tech-savvy connotations and global appeal. Let’s understand the .io domain and its benefits for your web hosting infrastructure.

What is a .io Domain?

.io domain extension is a ccTLD which has been associated with the British Indian Ocean Territory since the late 1990s. But irrespective of being the country-specific domain, there are no restrictions on who can register and use an .io domain.

The .io domain name is extremely popular in the tech industry due to its input/output association. Its uniqueness makes it quite expensive; despite that, companies are willing to pay a little extra for it. Let us understand in more detail why people are readily buying a .io domain name for their business.

Benefits of .io Domain Name

1.       Relatively New And Unclaimed

.io domain name is a relatively new domain name extension that opens up opportunities for businesses to secure unique and memorable domains around it. You can use the best of your imagination and creativity to secure a unique domain name. 

2.      Helps With Google Ranking

Google treats the .io domain as a generic domain and not a country-specific one. Therefore, there is no geographical targeting. It knows that .io is not limited to the British Indian Ocean Territory, allowing the website with the .io domain extension to rank globally.

3.      Easily Incorporated

The .io domain name is short and unique, so it can be easily incorporated into any of your marketing material. Furthermore, these two features decrease the chances of being misspelt and make it easier for the audience to remember.

Further, it comes in really handy while carrying out campaigns and promotions, as long URLs can kill the essence of the campaign.

4.     Keeps You Associated With Tech Community

The .io domain extension is extremely popular in the tech industry due to its association with input/output. Using this domain extension can help you get recognised as a part of the tech community. That can also help you build trust with your audience.

5.     Great Fit With the Right Domain Hack

A Domain hack means using some part of your brand in your domain to design a unique and memorable URL. That helps with branding while enhancing your URL.

If you check National Public Radio’s domain, “n.pr” is actually the ccTLD of Puerto Rico.

Similar to this hack, you can use the io domain to enhance your branding.

6.      Two Characters

.io Domain has just two characters, which is much shorter than many other domain extension options. Even if your audience is typing out your domain, having a shorter one comes in handy. You get a great option to register a short, memorable and unique domain name other than the options available out there.

Is Buying an .io Domain the Right Choice For Your Business?

.io domain is a country-specific domain but is recognised as a generic domain name, and therefore, there are no restrictions on who can register and use it. However, if you are a tech company, you must definitely go for it.

It’s cheaper compared to extensions like .com and easily available as it is relatively new and unclaimed. With a quick domain hack, you can create a domain name that is easy, short and memorable.

Conclusion

.io domains open up a lot of opportunities for businesses to use their creativity and create a unique domain name that enhances their branding.

You get several other benefits when you buy a .io domain – like easy availability, help with search engine ranking, easy incorporation in marketing, association with the tech community, great fit for domain hacks and only it has two characters, making it shorter and more memorable.