How To Choose The Best Domain Name Extension For Your Business

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Tips For Choosing A Domain Name Extension

Everybody knows if you’re going to have a professional business website, you need a domain name.

But with so many domain name extensions to choose from, the biggest question I hear is, “Which domain extension should I get?” As you’ll see from the below chart of Top Level Domain Extensions, there are a lot to choose from.

Tips for choosing a domain extension.

If you’re promoting a club, sports team or other non-profit group, you’ll want a .ORG domain extension.

For Internet service firms — and people whose favorite .COM has already been registered by someone else — there’s .NET.

If you’re looking to start a Web site that’s purely informational (e.g. site’s related to medical, health, or dieting) .INFO can be a good choice.

And .COM, the most widely recognized domain extension in the world, is perfect for anyone.

But the best thing you can do to protect your brand name is to buy ALL available domain extensions for your domain; .com, .net, .org, .co, .info, etc. Because if you don’t buy them, someone else will. And then they’ll try to sell them to you for a HUGE amount of money. I’ve experienced this first-hand because I’ve had “domain squatters” try to pick my pockets.

Top Level Domain Extensions

List of Top Level Domains also known as a TLD.

A Top-Level Domain (TLD) name is the rightmost set of characters following the rightmost "dot" in the unique name by which a computer is known on the Internet.
Domain/CountryTLD
Afghanistanaf
Air transport industryaero
Albaniaal
Algeriadz
American Samoaas
Andorraad
Angolaao
Anguillaai
Antarcticaaq
Antigua & Barbudaag
Argentinaar
Armeniaam
Arubaaw
Australiaau
Austriaat
Azerbaidjanaz
Bahamasbs
Bahrainbh
Bangladeshbd
Barbadosbb
Belarusby
Belgiumbe
Belizebz
Beninbj
Bermudabm
Bhutanbt
Bizbiz
Boliviabo
Bosnia-Herzegovinaba
Botswanabw
Bouvet Islandbv
Brazilbr
British Indian Ocean Terr.io
Brunei Darussalambn
Bulgariabg
Burkina Fasobf
Burundibi
Cambodiakh
Camerooncm
Canadaca
Cape Verdecv
Cayman Isky
Central African Republiccf
Chadtd
Chilecl
Chinacn
Christmas Islandcx
Cocos (Keeling) Iscc
Colombiaco
Comoroskm
Congocg
Cook Isck
Cooperativescoop
Costa Ricacr
Croatiahr
Cubacu
Cypruscy
Czech Republiccz
Denmarkdk
Djiboutidj
Dominicadm
Dominican Republicdo
East Timortp
Ecuadorec
Egypteg
El Salvadorsv
Equatorial Guineagq
Estoniaee
Ethiopiaet
Falkland Isfk
Faroe Isfo
Fijifj
Finlandfi
Former Czechoslovakiacs
Former USSRsu
Francefr
France (European Terr.)fx
French Guyanagf
French Southern Terr.tf
Gabonga
Gambiagm
Georgiage
Germanyde
Ghanagh
Gibraltargi
Great Britaingb
Greecegr
Greenlandgl
Grenadagd
Guadeloupe (French)gp
Guam (USA)gu
Guatemalagt
Guineagn
Guinea Bissaugw
Guyanagy
Haitiht
Heard & McDonald Ishm
Hondurashn
Hong Konghk
Hungaryhu
Icelandis
Indiain
Indonesiaid
Internationalint
Iranir
Iraqiq
Irelandie
Israelil
Italyit
Ivory Coastci
Jamaicajm
Japanjp
Jordanjo
Kazakhstankz
Kenyake
Kiribatiki
Kuwaitkw
Kyrgyzstankg
Laosla
Latvialv
Lebanonlb
Lesothols
Liberialr
Libyaly
Liechtensteinli
Lithuanialt
Luxembourglu
Macaumo
Macedoniamk
Madagascarmg
Malawimw
Malaysiamy
Maldivesmv
Maliml
Maltamt
Marshall Ismh
Martinique (French)mq
Mauritaniamr
Mauritiusmu
Mayotteyt
Mexicomx
Micronesiafm
Moldaviamd
Monacomc
Mongoliamn
Montserratms
Moroccoma
Mozambiquemz
Museumsmuseum
Myanmarmm
Namename
Namibiana
NATOnato
Naurunr
Nepalnp
Netherlandsnl
Netherlands Antillesan
Networknet
Neutral Zonent
New Caledonia (French)nc
New Zealandnz
Nicaraguani
Nigerne
Nigeriang
Niuenu
Non-Profit Organizationsorg
Norfolk Islandnf
North Koreakp
Northern Mariana Ismp
Norwayno
Old style Arpanetarpa
Omanom
Pakistanpk
Palaupw
Panamapa
Papua New Guineapg
Paraguaypy
Perupe
Philippinesph
Pitcairn Islandpn
Polandpl
Polynesia (French)pf
Portugalpt
Professionalspro
Puerto Ricopr
Qatarqa
Reunion (French)re
Romaniaro
Russian Federationru
Rwandarw
S Georgia & S Sandwich Is.gs
Saint Helenash
Saint Kitts & Nevis Anguillakn
Saint Lucialc
Saint Pierre & Miquelonpm
Saint Tome & Principest
Saint Vincent & Grenadinesvc
Samoaws
San Marinosm
Saudi Arabiasa
Senegalsn
Seychellessc
Sierra Leonesl
Singaporesg
Slovak Republicsk
Sloveniasi
Solomon Issb
Somaliaso
South Africaza
South Koreakr
Spaines
Sri Lankalk
Sudansd
Surinamesr
Svalbard & Jan Mayen Issj
Swazilandsz
Swedense
Switzerlandch
Syriasy
Tadjikistantj
Taiwantw
Tanzaniatz
Thailandth
Togotg
Tokelautk
Tongato
Trinidad & Tobagott
Tunisiatn
Turkeytr
Turkmenistantm
Turks & Caicos Istc
Tuvalutv
Ugandaug
Ukraineua
United Arab Emiratesae
United Kingdomuk
United Statesus
Unrestrictedinfo
Uruguayuy
USA Commercialcom
USA Educationaledu
USA Governmentgov
USA Militarymil
USA Minor Outlying Isum
Uzbekistanuz
Vanuatuvu
Vatican City Stateva
Venezuelave
Vietnamvn
Virgin Is (British)vg
Virgin Is (USA)vi
Wallis & Futuna Iswf
Western Saharaeh
Yemenye
Yugoslaviayu
Zairezr
Zambiazm
Zimbabwezw

The next most popular question I get about domain names is generally, “What company should I buy my domain from?”.

Where to buy a domain name

Although there are many places you can buy a domain, I trust DomainsPricedRight.com and have bought over 400 domain names through them.

If your business is already online, make sure to protect your brand by locking down your domain name with as many extensions as possible. It doesn’t matter who you buy them through, just make sure you do. At a minimum, make sure to buy your business name with the top three extensions; .COM, .NET and .ORG. Believe me, it’s a really small investment for the peace of mind you’ll get in return.

One last tip. When you register your domain name, set the renewal option to automatically renew. That way, you don’t have to worry about someone grabbing your domain name because you forgot to renew it.

If you have any questions about domain names, I recommend reading this Domain Name Questions article.

Please post your thoughts and comments below. Thanks!

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