I'm curious about the current best practices for buying domain names. Is it still a good idea to focus on the traditional top three extensions like .com, .net, and .org, or should I explore other options? What do you all think about the newer TLDs and the variety of domain extensions available?
4 Answers
I learned this the hard way years ago when we registered nearly every TLD for our poker site, which cost a fortune. Just cover the main ones and don’t stress about the rest.
To protect against hijacking, consider getting generic TLDs and any relevant geographic TLDs. Also, collaborate with your marketing team and have two decision-makers to manage each domain's lifecycle and renewals.
If you're buying domains, I'd stick with the classic .com and maybe grab a country-specific one if your business operates locally. There are just too many unusual TLDs now, and it’s safer to go with what’s tried and true.
We experienced phishing attempts using domains that impersonated big companies, adding things like '-usa' to them. There are tons of country-specific and niche TLDs out there. If you can, grabbing domains like .io, .co, and .ai might be useful. Just remember, the bigger your brand, the more you might need to invest in protecting it.
You can't buy every domain out there, and new ones come up all the time. Focus on one strong domain and let legal handle the rest. Chasing every new TLD just drives up costs without much benefit.