Whenever I talk to people about New Domains for the first time, I usually get one of two reactions. The first is disbelief, excitement, and a mad scramble for a cellphone or laptop to see if theirname.ninja is still available. The second reaction is less fun: A scoff, possibly an eye roll, and a proclamation that they’ll stick to traditional domain names, thank you very much!
While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I find that most people who aren’t fans of New Domains have a few common objections. So if you’re one of those folks out there who isn’t sold on using New Domains then buckle up—I’m going to try to change your mind.
Objection 1: “People don’t understand URLs that use New Domains.”
As with all technology, New Domains are likely to be adopted in waves: As of now, innovators and early adopters are the ones registering unique domains like .NYC and .NEWS, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a good chance that we’re only seeing the beginning of New Domain use and that it will skyrocket in upcoming years. Doing something new and different with your domain definitely involves risk, but there’s potential for a big payoff as well. A well thought out website that uses a New Domain can be engaging, thought provoking, and memorable.
Objection 2: “Google won’t rank New Domain websites as well as traditional ones.”
Google states that New Domains do not have any sort of impact on search engine ranking, which means you’re not going to get penalized for using them unless there’s a lot of other SEO issues happening on your website. And while there is no definitive proof that it can give you a boost in SEO rankings, some websites that use New Domains are already beginning to rank on the first page of search results. Take, for example, jacksonville.attorney, which is the first non-paid result when you search for “jacksonville attorney” and psychology.tools, which ranks first with the search inquiry “psychology tools.” That’s pretty impressive considering how new these domains are.
Objection 3: “Traditional domain endings are more trustworthy.”
People may be more familiar with websites that have traditional domain endings, but that does not necessarily mean that they’re 100% trustworthy. For example, ARealNigerianPrince.com may be a recognizable domain name but I would still think twice before wiring “a mere $10,000 loan” to the guy who owns it. The fact of the matter is there are going to be scams, spam, and unsavory content on all kinds of domains—it’s just the unfortunate nature of the internet.
In some cases, New Domains may be more trustworthy because of extensive registration requirements. .BANK, for example, requires applicants to be a verified member of the global banking community to be eligible to register the domain, assuring online visitors that they are a reputable financial institution.
Objection 4: “New Domains are just a fad—they’ll never amount to anything.”
Maybe. But they also said the same thing about the home computer. There’s always risk when it comes to new technology and there is no guarantee that New Domains will become the norm over the next few years. But considering how many New Domains are being released every week, and how many people are already using them, it’s unwise to completely discredit this new type of domain.
New Domains are not meant to replace traditional domain endings like .COM and .NET—those work great for some uses and businesses and they’re not going anywhere. But opening up the option of using other domain names that can indicate a purpose, profession, or add a little extra flavor to a website is an amazing opportunity that should be taken advantage of.
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