Verisign, the registry behind .com and .net, has released their Q2 2024 issue of the Domain Name Industry Brief, and with it, shared some insight about the growth and revenue of domain names across all TLDs.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the most interesting facts and figures shared in the report:
How many total domains are there?
Verisign reported an estimated 362.4 million domain name registrations across all top-level domains (TLDs) at the end of the second quarter of 2024. This remains unchanged compared to the first quarter of 2024. Domain name registrations increased by 5.8 million , or 1.6%, year over year.
This vast number of registered domains spans top level domains (TLDs) such as generic top level domain names (gTLDs), country specific domain extensions, and newer custom domain extensions.
Different Types Of Domain Names
A domain is essentially the address of a website that users type into their browser to visit that site. It serves as the human-readable version of the website’s IP address, making it easier for people to access websites without needing to remember long strings of numbers. For example, “google.com” is the domain that directs users to Google’s website.
It is made up of 2 parts:
Top level domain (TLD) – This is the part of the domain name that comes after the dot, such as .com, .gov, or .net domains.
Second level domain (SLD) – This is the part of the domain name that comes before the dot, such as Google
When we refer to domain types, we’re actually discussing the various available Top Level Domains (TLDs).
There are four main categories of TLDs:
Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs): These include commonly used domains like .com, .org, and .net. They are not restricted by geographic location or specific uses and are widely recognized and available for a range of purposes.
Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs): These TLDs represent specific countries or territories, like .us for the United States, .uk for the United Kingdom, and .jp for Japan. ccTLDs are often used by businesses and individuals wanting a local online presence in a particular country.
New Generic Top-Level Domains (ngTLDs): The new gTLD was introduced to expand available domain name options, offering businesses and organizations more flexibility with choices like .blog, .shop, or .news to represent specific purposes or industries.
Geographic New Generic Top-Level Domains (Geo ngTLDs): These TLDs are tailored to particular geographic areas, providing location-specific domain options such as .nyc for New York City or .paris for Paris, helping businesses establish a regional identity online.
Each category serves unique purposes for different types of websites and organizations.
How many New Domains are there?
Total new generic TLD (ngTLD) domain name registrations were 34.6 million at the end of the second quarter of 2024, an increase of 1.3 million domain name registrations, or 4.4% compared to the first quarter of 2024. In the grand scheme of things, New Domains make up only 9.55% of total current domain registrations.
What are the largest TLDs by number of registrations?
Unsurprisingly, .COM extension remains the most popular domain extension globally, with .NET and .ORG ranking 4th and 5th respectively. CcTLDs make up the majority of the top 10 list (including .TK, .CN, .DE, .UK, .RU, and .NL). For the top 10 TLDs with available data, recent quarterly renewal percentage estimates ranged from 77.1 % for both .net and .ru to 72.3 % for .com.
Are more people using redirects?
Another nugget of information that was especially interesting was the increased frequency of URL redirects being used to send visitors to third-party sites. Verisign reported that instances of .com and .net domains being redirected to social media or eCommerce sites increased 43% for Amazon, 22% for Etsy, 30% for LinkedIn, and 35% for Twitter.
If you’re interested in learning more about Verisign, or reading the report for yourself, you can do so on Verisign’s website.
Conclusion
With millions of registered domains across a variety of TLDs, choosing the right domain name has never been more important. Selecting a popular top-level domain from our list of TLDs or a custom extension can help tailor your online presence to resonate with your audience. Managing multiple domains—especially those tied to a specific country or industry—is simplified through a reliable domain registrar, ensuring your online presence stays robust and well-protected as the domain landscape continues to grow.
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