What impact is your choice of domain name having on your consumer trust?

With the recent explosion of available domain names, choosing the right domain name for your website is trickier than ever. The domain market is now flooded with industry and city specific extensions; everything from .menu to .london to .ninja. And of course, there’s the heavyweight of .com – quite often perceived by many as the domain name must have. But is it?

Some business owners jump immediately for .com, research from UK domain name registry Nominet shows UK business owners should take a long, hard look at .UK domain names first. In fact, it is possible that choosing the wrong domain name could even result in lost sales.

In a survey conducted in late 2016, Nominet asked 1,000 random consumers about their thoughts on domains ending .UK. The results are eye opening and worth studying by any UK business operating online. Some of the main points identified include:

  • 98% of people were aware of domain names ending with .UK
  • 91% of people said they would click first on a website ending in .UK when shopping online compared to other ‘newer’ domain endings
  • 73% of people said they would click first on a website ending in .UK when shopping online compared to other ‘established’ domain endings
  • 84% trust a domain ending in .UK more or the same as any other domain

The research reveals that websites ending in .UK are universally preferred over both non-.UK traditional domain names and new niche domains recently made available. For businesses pitching to UK based users the choice of domain can have real implications for the bottom line; even .com takes a back seat to .UK, the report claims that twice as many consumers prefer to click first on a website ending in .UK than on a .com win search results. It goes without saying, every business wants to be that first click online.

Daniel Foster, MD at UK based 34SP.com says, “Despite the perception that .com domains are the be all and end all of domain names, .UK domain names are our most popular domain by far. The current flood of new domains on the market is great, but sometimes can confuse buyers. Is domain x better than domain y? It’s a question we’re asked all the time. Ultimately, the best domain is the domain recognised and trusted by your audience, and for UK businesses that still remains .co.uk or the shorter .uk.”

During the month of May, 34SP.com are running a time limited promotion to offer select .UK domains at just £1.20 for a one year registration, their lowest ever price on .UK domains and a perfect opportunity for UK businesses to secure their own .UK domain.

Full details of the UK domain name promotion can be found at https://www.34sp.com/domain-names

About Nominet

Nominet are the top level registry for the .UK domain space. Their team of 140 people, based in Oxford and London, support 2,500 members and millions of domain name registrations. Source of Stats: Nominet’s Annual Consumer Tracking Survey 2016. Survey completed between 24 August and 8 September via an online research panel.Sample of n=1,000 panelists aged 18-74 weighted using GB Census information to be nationally representative.

Stuart Melling

Hi! I am the the co-founder of 34SP.com and Business Development Director; I've been at this hosting lark for more than twenty two years, ulp.. I oversee multiple areas of our business to ensure 34SP.com products and services are meeting our customer's needs. You can get in touch over on LinkedIn or replying to any of most posts. In my spare time I am exceptionally interested in food and drink, I run several food website and am a multi-award winning, food and drink writer.

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