What are the different types of domains?

Katie Collins -

You’re about to launch your website, and all that’s left to do is select your domain name. “It’s not that important, it's only a URL”, you might be thinking.

Well, as it happens, your domain (and resulting URL) is a much bigger deal than you may have anticipated. There’s a whole lot of reasons why you should take this seriously and make sure you have the strongest domain possible. For example, it makes your brand name stand out from the competition and will be memorable to customers typing it into their browsers.

But first, to understand how to select a good domain name, you need to know more about what a domain actually is and the types of domains you can register.

What’s a domain name?

If you’re wondering what a domain name is, it’s an identifying address that’s used to access your website. Just like how you use a home address to find a house, your domain is the digital address for your site.

Domains are made up of different parts, like the subdomain (or third-level domain), the domain name itself (also known as the second-level domain), and the domain extension or top-level domain (e.g., .com, .org, .uk).

So, how do domains work?

Domains work by giving your website its own unique online address, which you need in order for your site to be found online. In the same way that you’d type a street address into a sat nav, users type your domain name into a browser's search bar to get to your site.

And just like your home address, no two can be the same because every existing domain has a unique set of data tied to it – once a domain is taken, it’s no longer available. This data includes the address of a computer or device, the name and address of the DNS server, and the service on the domain, whether that’s www, email, or FTP.

What is DNS and how does it work?

DNS or the Domain Name System was developed in 1983 to better organise domain names. DNS is essential for visiting websites, as the domain name you type into your search bar must be converted into an IP address through DNS so your web browser can load the site.

All devices connected to the internet have a unique IP address, and other machines use these numerical addresses to find each device. Similarly, each valid domain name is linked to an associated IP address, and this IP address enables your web browser to request information from the web servers where the website is hosted. 

The DNS process can be summed up as follows:

  • You type a domain name into your web browser.
  • The browser looks through the network of DNS servers for the unique IP address linked to this domain name.
  • When the right DNS server is located, it sends information about this IP address to your web browser.
  • Your web browser also requests information from the domain’s hosting provider, which is stored on a web server.
  • Your browser converts all of this data into the website you were searching for, and the right web page is loaded on your device.

Using domain names means that people don’t need to remember the IP addresses of every website they want to visit. Instead, they can type in a short and memorable domain that’s translated into the right IP address through DNS.

Types of domains

The different types of domain name all come down to the extensions you choose. Each one is used for different purposes – some are reserved for a certain type of site, some can only be used in a specific country and some have their own connotations to keep in mind. It all really depends on what your business does, where you’re based and which extension is best for your brand – for example, a charity that helps the LGBT community could even choose a .lgbt domain name.

1. Top-level domains (TLD)

You might not have heard of TLDs, but you have certainly seen them – ‘.com’, ‘.net.’ and ‘.org’ are all top-level domains. You can easily identify a top-level domain's position in the URL, as it comes straight after the primary domain name. It’s always the last section of a domain name, following the final ‘.’. 

The likes of ‘.com’ and ’.co.uk’ once dominated the web, but TLDs have become increasingly diverse in recent years. Today, there's a wide range of alternative extensions for you to choose from if you can’t secure your ideal domain name, which we’ll discuss in more detail later.

2. Generic top-level domains (gTLD)

Generic top-level domains will be the ones that you're most used to seeing:

They're classed as international extensions that can be used and recognised across the globe. Plus, since they’re classed as generic too, gTLDs can be used by any website, which makes them incredibly versatile. As a result, gTLDs are the most commonly used TLDs. This popularity makes them highly sought after, and well trusted.

Some gTLDs used to be restricted to certain types of websites. For example, if we’re looking at .org vs .com vs .net, which are some of the most widely used gTLDs, .org was originally intended for non-profit organisations, .com was originally intended for commercial websites, and .net was originally used for businesses involved with network technologies. However, these three popular gTLDs can now be used for any website (although it may be best to stick with convention, as internet users may find these associations easier to remember).

Thanks to their authoritativeness and versatility, gTLDs offer huge creative possibilities. And with more being introduced regularly, your options are always increasing. Popular new gTLDs include:

And that's just a snippet of what's available. If you're a blogger you could choose .blog, if you're a developer you could go for a .dev domain, and if you're a coffee shop you could opt for .coffee or even .cafe!

3. Country code top-level domains (ccTLD)

As you can probably guess, a country code top-level domain is where a country of origin is referenced in the URL. For example, a British business might choose to use ‘.uk’, whereas a French business could choose ‘.fr’.

There are positives and negatives to country-specific domains. They'll likely resonate more with those within the country you’re referencing, but simultaneously it can also potentially alienate those outside of the country. If you're going to choose a ccTLD, it wouldn't be a bad idea to also register a domain with a gTLD that'll appeal to international audiences as well.

ccTLDs were originally intended for use by a specific country’s residents, but some countries now allow outside parties to register domains with their country codes. One example is Tuvalu, which has monetised its desirable ‘.tv’ domain extension very effectively.

4. Sponsored top-level domains (sTLD)

Sponsored top-level domains are a very small collection of domains that are sponsored by groups like governments or organisations. You'll probably recognise ones like:

  • .gov
  • .edu
  • .museum
  • .jobs
  • .tel
  • .travel

They're each sponsored by a specific community or group and usually come with a lot of criteria boxes to tick if you want one. For example, if you apply to register a .travel domain, the Tralliance Registry Management Company (the domain's sponsor) will make sure that your company is a legitimate service provider within the travel industry.

5. Subdomains

So far we’ve covered types of domain extensions, but in your search for a domain you may have come across the term ‘subdomain’. While not technically a type of domain on its own, it’s a very important part of your URL that can help you create different versions of your domain. 

The subdomain, or third-level domain, comes before the TLD and the primary domain name (before the first dot), with the most common one being ‘www’. But you can get creative and use subdomains to signify different sections of your site, like a blog or help section.

A good example that a lot of big companies like Netflix use is ‘help’:

In this example, help is the subdomain and .com is the TLD. We also have a ‘help’ subdomain – help.fasthosts.co.uk. This is technically a separate website, but it’s still connected to our main domain.

As an extension of your site, subdomains rank separately in search engine results. So, by using a subdomain, you can separate a section of your site from the main domain. This can make it easier for you to organise and manage different web pages, while also making it easier for users to get to where they want to go.

6. Premium domains

Let’s say you’re about to launch your business, and all that remains to be done is set up your site. You’ve thought of a short, snappy and memorable domain and you’re ready to register it. But you find you're out of luck and your ideal domain name has already been snapped up by someone else. You’ve just encountered a premium domain.

Premium domain names are domains that are highly sought after for being easy to remember therefore minimising the risk that potential customers won’t be able to find you.

But don’t despair, because that doesn’t necessarily mean that your perfect domain is gone forever. Premium domains can be bought and sold like anything else, so, depending on whoever has already bought it, that domain could still be attainable.

Will there be new types of domain names?

The internet is an ever-evolving world, so there’s a good chance that there may eventually be new types of domains. But as we know them now, there won’t be new ones so to speak.

The good news is that there are plenty of new top-level domain extensions being launched regularly to widen the range of options for a huge variety of businesses around the world.

You could grab a domain like .design, .biz, .expert or even .gifts. Ones to look forward to from ICANN include .organic, .music and .web!

What's ICANN?

ICANN, or the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is a non-profit organisation that is responsible for governing and coordinating internet identifiers like domain names and IP addresses. They supervise registrars, help keep users safe on the web, maintain domain databases, are responsible for the introduction of new TLDs and more.

Which domain should I use?

It can be hard to know which route to go down when it comes to choosing a domain name. What may at first seem like a small and insignificant choice can quickly become a headache. Your choice of domain will have different advantages for your business, so it's important to understand the differences between the different types before you go rushing in to grab yours.

The bottom line is, stick to your brand, be memorable and keep in mind any restrictions that might come with the domain extension you want. 

Will my choice of domain name impact my website’s SEO?

Your choice of domain name can have an impact on your visibility in search engine results, so it’s important to choose an SEO-friendly domain name and the right domain extension. Domains that improve visibility are typically short, easy to remember and contain relevant keywords. However, make sure you avoid keyword stuffing and the use of special characters, as these can overcomplicate your domain or make it seem suspicious or like spam. Plus, the inclusion of certain characters (like spaces) can mean that you won’t have a valid domain name. 

Usually, your choice of domain extension won’t have an impact on your website’s SEO. The exception to this is ccTLDs, since using a relevant ccTLD can improve your site’s performance for users searching in the same country.

If you’re still unsure about which type of domain is best for your business, we’ve got lots of blog posts to help you out, from extensions for UK businesses to why you should register domain name typos.

Did you know that you can get a 1-year domain free with some of our products? In addition to our Fasthosts domains, why not check out our Web Hosting, Website Builder or even our WordPress Hosting products and manage your site and domain all from one place?