You are planning to set up your first website, and now, you are choosing the appropriate web address. Selecting the right one is very important as it must send the right message to your customers. If you got it wrong, you lose potential customers.
UK businesses are recommended to use web addresses ending with .uk, however, there are also available second level domains such as .plc.uk or .co.uk. All UK web addresses are monitored by Nominet, which is also the domains’ registry. Each domain can be registered quickly through licensed registrars. It is automated and don’t need special requirements, however, it comes in first-come-first-serve basis. Before you register your web address, make sure it is not yet used.
Below are the three famous .uk domains – their uses and how much they cost. It will also help you choose the best for your enterprise.
- 1. .org.uk
This is mostly registered by organisations such as Oxfam and National Trust. This is to specify their status in the online community. Although anyone can register for this domain, it is recommended if your website is a charity or a non-commercial enterprise, or else you will get your customers confused. You can get this suffix for £4 a year.
- 2. .me.uk
This is created by Nominet Trust for the benefit of individuals who have their own blog or website. It must be a real person that provides valuable contents to visitors. Like the first suffix, you can buy this for £4.
- 3. .co.uk
This is used for all commercial enterprises and the most popular second-level domain in UK. A study revealed that 90 percent of online shoppers search for .co.uk so I must say this is the perfect choice when setting up your business website. You can get it for only £3.
Another option is .uk. This suffix is getting popular these days and in time, it will be added to the domain suffixes mentioned above. When choosing a web address, you must always consider the perspective of customers and your website’s impact to visitors.