When people think of a website, most still picture the classic .com. It feels safe, maybe even inevitable. But the internet isn’t standing still. Over the last decade, domain extensions—or top-level domains (TLDs)—have expanded in ways that quietly reshaped how brands present themselves online. A small startup today doesn’t have to fight for a short, overpriced .com if something like .io or .studio fits the brand better.
It’s tempting to think of extensions as technical details, but they really aren’t. They’ve become part of the name itself. Say you’re launching a photography brand. Choosing yourname.photography isn’t just practical, it reinforces identity every time someone reads it. It’s both a name and a message.
Of course, not every extension works equally well. Some look sharp, others feel a little gimmicky. I’ve seen companies embrace .xyz and make it work, but honestly, it takes confidence and consistent branding to pull it off. Meanwhile, country codes like .co or .ai have jumped borders and found global relevance. People don’t even think of .ai as just “Anguilla” anymore. It means artificial intelligence—instantly.
There’s also the trust factor. Customers still tend to put more faith in .com or .org than in newer, less familiar endings. That’s slowly changing, but habits take time. If your audience is broad or more traditional, sticking to the familiar might be the safer bet. On the other hand, if you’re trying to stand out in a crowded digital space, a unique extension can do a surprising amount of heavy lifting.
Something else worth noting: availability. This is probably the most practical reason people turn to alternative extensions. Try finding a clean, one-word .com today—it’s almost impossible unless you’re ready to pay a hefty premium. A newer extension gives you freedom to be shorter, sharper, and closer to the name you actually want. It’s less about compromise and more about finding a fresh path.
But there’s a tension here. Branding is about consistency, and consistency sometimes means meeting expectations. A clever domain that makes sense to insiders may not land well with people outside your circle. You want memorability, not confusion. I’ve caught myself forgetting websites because the extension felt unintuitive. If you have to explain it every time, maybe it’s not helping you.
At the end of the day, the domain extension is part of your brand story. It’s not just the tail end of a web address—it’s shorthand for who you are and how you want to be seen. The internet will keep evolving, and so will naming conventions. That can feel overwhelming, but it’s also freeing.
So when you’re deciding, weigh the practical against the creative. Ask if your choice builds trust, fits your industry, and feels natural when spoken out loud. Because the domain landscape is shifting, but your brand still needs a solid home. The extension you pick is more than a technical decision. It’s branding, plain and simple.