THE .IE domain is still the most favoured by local businesses and individuals with 713 new domains registered in Limerick during the first half of the year.
There are now 46,449 .ie domains registered in Munster, up 9.2 per cent year-on-year, according to the latest edition of the .ie Domain Profile Report.
Nationally, the total .ie domain database grew by 8.3 per cent year-on-year, and by nearly 40 per cent compared to the same period five years ago. At the end of June, there were 273,156 .ie domains.
80.2 per cent of the total .ie database is comprised of companies and self-employed entrepreneurs, up 4 per cent year-on-year.
New .ie registrations by individuals grew by 26.4 per cent year-on-year, which speaks to the growing trend of using websites to build a permanent, personal space on the internet.
And 240 domains were offered for private sale in the first half of the year, up 75 per cent from 137 in the same period last year.
IE Domain Registry, the company that manages and maintains .ie, Ireland’s country domain name, says that much of the recent growth has been powered by a change to registration requirements in March 2018.
While .ie registrants must still prove their connection to Ireland, they no longer need to prove their ‘claim’ to a particular .ie name, which makes the registration process easier and faster, particularly for early-stage start-up businesses.
David Curtin, Chief Executive of IE Domain Registry, said that .ie remains the digital gold standard for businesses, entrepreneurs, communities, and individuals that want to build or enhance their online presence.
“For businesses selling online, .ie represents authenticity and trustworthiness, factors that are hugely important for e-commerce. For individuals, an .ie domain has benefits over a social media presence, particularly in terms of control over content and reach.”
