In today’s hyper-connected world, a brand’s digital identity is paramount. As the online realm becomes increasingly saturated, businesses are seeking innovative ways to differentiate themselves and forge authentic connections with their audiences. They’re strengthening their branding by moving beyond legacy conventions and embracing distinctive new Top Level Domains (TLDs).
This shift isn’t new, but it’s accelerating rapidly. New TLD usage has grown by 50% in the past five years, with 745.5 million global registrations forecasted by 2030.
Benefits of descriptive extensions
In the race for digital mindshare, a brand’s domain is the first, most crucial brand signal. The smartest brands define their identity by choosing new TLDs that instantly communicate their value.
Descriptive extensions like .studio, .pro, .live, and .travel do the heavy lifting before a visitor even clicks onto the site. For example, a .studio instantly suggests creativity, and a .pro signals authority and expertise. Its relevance and clarity, built into the web address.
New TLDs significantly boost memorability in a crowded market and enhance SEO by aligning the web address with user search intent and brand names. Best of all, their availability lets brands secure short, descriptive, and captivating web addresses.
Brands making the smart move
Take the iconic band WHAM!, which built wham.world as its official hub. It’s a great example of a cultural powerhouse using a memorable, intuitive TLD to anchor its digital presence. Or look at the Ford Amphitheater in New York, which adopted the .live TLD for fordamphitheater.live, making it obvious that the venue hosts live shows while keeping the brand front and center. Both examples show how creative TLDs can be modern, relevant, and clear.
“You have very few characters in a web address to make a domain memorable,” says Rachel Sterling, CMO at Identity Digital, the domain registry that operates one of the world’s largest portfolios of new TLDs, and owns the registrar name.com. “You want every character to count by using both sides of the dot to communicate who you are or what you stand for. The name of the game really is the name.”
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The hottest new TLD trends
Identity Digital’s recent Domain Trend Report reveals that businesses want reach and relevance baked into their names. TLDs like .global and .bet lead the pack, signaling strong demand for worldwide visibility and opting for keyword-rich domains that instantly communicate their value.
Buyers are also snapping up single-word domains like florida.info, lab.pro, and food.live. These keyword-rich names cut straight to the point, instantly communicating a site’s purpose and offering.
Meanwhile, a massive boom is happening in the creative sector with .studio domains.
The rise of .studio: the creative’s web address
Over the past year, .studio adoption has jumped 56% YOY, with 70% of domains renewed – which is above the industry average. PR firms, ad agencies, production houses, architects, and designers are embracing it as the domain that perfectly mirrors their creative work. This reflects a broader shift. Younger, digital-first audiences are drawn to brands that feel intentional, authentic, and creatively aligned.
Take brewing.studio, which is instantly recognizable as a design studio just by its web address. Meta AI’s makeavideo.studio is another example of a memorable .studio domain that speaks directly to users looking to transform text into video.
“We’re living in an age where authenticity isn’t optional: 90% of consumers are actively seeking it online,” explains Sterling: “Descriptive domains like .studio don’t just offer availability; they let you signal creativity, credibility, and individuality in an instant. They’re the future of how businesses stake their claim in the digital landscape.”
To explore .studio and other creative domain extensions, visit your favorite domain retailer, such as name.com.
Source: https://www.thedrum.com/
