What does the .IO stand for?

03 Apr.,2024

 

Choosing the right TLD (top-level domain) for your company is crucial to your brand's success. But considering how many well-known options are already in use and are costly to acquire, businesses need to get creative with their web addresses.

.io domains, beloved by tech startups, offer an opportunity to generate a URL that nobody else has. But what exactly is an .io domain, and what are the pros and cons of using one? This post will walk you through everything you need to know about this emerging domain extension. 

What does the .io domain extension mean?

As a refresher, a TLD is simply the ending of a website address, such as .com, .net, or .org. You can find it at the far right of a website address, and it's sometimes referred to as the "domain ending."

In addition to popular TLDs such as .com or .gov, country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) are assigned to different countries and territories. These are always two-letter designations. For instance, the code for France is .fr, while domain names in Australia have .au at the end.

The domain extension we're exploring today (.io) is the ccTLD for the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), which has been an overseas territory of the United Kingdom since 1965. Despite this, the .io domain was never intended to be a country-specific extension. That's because there are no official permanent residents of the BIOT, only US military personnel and UK government officials temporarily.

In other words, there are essentially no restrictions on who can use this TLD. Any individual or entity can register a .io domain name, and most .io sites are completely unrelated to the location. Additionally, most internet users are unaware that .io has a country-related background.

Why do tech startups love .io domains?

Recently, .io domains have gained momentum with tech companies, especially startups. Here's why:

.io domains are associated with the tech industry

The primary reason tech companies gravitate toward this domain extension is that in computer science, "IO" is a common abbreviation for input/output, describing how computers (and other information systems) communicate with the world. 

Therefore, using a .io domain immediately indicates to consumers that your organization is a technology company. The domain is also associated with gaming and cryptocurrency. And as more tech firms adopt it, more consumers become familiar with the association.

.io domains can be used as a domain hack.

A domain hack is when you create a web address that incorporates the domain as part of the brand name to create a more memorable URL. This could suit your branding  and is easy for users to recall.

An .io domain extension is also ideal if your business name already contains a word ending in io. For instance, for radio or studio, you could create an address that ends rad.io or stud.io. A famous example is former presidential candidate Marco Rubio who used rub.io for his campaign in 2016.

.io domains are more widely available than .com domains.

The problem with .com domains is that they're very popular—making up  50.2% of all worldwide TLDs as opposed to 0.5% for. io—and most of the good ones have already been taken. If you want one, you might have to rename your business or pay a substantial amount to acquire the desired .com domain from whoever owns it.

Even though the popularity of .io domains has increased in recent years, it's still far more likely that the name you're looking for will be available—and at a more affordable price than .com. This enables you to stick with your current branding.

.io domains can be registered with no extra requirements.

Many ccTLDs are only available for residents or organizations in the relevant country. But some—like .io—have no such restrictions. Anyone worldwide can register a .io domain without requiring a local presence in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The only limitation on .io  domain names is that they must be between 3 and 63 characters in length and may only contain alphanumeric characters and hyphens. You should also familiarize yourself with the contract terms between you and the domain name registrar.

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.io domains are treated as generic top-level domains by Google.

Google and other search engines treat some ccTLDs as country-specific. In other words, websites that use those codes are less likely to appear in worldwide search results. (Think of it this way: How often do you see websites from Italy with the .IT ccTLD appear in your Google search results if you live in the United States?) The good news is that Google doesn't do this with .io domains.

It classifies .io as a "generic top-level domain" (gTLD), so it's treated like any other widely-used global domain such as .com. Even though it's technically a ccTLD, Google recognizes that .io is used almost exclusively by people outside the British Indian Ocean Territory—so worldwide users who search for your business (or related keywords) will see it in the SERPs.

Are there any pitfalls to consider when choosing an .io domain extension?

There are many benefits to using an .io domain—but are there any pitfalls? Here's what you need to think about.

Prices for .io domains are higher.

Although .io domain names often are less costly than a .com, their growing popularity in the tech space means prices are rising. So are "squatters," who buy up domain names to flip them for profit. This is not ideal for startups on a low budget. (If that's you, check out the complete guide to building and running a website on a budget or with a small team.)

If you want an .io domain, it may be worth investing now before prices rise further and the best names are scooped up. Plus, since you can usually only register a domain name for either one, three, or five years, new businesses don't have to pay for a lengthy commitment. Try .io for a year and see how things go using website benchmarks to assess the site's performance.

.io domains are not as widely recognized as .com domains.

Though users familiar with the tech space will instantly recognize a .io domain name as belonging to a tech-related business, it could confuse other users. Those unaware of the tech connection may assume that your company isn't as established as a business with .com in its name. .com domains are already associated with reliable and experienced companies, but .io is yet to earn that reputation.

.io domains can also be harder to find. When searching online for a company's website, most users will automatically try .com at the end of the address. You'll need to make it clear to customers that your domain name ends with .io.

.io domains can be seen as less trustworthy.

People unfamiliar with .io might not trust a website with that TLD. It's also possible that its status as a ccTLD could confuse people. . But as long as you choose a reliable ICANN-accredited provider that offers SSL certificates for your site, .io domains are perfectly safe. There are also a number of rules, authentications, and safety restrictions that apply to all domains and yours will be deactivated immediately if you breach any regulations.

You can get creative with .io domains.

You don't necessarily have to be a tech company to benefit from a .io domain. Any business can have fun creating play-on-word addresses in order to strengthen brand identity recognition. For example, a photographer or artist might use stud.io or portfol.io.

.io also has different meanings in some languages. It translates as "I" in Italian, and "something" in Esperanto.

Should you use a .io domain for your business?

It's worth weighing up the pros and cons of .io domains before making the leap. They're perfect for tech companies or businesses seeking a clever domain hack. While .io is still relatively new, non-tech companies run the risk of people not understanding the meaning—and of perceiving your business as inexperienced or even untrustworthy.

.io domains are cheaper than their .com counterparts, and there's far more availability, so you can stick to your existing branding. Being shorter than many other extensions, it's easy for people to recall and type into a browser. With no special requirements, .io domains are easy to register. Just be aware that prices are increasing as the extension becomes more popular.

Give .io Domains a Go

.io domains are popular with tech startups thanks to their association with computer science, but any business can take advantage of their wide availability and easy-to-remember nature. And you can register an .io domain from anywhere in the world without needing a local presence in the territory they're technically associated with. Make sure you choose a reliable registrar and have fun creating your domain name.

In today’s digital age web domain carries a certain weight to your personality as a website owner, similar to the watch you wear or your favorite brand of sneakers. It’s rare to come across someone who has not yet heard of the .IO domain name. .IO is the ccTLD for the British Indian Ocean Territory.

However, there are more benefits to consider. In recent years, .IO has become synonymous with technology, gaming, and start-up companies. The main reason for this — in computer science, “IO” is commonly used as an abbreviation for Input/Output. Choosing a .IO domain helps instantly signify to anyone seeing your URL that you’re in tech. It’s a great branding play that costs very little but packs a big punch.


Register a .IO domain name today, and show your deep-level tech know-how to the world!

By the end of the post, you will definitely know more about the .IO TLD and its perks. What’s more, there’s a high chance you even get a .IO domain for your project.

What Does .IO Mean?

The .IO TLD has been getting increasingly popular, especially among tech and SaaS startups. In general, this TLD is assigned to the British Indian Ocean Territory, the seven atolls of the Chagos Archipelago, south of India, and notably contains the Diego Garcia atoll, home to a U.S. military base. The .IO domain has become popular in recent years, but not because of its ccTLD roots. The .IO domain extension is the most well-known in the tech space. Are you surprised?

Before we cover all the specifics in regards to how and why the .IO domain extension became so popular among tech startups; it’s crucial to understand how the creation of more than 1,500 new TLDs have reshaped the world of domain names in general and how businesses keep finding new creative ways to no longer rely on .COM when searching for the right domain and TLD for their brand.

IO domains are recognizable and now embraced by the tech and start-up communities – Using a .IO domain can be a good way to identify yourself or your business as part of the tech scene.

One of the first .IO domains to be registered for a purpose other than geographical identity was Levi Strauss in 1998. Levi’s have always pushed the boundaries in terms of their marketing, and it’s a fact that they have been hugely successful. Levi’s are definitely attractive, and so if a .IO domain can make you half as cool as them, then you should snatch yours today!

Finding the Right Domain and TLD for Your Brand

If you want your brand to be successful nowadays, you need to have a matching domain. If you are just starting fresh, you basically have two choices — you either choose a brand name to obtain a domain name easily or find someone who owns the domain you desire and buy it from them. If you go with the first option, you may have to invent a new word, such as Lyft or Uber.

That’s the reason many new companies have “interesting” names. Pretty much all good .COM domains are already taken, even though you may be able to come up with an effective two-word name that has not yet been reserved. Choosing the best domain name for your business is definitely not among the easiest tasks. If you simply must have a specific domain, you may have to break the bank to acquire it.

Of course, there are other options. You can choose .CO, .BIZ, or .SITE. However, these do not hold the same credibility of a brand’s website being housed by a .COM domain.

Using a TLD as Part of Your Brand

You may want to become creative and try to find a brand name where you can use an existing TLD as part of the word. A good example here is Sta.sh — DeviantArt’s personalized publishing platform for all members to upload and “stash” all of their images, writings, animations, and other creative works in progress (WIPs).

Additionally, the .LY TLD has become increasingly popular as a means of creating a unique brand, based on a single word simply by adding “ly” to the end of it. Websites like Bit.ly, List.ly, Embed.ly, and Profit.ly have all created their own memorable brand names from doing nothing more than tacking on the .LY TLD after a single word relevant to their business.

It’s true that Google has confirmed that using a TLD as part of a keyword is completely ignored when it comes to ranking for search terms. However, this strategy has become very popular due to the inherent value of having a memorable domain with the appearance of removing the TLD altogether. Persona.ly, Visual.ly, Prodi.gy, Freebitco.in, and Sta.sh are just a few examples of popular websites that have successfully employed the strategy.

Migrating from .COM to .IO

In some cases, businesses have even dropped or more forwarded their .COM domains for a new, shorter or more relevant domain utilizing a different TLD. For instance, tour-eiffel.com now forwards to a more geographically relevant, keyword friendly domain that no longer requires a hyphen, Toureiffel.paris.

Additionally, an existing brand or domain name can sometimes be shortened with a newer TLD, and many companies have caught on and taken advantage of this as well. For example, the public school Lionsgate Academy was able to completely remove .org from their domain by moving lionsgateacademy.org to lionsgate.academy. Speaking of shortening a domain name, it has always been popular for companies with longer business names to take advantage of a shorter domain by using an acronym, like NHM.org (The Natural History Museum).

Unfortunately, there are very few, if any, 3 to 4 character .com domains available anymore – making it nearly impossible to utilize an acronym for a .com domain. The good news is that the massive increase in TLDs available in recent years has allowed businesses to find new ways to take advantage of shorter, more memorable domains that leverage brand awareness. Take for example, the Oregon-based veterinarian company, Animal Health Associates. They were able to move their website from the long-winded animalhealthassociates.org to the much more memorable aha.vet domain.

Reasons to Use .IO Domain Names

People have been registering .COM domains for more than a quarter-century. About half of the registered domains are .COMs, meaning there’s a good chance you can’t get a concise domain for your startup. Or, you might have to pay a high price to secure ownership from an earlier registrant. Although .IO has been around for years as well, popularity has only surged recently.

Great Price for .IO Domains with FastComet

Let’s kick it off with some great news: FastComet will offer .IO with a discount until May 21, 2021. The prices drop from $54.95 to $42.98. Isn’t that neat?

Keep in mind that even Google Domains offer .IO for $60/year.

So, why wait — snatch your .IO domain right away!

Greater Availability of .IO Domains

About half of all email use is on mobile devices. When someone is typing your email address for the first time on their phone, every character counts. An .IO domain often allows startups to get shorter, simpler domains and email addresses, lessening the chance of someone creating a typo. [email protected] is a lot easier to get right than [email protected]!

.IO Domain Names Have an Ease of Use

Just as a .IO domain signifies a branding play, it also cements a startup among a community of other tech founders. It means that you are proud to be part of the tech startup world. Many founders opt for a .IO simply for this reason. When companies search for their domain name and their .COM or first choice isn’t available, and they are switching to .IO for this reason: .IO FOMO!

.IO Domain Names Have a Community

The easier it is for web visitors to type your URL into a browser or email address, the more memorable and unique it becomes.

It’s tough enough to turn a profit nowadays, especially if you are a vendor in the financial services arena, but if we can keep our costs low and brand awareness high, we’ve certainly got a head start. The fintech industry is cool, and it’s no longer good enough just to have a great product. Your image, brand, and external communications must be gorgeous too.

Entrepreneurs whose companies have other TLD websites still register .IO domains to use as “hacks” or creative ways to shorten their URLs. During the 2016 presidential campaign, candidate Marco Rubio used rub.io for this purpose. Lots of creative marketers have created URLs from words ending in .IO. (Looking for inspiration? Here’s a complete list of .IO words sure to excite any Scrabble player!)

Creativity is Unleashed with a .IO Domain Name

Several ccTLDs (country code top-level domains or domains originally designated by geography) are treated as territory-specific by Google and other search engines, hampering SEO efforts. However, Google treats .IO as a gTLD (generic top-level domain), meaning .IO websites get the same treatment as other widely used global domains with the benefit of a more creative extension.

The bottom line, a strong .IO is a great bet for your tech startup. Don’t wait to register yours: thousands of founders secure .IO domain names every day, meaning your perfect domain could be gone tomorrow.

Wide Search Engine Recognition with Your .IO Domain Name

Several ccTLDs (country code top-level domains or domains originally designated by geography) are treated as territory-specific by Google and other search engines, hampering SEO efforts. 

Google treats .IO as a gTLD, and thus despite it actually being a ccTLD, you won’t be victim to geo-targeting. Unlike other ccTLDs, Google acknowledges that .IO is used by a much broader audience than just those in the British Indian Ocean Territory, and that’s why they treat it as a generic domain.

The bottom line, a strong .IO is a great bet for your tech startup. Don’t wait to register yours: thousands of founders secure .IO domain names every day, meaning your perfect domain could be gone tomorrow.

Conclusion

One of the best (and free) Modern Tetris games can be played on the Tetr.io website. Coincidently, just like getting the needed Tetris piece at the right moment, picking .IO for your domain name TLD may be the piece you needed to achieve success. We believe that this post gave you enough information to make the right decision. Feel free to order your .IO domain name right now.

Also, share your thoughts about the .IO TLD in the comment section. We would love to hear some opinions. After all, we are here to help you with your projects in every way possible.

What does the .IO stand for?

Why Tech Enthusiasts Love to Use .IO Domains