Tag: domain

.IE Domain Profile Report 2022 reveals reputational strength of .ie domains

Launched today, the .IE Domain Profile Report 2022 reveals there were almost 330,000 .ie domain names in the database by the end of last year with 48,168 new .ie domains registered in 2022. Now in its eighth year, the .IE Domain Profile Report is an annual exploration of the .ie database and is published by .IE, the national registry for .ie domain names. The report also outlines key advantages that can be leveraged by Irish enterprise with a .ie domain.

Cyber attacks

.IE  provides an additional layer of security to owners of a .ie domain name, free of charge. This service provides a constant scanning of .ie sites and involves instant notification to an SME’s hosting provider, who can help them take the corrective action once a scam has been detected. The report revealed over 500 cyber-attacks were taken down in 2022. Two in five were phishing scams and one in four were malware attacks.

Despite a significant increase in cyber-attacks, websites featuring a security certificate were down six percentage points resulting in more websites being vulnerable to attack. This level of security is crucial to safeguard customer’s data.

The report indicated that threats to a .ie domain are lower than other top level domain names such as .com. Only individuals and businesses with a provable connection to Ireland can register a .ie domain. Applications from new customers are manually reviewed to ensure that they meet this requirement. This process keeps the .ie domain largely free from scams and other illegal activities. 91% of .ie domain names are registered on the island of Ireland, with the total number of internationally registered .ie domains under 30,000. Top international registrants are from Great Britain (10,983), United States (5,117) and Germany (2,535).

Speaking at the launch of the report David Curtin, Chief Executive of .IE said; “At .IE it is a priority to proactively tackle abuse in the .ie namespace to protect both SMEs and their customers. The findings of our .IE Domain Profile Report highlight some security vulnerabilities of .ie profiles, but also demonstrates where we provide enhanced supports to help Ireland’s digital economy thrive.

Our .IE Tipping Point Report 2022 also revealed that SMEs who invested in their online services since Covid, 30% (1 in 3) were busier than they were before the pandemic and 36% maintained the same level of business. SMEs are facing a new wave of economic challenges post Covid but with over 50% planning a significant digital investment in the next five years, we want to make sure they are investing in that digitalisation smartly and are aware of the necessary security features to implement.”

The trustworthiness of a .ie domain is also internationally recognised by The SpamHaus Project, an international non-profit organisation that tracks spam and related cyber threats. They collate a Badness Index for top level domains in real-time with .ie currently listed with a perfect rating of 0.0% in comparison with .com with a Badness Index of 2.5%.

Regional Growth

  • The report identified the counties experiencing the largest growth in new .ie domain registrations, a positive ‘forward-indicator’ of increased regional economic activity, with Tyrone recording the largest growth for 2022 v 2019 at 73.4%. Tipperary came in second overall, with 26.5% growth
  • Mayo had the largest had the largest growth (+24.1%) for any county in Connaught, followed by Galway at 8.4% adding 2,303 new domains
  • Wexford came out on top in Leinster with an 18.2% increase. Amongst the border counties, Monaghan had the largest percentage growth (+8.4%)

Post Covid Growth

The report also indicates that the Covid surge of digital mobilisation has tapered off, identifying a drop in new .ie registrations year-on-year (-22.6% v 2021). This is much less significant at 4% (2022 v 2019) when compared to more normal pre-pandemic levels and demonstrates that SMEs continue to use websites as a core part of their business with the benefits far outweighing a social media ‘shop front’.

Speaking at the launch, Pat Kane, Founder of Reuzi.ie commented, “When I founded my business in 2018 my objective was to inform and inspire people across Ireland, making sustainability more accessible, affordable, and fun. In the process of selecting a domain name for my website it was crucial that I had access to something that represented my business as truly Irish. I chose a .ie domain name because we are proud of what that means to my customers and community in Ireland and across the rest of the world – that we are an authentic Irish business doing great work.

Along with added security, trust and higher search optimisation, there is also a wider choice of available .ie domain names compared to .com. One of the longest .ie websites is 46 characters long at residentialroofingandlandscapingspecialistcork.ie with one of the shortest just one character at w.ie.

The .IE Domain Profile Report can be viewed here.

Registering a Domain Name for Your Company: 7 Tech Tips to Make Your Life Easier

Having a strong online presence for your business is essential in today’s digital world. But before you can even start building a website, you need to register a domain name. This process can be daunting and complicated if you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s why we’ve put together this guide with 7 tech tips to make the whole process of registering a domain name easier and less stressful! We’ll cover how to pick the right domain name, how to find out if it’s available, and how to purchase it so that your business has an official web address. By following these steps, you’ll be able to get your site up and running in no time! So let’s get started!

Pick the Right Domain Name

When it comes to picking the right domain name for your business, there are several important factors to consider. First, you want the name to be memorable and easy to type. It should also reflect what your business does or stands for concisely and clearly. Additionally, it should make sense when written out as a URL, so try to avoid using numbers or hyphens.

Depending on the nature of your business, you may want a domain name that includes a keyword related to the services or products you offer. This can help with search engine optimization and make it easier for people to find your site when searching online. For instance, if you own a catering company, some great domain name options may be “cateringbyjane.com” or “janespartytreats.com”. Not only do these names reflect what your business does, but they give potential customers an idea of the type of services and products you provide.

Check to See If the Domain Name is Available

Once you’ve identified the perfect domain name for your business, the domain name must be available, you can do this by checking with a domain registrar or using an online tool. Many hosting providers offer reservation and registration of domain names as part of their services, so it may be worth exploring those options as well. Once you’ve narrowed down some options, research any potential trademarks and make sure they don’t conflict with your desired domain name.

Finally, don’t forget to check if the different variations of the .com address are available – .net, .org, etc., as well as any relevant country-specific domains (such as .uk for the United Kingdom). When it comes down to making a decision on which one is best for your business, consider going through a few rounds of brainstorming and feedback from colleagues and customers to ensure that you’re making the right decision for your business.

Purchase Your Domain Name

After you have found a perfect domain name available, it’s time to purchase it. You can do this by using a domain registrar or hosting provider. This can range from $7 – $20 per year depending on the service you choose. When selecting a provider, consider researching their customer support capabilities and whether they offer other services such as web hosting and email setup.

Before you make your purchase, also be sure to check what type of renewal fees are associated with the domain name. Some providers may have introductory rates that increase after the initial term expires, so double-check all of the details before proceeding with your purchase! Once everything is finalized, take a few moments to review your order details and contact information to ensure accuracy.

Set Up Your DNS

The next step is to set up the Domain Name System (DNS). The DNS is a system that maps domain names to IP addresses. This means when someone types in your website address, their browser will use the DNS to locate and connect to the right server where your website is hosted.

If you are using a hosting provider, they should provide instructions on how to set up your domain’s DNS settings and point them to your website. If you’re setting up everything yourself, there are plenty of tutorials online that can walk you through the process step-by-step. It may take a few hours before these changes take effect so be patient. Once your DNS is configured, you’ll be able to access your website using the domain name you’ve registered.

Secure Your Domain Name

While registering a domain name is an important first step, it’s also important to keep your domain secure. This means regularly updating your contact information and renewing your domain on time. You should also consider setting up two-factor authentication (2FA) for additional security. With 2FA, you’ll need to enter a verification code every time you log into the website.

Finally, make sure that no one else can access or make changes to your domain without your permission. If you don’t want someone to be able to transfer or change ownership of the domain without consent, you may want to add protection with a registrar lock or another form of protection. This will help ensure that all of the hard work you put into choosing a great domain name doesn’t go to waste.

Make Sure Your Domain Name is Accessible

Even though you’ve now secured your domain name and have it pointing to your website, the last step is making sure that everyone can access it. There are a few things you should check before declaring success.

First, make sure that your domain works in all major browsers such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. Also, check if there are any typos or other mistakes that could prevent people from finding your website. Finally, test out the site speed by using tools like Pingdom or Google PageSpeed Insights to determine if any performance issues need to be addressed. If everything looks good, you’re all set!

Even though registering your domain name is a simple process, it does require some research and planning to make sure that you’re making the right decision for your business. By following the steps outlined above, you can successfully register and use your domain name for your business website or other online presence. With the right combination of research, planning, and security measures, you can ensure your domain name will be an important part of your online success.