Fresh out of a coffee date with Lauren, an old friend and popular local chef who had just opened her first restaurant, Elise walked home totally inspired and empowered.
Elise and Lauren had met in culinary school, but pursued totally different paths. Elise’s dream now? Launch a food blog, digging into the best local eats. But every time she started to go down that path, something derailed her — the thought of creating a website. Food was her passion. Tech was not.
That night, though, Elise was ready. The minute she got home she flipped open her laptop, went to WordPress.com to choose a domain name, and…
Ugh.
EliseEats.com was taken — so was “.co” and “.net.”
But, quickly, frustration turned to excitement — EliseEats.food and EliseEats.nyc were both affordable and available. She grabbed both — act now and decide later, she thought. And, with that, she was ready to accelerate her path to epicurean blogging success.
Welcome to Next-Generation Domain Names
Gone are the days of .com-or-bust. What was once seven top-level-domains (TLDs) — “.com,” “.co,” and “.net,” among others — now includes more descriptive domain names that speak to industries, niches, and brands. From “.blog” to “.shop,” “.work” to “.pizza,” and hundreds more, bloggers and brands can show off their creativity and individuality — even in their domain name.
How do domain extensions elevate a blogger or brand?
The timing for these next-generation domains couldn’t be better. Today, brands aren’t just brands — they’re experiences. More than two-thirds of companies say they compete primarily on experience, which includes everything from the user-friendliness of their site to the speed of their services to the responsiveness of customer support.
Something as simple as a clever domain name can feed into the customer — or, in the case of a blog, the reader or fan — experience. Chosen right, your domain name extension could give critical insight into the brand experience you deliver. For example:
A foodie like Elise might differentiate her site by using a domain name extension that drills down on her unique value proposition.
- She’ll share her stories, insights, and tasty tidbits on EliseEats.blog
- She’ll give you the inside scoop on everything on EliseEats.reviews
- She’s only dining at the finest restaurants because she’s EliseEats.VIP
- She’s eating her way through her home city — Miami — on EliseEats.miami
- She eats what SHE makes on EliseEats.recipes
- She doesn’t just eat it, she snaps and posts mouth-watering pics on EliseEats.photos
Choosing an extension that’s right for your blog
That’s just Elise, though. Depending on your blog or brand, opt for a domain name extension that immediately signals who or what you are. For example, the domain name “ABC” could be anything. But add a targeted extension and visitors immediately have a sense for your content. Think about it — what could these blogs possibly cover but exactly what the domain name indicates?
- ABC.pizza
- ABC.plumbing
- ABC.boutique
- ABC.cafe
- ABC.rentals
Bloggers can also use these extensions to promote different corners of their business — “.coach,” “.guide,” or “.shopping” could leverage your brand equity and pivot it to a new venture. People love your “.blog” — now introduce them to “.coach,” where they can work with you one-on-one, or “.shopping” where they can click through your affiliate links to shop your latest look.
Granted, some people worry about using these creative extensions. Since they aren’t as common as “.com” or, even, “.net,” “.co,” and “.org,” there’s a fear readers or customers won’t find you as easily. But consider this: nearly 70 percent of all website traffic comes from search.
Beyond that, a good chunk will likely come from other sources: people linking to your site from social media, links from other bloggers, RSS feeds, pay-per-click ads, email blasts, and more. So, while your blog at TarasTasty.Tips will be just as easily found and engaged with as TarasTastyTips.com, a creative extension will add additional brand value.
Plenty of brands and blogs are already jumping on the creative extension bandwagon. Check out how these companies are using targeted domain name extensions.
Branding in action
Rogue.Yoga
This company loved their creative domain name extension so much that it’s become the actual name of the business — it’s not “Rogue Yoga,” it’s “Rogue.Yoga.” This is an example of truly integrated branding — the company has built awareness around both its name and its URL.
What’s more, seeing the “.yoga” in the domain extension immediately signals to site visitors and prospects that the destination includes information relevant to yoga enthusiasts. If your blog is focused on helping readers, friends, and fans get in touch with their inner yogi, this could be the domain name extension for you.
OwnersConnection.Horse
The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association’s Owners Concierge promotes resources for industry insiders — the “.horse” lets visitors know the focus of the site immediately. And as the domain name promises, here you’ll find horse-related content — specifically, updates on tracks and track resources.
Also available: “.dog” and “.farm,” among other animal-friendly domain name extensions.
LittleBytes.Dental
Little Bytes Pediatric Dentistry uses the creative domain extension “.dental.” On the site,, patients’ parents can book visits or browse the educational resources surrounding kids’ oral health. Also available: “.dentist” and “.doctor,” among others.
JMB.PHOTO
Joao Miguel Barrios uses a .photo extension to brand himself and his work, utilizing his blog as a platform for his photography, CV, and more. Also available: “.camera” .”gallery,” and “.photography,” among others for creative professionals.
Troy.Democrat
The Troy Democrats have opted into using a creative domain extension, but this works for more than just political parties! Extensions like “.republican” and “.democrat” allow political bloggers to showcase their party affiliation with pride, while helping would-be viewers identify their ideology before even hitting the homepage.
While JohnSmith.com may not draw much interest for an unknown political commentator, JohnSmith.Republican might well give additional appeal to help attract new readers and future supporters.
Getting started with blog domain names
These are just some of the examples of creative domain name extensions in action. The next step? Choose yours.
Find and register a domain with WordPress.com, or check out our complete list of TLDs to get your creative gears turning. Start with a Personal or plugin-enabled plan and, not only do you get a custom domain, you’ll get access to a host of features and tools that enable you to quickly and easily build a dynamic site that speaks to your unique brand.
You might also like: Creative Website Domain Names for Artists and Performers
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