Why Your Business Needs a .ie Domain

If you’re starting your own business, you’ll most likely need a website at the early stages of your journey. Business owners can be overwhelmed with the domain options available to them – .com, .org etc. – but, if you own a business in Ireland, a .ie domain is the logical choice for many reasons, writes David Curtin of IEDR.

Why Should You Get a .ie Domain?

- A .ie domain name allows you to put your website online or set up a personalised email address.

- .ie is the official Internet address for Ireland and the only domain name that is guaranteed Irish. All .ie websites have proven that they have a connection to Ireland and a valid claim to the domain name.

- Confidence comes through traceability, and a .ie can help to ensure that anybody who interacts with you online will know exactly who they are dealing with.

- .ie domains are consistently ranked in the top five safest domains worldwide by online security experts McAfee

- .ie tells the global community that you are Irish and tells the Irish community that you are local.

.ie is the Right Choice for Irish Businesses

Every .ie domain name is verified to ensure that the people behind it are who they say they are. This means that .ie is one of the safest domains in the world, secure from potential threats such as cybercrime and fraud.

Let Your Customers Find You Online with .ie

Due to the geo-targeting and the prioritisation of local search results, .ie domains automatically receive higher rankings than .com addresses in Irish based search engines like Google.ie. If you are doing business in Ireland, it makes sense to let your customers find you easily and quickly.

Protect Your Brand

Registering a .ie domain can also help to protect your brand. Once you have proven your claim to the domain name and connection with Ireland, your .ie domain name will be registered to you and only you. This is unlike .com where anybody can register any domain and chances are that your name has already been registered. .ie domains are readily available and can only be registered by people with a legitimate claim to the name.

How Do I Register a .ie Domain for my Website or Email Addresses?

Registration is simple and straightforward – just follow the four simple steps at:https://www.iedr.ie/register-a-domain/how-to-register-a-ie-domain/

1. Check if the name you want is available (www.iedr.ie)
2. Choose an Accredited .ie Registrar* (www.iedr.ie/registrars)
3. Complete the Registrar’s application form
4. Send your Registrar any supporting information they need.

Your application will be checked by the IEDR and, once your domain is registered, you can start to build your online presence. Many of our Registrars also provide additional services such as website development and hosting, which will help you get online.

*Accredited Registrars are companies that have displayed consistent expertise in domain registration. They will be able to assist you with your registration queries.

Registering a .ie Domain for Your Business Has Never Been Easier

If you are a business located in Ireland, you simply need to submit your Registered Business Number (RBN) or your VAT number with your application. Alternatively, if you are not yet registered as a business, you can register a personal domain using valid identification such as a driver’s licence or passport and proof of address such as a current utility bill.

Written by: David Curtin, CEO,IEDR– an independent not-for-profit organisation that manages the .ie country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) namespace (i.e. all domain names ending in ‘.ie’) in the public interest of the Irish and global Internet communities.