What Does .io Mean and When Should You Use the .io Domain Extension?

What does .io mean?

.io is a top-level country-code domain (ccTLD) to refer to the Chagos Archipelago, assigned to British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). It has since become an all-encompassing domain and is widely used in the tech industry because IO, or I/O, refers to input/output in computer science.

Each is used for a specific reason. For instance, .com is appropriate for websites that are commercial in nature, as well .io is popular with tech companies.

This article will focus on specifically the .io domain extension beginning with its definition and brief background to its purpose. We will also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using the .io domain name to help you determine whether to make use of it for your site.

It is believed that the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is an organization that manages the Domain Name System (DNS) root zone, transferred this .io TLD to the Internet Computer Bureau (ICB). Then, Levis Strauss registered the domain name levi.io for reasons other than geographic identity.

Today .io is run through Afilias, an American registry, which also manages .mobi and .info domains.

When Should You Use the .io Domain Extension?

In comparison to other well-known high-level domains fewer sites are using .io, but this extension of the domain is becoming well-liked by tech sites with high traffic.

Here are some of the most well-known .io websites:

• Opensea.io – the largest non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace.
• Etherscan.io – this website allows searching Ethereum cryptocurrency transactions.
• Greenhouse.io– an applicant tracking system as well as recruiting software.

While .io is popular in the world of technology the extension is accessible to any company. The majority of web users see this domain more as an overall domain rather than a country-specific.

This is why Google recognizes .io as one of the generic country-code TLDs – ccTLDs recognized as generic top-level domains.

Be aware of the fact that .io is different from the .ly TLD, which is administered as the top-level country-code domain for Libya however, many companies from outside Libya like Bit.ly and Ow.ly use this extension.

So that using .io is one of the domain hacks that allow multinational companies to have iconic brands. They don’t have to be located in BIOT to be able to register .io domains or be concerned about ranking in search results since it’s not country-specific.

For instance, Marco Rubio successfully employed rub.io for his US presidential campaign. Bricklink is an online platform to sell and purchase LEGO components and utilizes stud.io to redirect it to its studio software.

In the meantime, Italian and Esperanto speakers utilize .io to make an accessible and geographically relevant domain. Io in Italian refers to “I” and acts as a suffix to end the official names of land and nations.

For example, esperant.io redirects to Libera Folio’s site which is a bulletin online that’s written in Esperanto.

What Does .io Mean for Startups?

Tech and SaaS companies use .io domain names due to their use of the terminology of input/output, giving one word that is relevant to their target audience and the startup community. Additionally, .com may not be available for second-level domains, this makes .io a perfect domain name alternative.

What Does .io Mean for Tech Companies?

Similar to tech startups other companies within the tech scene also use .io to associate their input/output references. This includes open-source groups and the financial services sector, like cryptocurrency firms.

Many video gaming applications utilize .io as a suitable domain because the term Io in the gaming industry is used to describe games played on the web that have multiplayer elements and minimal graphics.

Pros and Cons of .io Domain:

After you have a grasp of the fundamentals that is the .io domain, we’ll look at the advantages and drawbacks of this extension for your website’s address.

Pros of .io Domains

Here are some great reasons to are using this domain: .io domain:

• Tech affiliation  The domain .io is recognizable in the tech and startup community. This makes it a great domain in external communication in helping people understand the sector quickly.
• Higher accessibility – compared to other domains like .com or .net, the .io address only accounts for 0.6 percent of all domains around the world. This means that it is more likely to be available. TLD will be more in use in comparison to other domains when you purchase domain names for your current name.
• Large search engine recognition – Google does not link .io to the British Indian Ocean Territory which means it doesn’t specifically concentrate on this geographical region when it displays .io sites in results for searches.
• A memorable name Use .io to shorten your URLs, and create memorable domain names.

Cons of .io Domains

Apart from offering many benefits in addition to a host of benefits, it is also a disadvantage that the .io domain extension has a few drawbacks that include:

• A higher price – The cost of a domain name is based on the extension, its popularity, and availability, in addition, .io costs more in comparison to .online and .com domains. One reason is that it is trendy and popular in the tech industry as well as in startups.
• Lower memorability and trust scores – when compared with popular domains such as .com as well as .org, .io is less reliable and memorable. Its trust score is less than 3.0, and it’s one of the most reminisce domain names, having scores of 28 percent. This is likely due to the fact that .io is relatively new and does not have the same respect and trust as .com.
• A controversial past – there are geopolitical disputes concerning issues surrounding the Chagos Archipelago between the UK, Mauritius, and the US. The dispute could result in the deactivation of the BIOT as well as the IO ISO-3166 code for countries, as well as the .io domain, as do UK companies, which are not able to apply for as well as renewal or renew their .eudomain names after Brexit.

Conclusion:

It is worth noting that the .io domain used to be one of the TLDs with country codes only specifically designed intended for Indian Ocean sites. But, it’s no longer a country-specific domain as Google recognizes it as a generic top-level domain offering a wider audience.

Many see .io as the appropriate domain name extension for their tech-related businesses which refers to the input and output of computing. Others, however, purchase it to create a more innovative and relevant domain using an alternative TLD.

Despite the higher price and lower trust rating and a long background, .io domains have greater reach and have a shorter name. They also help people associate .io sites with technology companies or startups and companies, without even seeing the content. We hope that this post will aid you in making a decision on whether or not to go with this .io domain for your site. Be sure to sign up for the domain while it’s available with an established registrar or hosting service along with a hosting plan.