2025 Domain Name Trends
- by Ilona K.
As we kickstart 2025, the domain industry is experiencing transformations influenced by technological advancements and evolving user behaviors. Discover the latest domain name trends shaping the landscape for online businesses in 2025 with it.com Domains.
In 2024, we’ve witnessed a surge in .ai domain zone registrations, fast growth of the new top-level domains (nTLDs) and it-related keywords dominating the domain name searches (an especially exciting trend for us at it.com Domains). While some businesses rush to upgrade their domain names to premium ones while there is still an opportunity, others seek for more affordable solutions in the nTLDs and country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs).
Whether you already have an established domain name and looking to expand your online presence, or just taking the first steps with your business, or seeing the domain names as an investment asset, here are 8 domain name trends to capitalize on in 2025.
- Diversification beyond traditional TLDs
The dominance of traditional top-level domains (TLDs) like .com is diminishing. As of August 2024, 44.4% of global websites still used a .com top-level domain, but the total number of domains in the .com zone have steadily declined since late 2023 with a -2.3% drop recorded in July 2024. Businesses are increasingly adopting new generic TLDs (nTLDs) such as .club, .tech, .shop, and .online to create distinctive and industry-relevant web addresses.
As of the third quarter of 2024, ngTLD registrations reached 35.4 million, marking a 17.4% year-over-year increase. This growth indicates a shift towards niche domain extensions, allowing companies to align their online identities more closely with their brand and sector.
- Localized branding with domain names
Country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) like .us, .de. and .cn are gaining traction among businesses aiming to strengthen their local presence and build trust with relevant audiences. By the end of Q3 2024, ccTLD registrations totaled 140.1 million, reflecting a 1.4% year-over-year growth. This steady increase underscores the value businesses place on localizing their digital presence to cater to specific geographies.
Some new geographic TLDs – notably, .asia, .tokyo, .africa and .nyc – are giving businesses even more flexibility to enhance local SEO and connect with customers in target areas.
- Country zones turning generic
On the other hand, several countries continue to capitalize on their unique ccTLDs to generate significant revenue. However, it happens not because more businesses aimed to reach the customers in those geographies – but due to the fact their domain extensions represent meaningful words on their own.
The surge in the registrations in .ai zone, belonging to Anguilla, boosted the country’s revenues in 2024 and continued to contribute as 4/10 top domain sales in January 2025 to date were in the .ai zone, favored by AI startups worldwide. It comes at no surprise that searches for ‘ai domain’ were trending on Google throughout 2024 and continue into 2025.
Tuvalu benefits from the .tv domain, popular among content streaming platforms. Similarly, Montenegro profits from the .me domain, widely used for personal branding, while Andorra has opened its .ad extension to registration worldwide. We expect this trend to continue, even despite some anecdotal concerns over the ownership of zones like .io (belonging to British Indian Ocean Territory).
- Integration of AI in domain selection
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing domain name generation by analyzing business attributes and market trends. AI-driven tools are becoming indispensable for businesses to find relevant and available domain names, aligned with brand identity and market positioning.
However, the impact of AI on domain selection extends beyond finding a relevant domain and into evaluating a potential domain name and ensuring its security.
- Creative domain hacks
To stand out in a crowded market, businesses are employing domain hacks—creative combinations of domain names and extensions to form memorable web addresses (e.g., drink.it.com). Additionally, personalized domains that include individual or business names are on the rise, aiding in personal branding and recognition.
The trend towards shorter, brandable domain names, aided by sensational spelling, or the deliberate spelling of a word in a non-standard way for special effect, is also becoming more common.
Interestingly, this goes in line with the trend of picking simple and intuitive domain names that are easy to pronounce. Those are closely aligned with voice search patterns – when a user searches for a domain or business using voice commands, they typically opt in for natural speech and conversational phrases. Brand names that have a complicated or potentially
The adoption of domain hacks, sensational spelling and optimisation for voice search as ways to capture a short and memorable domain name will be on the rise, as the popular zones get more saturated. Subdomains, or third-level domains, such as .it.com, offer a wide range of opportunities for experimenting with creative domain hacks.
- SEO-optimized domain names
Selecting domain names with relevant keywords remains a crucial strategy for enhancing search engine visibility. An SEO-friendly domain can improve rankings and attract more organic traffic, making it a vital consideration in domain selection.
Businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of incorporating strategic keywords into their domain names to boost online discoverability, as the use of keyword-rich domains continues to be a significant factor in search engine optimization strategies. Companies like SEDO and Afternic regularly post reports covering keyword trends in domain names, which can be used as guidance when selecting a domain for your business.
- Security enhancements with protocols like DNSSEC
With increasing cyber threats, security protocols such as DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) are becoming standard. These measures protect against attacks like spoofing and cache poisoning, ensuring the authenticity and integrity of domain name systems.
The adoption of DNSSEC has been steadily increasing, reflecting a growing emphasis on domain security as an essential safeguard for user trust. Hence, domain name buyers will increasingly scrutinize registrars on practices in place to protect their online assets.
- Domain registration: no slowing down
The domain industry has witnessed significant financial growth, with major players reporting increased revenues. For example, VeriSign, which manages the .com and .net domain registries, reported a 3.8% rise in third-quarter revenue for 2024, reaching $390.6 million. Similarly, GoDaddy raised its revenue forecast for fiscal 2024, citing robust demand for its services as more businesses establish their digital footprints
This growth is attributed to the rising demand for domain name registrations. Staying informed about trends in this growing market is essential for businesses and individuals aiming to establish a robust and relevant online presence in 2025 and beyond. Adapting to the evolving domain landscape by embracing new technologies, prioritizing security, and aligning with consumer preferences will be key to maintaining a competitive edge.
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