Why should you register a .app domain?
Thinking of registering a .app domain but aren’t sure if the new extension is the right fit for you and your business?
To help you decide, we’ll take a look at some of the reasons why you might want to use a .app domain name.
But first, let’s cover a bit of background information about .app domains.
A brief history of the .app domain extension
The origins of the .app domain extension date back to 2012, when ICANN, the body in charge of the internet’s Domain Name System, announced its new generic top level domain (gTLD) programme.
What is a gTLD? Well, you’ll already be familiar with a number of gTLDs even if you aren’t aware of it. Examples of gTLDs include .com, .net and .org.
Under the new gTLD programme, hundreds more extensions are being made available for registration. Some of these, such as .London and .blog, have been around for a little while now. Others are yet to be released.
The .app gTLD release date was May 1st as part of Google’s Early Access Programme, and May 8th for the general public.
At this point, you’re probably asking “what has Google got to do with the .app domain?”.
Well, as part of the new gTLD programme, ICANN allowed interested parties to apply to run a new extension. If there were multiple applications for an extension, then an auction was held. Google won that auction for the .app domain.
That means it controls the overall release of the domain, including when it became available to buy .app domain names through companies like GoDaddy.
Finally in this section, it’s important to remember that .app is a secure namespace. What that means in practice is that you’ll need an SSL certificate configured for your .app domain, or it won’t load in most browsers. You can learn more about SSL certificates in this guide.
Currently, GoDaddy is offering a free standard SSL certificate for all .app domain names registered with us.
So now you know the background of the .app extension, here are the main reasons why it makes sense to register a .app domain for your business.
And when you’re ready to find your perfect .app domain, just use this search box to look for it.