Why choosing a .ie domain is essential for Irish businesses

What comes to mind when you first think of Ireland?  

For me it’s got to be a pint of Guinness and the thriving pub scene. For others it might be a shamrock or the stunning stretches of coastline. And with the Six Nations coming up, I bet rugby is on a lot of people’s minds at the moment. 

Speaking of rugby, the one and only Rob Kearney has been on the radio talking about some research we recently conducted into the fans that attend matches. It turns out that 54% of them use a .ie domain when looking into which activities there are near the venue. 

In fact, to back this up, the Consumer Trust 2023 report confirms that 91% of Irish consumers associate .ie websites with Irish businesses. 

What is a .ie domain? 

Put simply, .ie is the official Internet country code (also known as domain extension) for Ireland. It’s Ireland’s own space in the online arena – an area of the Internet exclusively for those with an Irish connection. 

Be TRUSTED with .ie 

For most domain extensions, absolutely anyone can register them – regardless of whether they’re actually connected to that country at all. This means that consumers viewing the website can never be entirely certain exactly who they’ll be dealing with. 

That’s not the case for .ie domains though – in order to get one you have to demonstrate that you are an Irish organisation, a resident in Ireland, or that you have a tangible association with Ireland. This all gets checked by the Irish Registry before any website can go live at the address.  

That’s what makes .ie domains so powerful – any potential customer viewing one online can immediately have confidence that the business is local to Ireland and is a legitimate organisation. It’s a great way of instantly establishing a bond with consumers and kickstarting your professional relationship with them. 

Be FOUND with .ie 

If you’re looking for a specific product or service, how do you do it? If you’re like me, you’ll go straight to Google! Chances are that those you’re trying to attract will be as well.  

The good news is that Google prioritises local websites in its search results. If someone in Ireland is performing a specific search, then you’re more likely to appear higher up the results if you have a .ie domain. And as I mentioned earlier, the majority of shoppers in Ireland already associate .ie with Irish businesses, so they’ll be more likely to click on those search results in preference to others such as .com. 

Be SAFE with .ie 

Thanks to the various checks that are done before a .ie domain is registered, the chances of one being used for fraudulent purposes are incredibly low. You would be hard pressed to find any phishing website that uses a .ie domain, for example. This extra layer of security helps to cement trust and highlights the value of doing business in Ireland. 

Be YOU with .ie 

It’s clear that .ie is the domain of choice for both businesses and consumers in Ireland, especially those rugby supporters that Rob Kearney mentioned. The Domain Profile Report shows that, at the end of 2024, there were over 326,000 of them registered – a 16% increase on 2019. 

Compare that to the crowded collection of .com domains, which currently total over 350 million! You would struggle to stand out from the crowd when you’re dealing with such numbers. 

As there are fewer .ie domains, you’re much more likely to get the exact name you’re after – one that truly defines who you are and strengthens your brand. After all, a domain name is your online identity, so it’s important to get it right. 

With a .ie domain you’ll be able to clearly define your brand and send a strong message that you’re connected to Ireland and you’re open for business.  

Advantages of a .ie domain 

So, let’s summarise. If you’re operating in Ireland then you’ll want a .ie domain for the following reasons: 

1. Demonstrate to customers that you have a connection to Ireland 
2. Attract more business from local Google searches 
3. Reduce the risk of cybercrime 
4. Protect your brand identity

Let’s wrap up by thinking back to that initial question I asked. What comes to mind when you first think of Ireland? It’s definitely not the Guinness anymore for me! 

Register your .ie domain today