Do TLDs even matter? I'm working on building a professional blog, and although a .dev TLD seems appropriate, using a cheaper one like .co or .be, or even .io seems functionally identical and a lot less costly. Paying hundreds or thousands for .dev seems like paying for pure vanity.
Is it going to help people reach your site? I kinda doubt it. Will Google use it to index your site differently? Maybe, but I dunno. I hope not, but it would kind of make sense.
gTLDs have very different rules under ICANN from ccTLDs. For the most part, ccTLDs, the ones governed by countries are very subject to those own countries laws/jurisdictions as ICANN has let countries be relatively sovereign in their domain name usage. This is a part of why it is even possible for there to be colonialist/imperialist baggage in domain names, because ICANN won't interfere in "local" politics, it "simply" allows ccTLD registrars to act as they see fit. Once "hip" ccTLDs have had domains seized in regime changes, for example.
Meanwhile, as mentioned elsewhere in these threads, ICANN has a much more hands on regulatory approach to non-country-code gTLDs. They have formal escrow requirements and complicated seizure/forfeiture rules intended to protect domain registrants. These are not entirely immune to political battles, but are generally more "internationally protected".
Anyway, the point is awareness. Use a ccTLD if it makes you happy, just be aware that there is a different risk footprint than a gTLD.
Unless it's a "premium domain" which has a separate pricing structure, independent of the release phase, and renewal fees that stay higher forever.
Hence, right now kjaegrlkjnfvaf.dev is "$11,500 + $12/year" [0] while hn.dev is "$11,500 + $720/year" [1]
So alex.dev and aj.dev will cost $720/year forever, tim.dev, james.dev and emma.dev are $360/year, tony.dev and grace.dev are $180/year, olivia.dev and harry.dev are $98/year, yusef.dev, oscar.dev and sanjay.dev are $12/year.
Maybe not "prohibitive" but a big premium for the Alexes among us!
Thank you for explaining this; I don't see these high yearly priced domains adequately disclosed anywhere. Google's marketing is all about how the "premium" is a one time fee for early registration, do they explain the higher yearly fee names anywhere?
TLDs matter, in that you want .com if you can get it.
Otherwise, personally I would use something more well known, but most of the differences are vanity, unless you're using a country specific TLD such as .co.uk or .us
I believe the price of a .dev eventually will go to $12/year. The hundreds/thousands price applies to people who want to pay more upfront to get the first shot at a "popular" domain name.
Yeah, because we're currently in the early access program, which is a Dutch auction. Once the auction ends on the 28th, domains will be available starting from the base registration price.
Is it going to help people reach your site? I kinda doubt it. Will Google use it to index your site differently? Maybe, but I dunno. I hope not, but it would kind of make sense.