.biz Domain Meaning: Should You Use a .biz Domain?

The .com extension is the most popular top-level domain. Users have registered over 233 million domain names with the .com extension—potentially including the one you wanted for your website.

If your desired domain isn’t available with a .com TLDit’s worth considering alternativesincluding the .biz domain extension. The .biz TLD is becoming increasingly common and naturally evokes ecommerce business websitesbut there are a few reasons why it might not be your best option.

What is a .biz domain?

A .biz domain is a generic top-level domain (gTLD)—the last part of a URL that helps organize websites— intended for business use. ICANNthe nonprofit that manages domainscreated .biz domains in 2001 to offer businesses an alternative if their preferred .com domain name was unavailable.

Any person or organization can register a site with generic top-level domainslike .net domains.org domains.com domainsand the .biz extension. By contrastdomain extensions like country code TLDs (e.g..jp for Japan) and sponsored TLDs (e.g..edu for educational institutions)restrict usage to specific geographic areas or organizations.

While gTLDs have unrestricted usagea .org domain carries associations with nonprofitstechnical internet services often claim .net domainsand online store owners sometimes veer toward .biz domain alternatives.

Pros and cons of .biz domains

Though ICANN intended .biz domains for online commercial enterprises who may not be able to use other domainsit hasn’t become as trustworthy or recognizable as the immensely popular .com TLD. Here are some pros and cons to keep in mind as you consider a .biz extension:

Pros of a .biz extension

• Availability. Your perfect domain name may not be available with popular TLDs like .com or .net but is likely available with the less popular .biz extension.

• Pricing. The annual pricing for .biz domains is competitive with rates for other TLDsso you shouldn’t see a significant difference between domain registration expenses.

• Logical ties to business. Compared to other extensions like the .info domain or the .xyz domain.biz offers a clear tie to business for potential customers and web visitors encountering your brand for the first time.

• No bias from search engines. Google and other leading search engines rank .biz websites with the same metrics as other gTLDs. They can appear on search results pages alongside many other TLDs.

Cons of a .biz extension

• Lower name recognition. Most people use .com domains daily and are familiar with popular options like .org.netand .edu. The .biz domain may not inspire the same familiarity and trust with users.

• Association with scammers and spam. While .biz was created for legitimate businessesits use by scammers may make users hesitant to trust it. This may even extend to email providers; Microsoftfor instanceassociates .biz sites with spam in its email filtering software. As a business owneryou need to represent your brand in the best possible lightand other TLDs may inspire more trust.

• Less inbound linking. If you’re seeking a new domain name to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs)a .biz TLD may not be the right choice. Other websites may link to .com websites over .biz websites for perceived legitimacyaffecting your inbound linking—a key part of SEO strategy.

• Narrow use cases. Websites worldwide use .com and .net for any websitebut .biz is more tied to business use. If your website isn’t an ecommerce company.biz likely isn’t the perfect choice for you.

When to use a .biz domain

While .biz was designed for businessesmillions of business owners favor the .com extension. Sodoes .biz domain registration ever make sense? In some limited scenariosyes.

Brand protection is the most common use of .biz domains. Many businesses register multiple TLDs—even if they hold a .com with the same name—to avoid losing traffic to copycats and capture mistaken traffic. You may already own a .com and .net domainalong with specific country code TLDs like .ca for Canada if you’re doing business abroad. Alternative gTLDs like .biz and .io can further safeguard your brand.

Outside of brand protection.biz may make sense for availability and budget reasons. Say your ecommerce business’s chosen .com domain name is unavailable. You then have three primary options: try to buy the domain name from its current owner (often at a premium)change your second-level domainor consider an alternative gTLD. As most startups have heavy budget constraints and limited access to capitalthey can’t afford pre-registered premium domains. If you cannot find an acceptable name alternative with a .com TLDyou can turn to more niche options like .biz.info.io.coand .xyz.

To decide between .biz and alternativesput yourself in the shoes of a prospective customer and ask which domain you’d likely click on. Survey your target audience to understand how potential customers might react and research formal surveys and studies to gather quantifiable statistics. For examplea 2022 GrowthBadger survey found that .biz elicited less customer trust than any other tested TLDincluding .co.ioand .us.

Overall.biz may not be the best option for ecommerce. Stillit’s worth considering a .biz domain if you can’t find another extension for your preferred second-level domain or want to strengthen your domain portfolio.

Considerations when using a .biz domain

• Ensure credibility
• Consider public reaction
• Register additional TLDs

If you’ve decided to register a .biz domainthese steps will help your website put its best foot forward:

Ensure credibility

Some people associate .biz with low-quality sitesso it’s essential to establish trust. Obtain a secure SSL certificate to show visitors your site is safeand rework your website design and content to create a better user experience. Use trust badges and indicators like third-party reviewsfree returnsand high-quality copy and imagery to convey legitimacy.

Consider public reaction

Will a .biz domain impact your brand image? It depends on your audience. If you’re trying to reach a less tech-savvy customer base accustomed to .com domainsa .biz domain might be confusing or suspicious. For other audiencesa .biz domain with a playful brand name and design may build brand affinity.

For examplea honey company may use bees.biz to convey its playful brand personalityor an influencer may use me.biz for a tongue-in-cheek personal website. Howevera niche domain name may also limit your potential customer base.

Register additional TLDs

If purchasing a less conventional TLD like .bizconsider registering additional ones like .info.io.coand .xyz. You can redirect them to your .biz siteand if you later decide another TLD conveys more authorityyou can make it your main web address by redirecting your .biz traffic. For exampleyou could redirect example.biz traffic to example.io if .io becomes more popular.