IE Domain Registry Annual Report 2019

Business and Market Review IE Domain Registry  Annual Report & Review  2019 34 Expansion of the .ie namespace In 2019, the database consisted of 280,958 domains, an increase of 7% on 2018. This increase reflects continued efforts to make .ie domains more accessible and relevant to the changing needs of twenty-first-century Ireland. The full-year 2019 review shows evidence of a sustained “post- liberalisation cooldown”. In March 2018, a rule change made it easier and faster to register a .ie domain by removing the need for applicants to prove their claim to a particular .ie domain name. This change led to a surge in new .ie registrations from applicants with a proven connection to Ireland, upwardly skewing some of our benchmark statistics. That surge has since cooled off, however the overall trend in registrations remains an entirely positive one. In 2017, before liberalisation was implemented, new .ie registrations totalled 39,523; in 2019, post liberalisation, that figure was 50,167, a 27% increase. Individuals, businesses (start-ups in particular) and other local bodies and associations are finding it easier and faster to secure and develop an authentically Irish internet presence. .ie v .com Over the last decade, .ie gained 10 percentage points in market share of Ireland’s hosted domains from .com. In 2010, .com comprised 43% of all Irish hosted domains, versus 40% for .ie. In 2019, .ie comprised 50% of hosted domains, whereas .com’s share shrank to 33% (Chart 2). As Ireland becomes more globalised and the internet connects us to more international businesses and institutions, the need to identify as familiar, local, and Irish through the trusted .ie brand has resonated with communities and businesses. Because every applicant is validated, a .ie domain is the best way for Irish businesses to demonstrate their trustworthiness to customers. Clearly, .ie remains the domain-of-choice for Irish business owners. Chart 2: Top 5 – market share of Ireland’s hosted domains (by top level domain) Top 5 – market share of Ireland’s hosted domains (by top level domain) .com 33% 2019 .uk 8% .net 3% .eu 2% .com 43% 2010 .uk 4% .net 5% .eu 3% Source: www.hosterstats.com .ie 40% .ie 50% .ie up 10 points