.IE Domain Profile Report 2022

Foreword The .IE Domain Profile Report is a comprehensive exploration of the .ie database. In this edition, we assess the full year of 2022. We analyse the number of .ie domains registered, the counties and countries where they were registered and take a look at the broader .ie ecosystem. In 2022 there was a sizeable drop in new .ie registrations year-on-year (-22.6% v 2021). However, when compared to more normal pre-pandemic levels the drop is much less significant at 4% (2022 v 2019). The mass digital mobilisation of 2020 and 2021 has tapered off. After a growth surge in 2018, due to the removal of the claim to the name requirement, a cooling off period followed and registrations remained steady. Since the record-breaking highs in .ie registrations through Covid, a similar cooling off is now evident. Coupled with this, the rate of domain renewals has dropped resulting in overall flat growth for 2022. The main reasons for not renewing domains relate to a business idea not materialising or that the domain is no longer required due to it being used for a single event or company closure. While the .ie database remains flat year- on-year, the overall trend is positive. Since the end of 2019, before the onset of the pandemic and a peak in new registrations, the database has grown by 17%. Post Covid, however, new challenges emerge. The economic backdrop of inflation, increased energy costs and interest rate increases have had a significant impact. PwC predicts that business failure rates will rise in 2023. The Central Statistics Office reports that at November 2022, retail sales were 4.2% lower than in 2021. At the same time, Ireland’s Gross National Income growth was 15.4% in 2021 but will drop to single digit increases for 2022 / 2023. Uncertain times are ahead. Encouragingly, the Government’s White Paper on Enterprise 2022 – 2030 has a stated ambition to incentivise accelerated adoption of digital across enterprise through capital grants, training and consultancy supports. We welcome digital supports for SMEs so they can remain agile and use digital technology to survive and thrive. In these challenging times SMEs must be commended on their continued resilience. The pandemic forced many SMEs to rethink the way they do business. Digital change is constant, so the need for investment is greater now than ever before. Consumer expectations also change as technology evolves - they are driven by convenience and ease of use. There are clear benefits to digital investment. Online tools can boost efficiency and productivity. Our .IE Tipping Point Report 2022 revealed that of the SMEs that invested in their online services since Covid, 1 in 3 were busier than before the pandemic and 36% maintained the same level of business. 54% of SMEs are planning a significant digital investment in the next 5 years, with most focusing on launching a new website or improving their existing one. The report also highlighted generational differences among consumers, with digital-first shopping particularly apparent with younger shoppers. Businesses need to factor in the preferences of digital natives so they don’t miss out on crucial sales, especially as this cohort get older. The reputational strength of the .ie domain continues. It accounts for 53.6% of all top-level domains hosted in Ireland, ahead of .com by more than 23 percentage points. Cybersecurity is a key focus for us. With the ever-increasing level of cyber attacks there’s a need for vigilance by consumers and employees. Awareness programmes from the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau, the banks and An Post are to be welcomed. Through our policies and protocols, we proactively tackle technical abuse in the .ie namespace and are dedicated to fighting malware and phishing. Together with our partners, we are enabling a better Ireland online through our technical and policy-based guardianship of the national critical infrastructure. David Curtin Chief Executive, .IE Contents Foreword Cybersecurity 1 – a key focus for the .ie namespace Analysis of .ie domain 3 database and growth Analysis of .ie domains 4 by geography Analysis of .ie domains 5 by county Analysis of .ie domain 6 ecosystem About .IE 8