Irish Websites Are On The Rise – Here’s Why

Staying on top of trends is important for businesses – small and large. It helps you stay ahead of the game, as well as remain relevant and in touch with customer needs.

But with trade events and networking soirees limited, we’ve all been looking to the online world for inspiration.

One of the growth trends we’ve seen over the past few years and months, is a surge in online presence with domain registrations on the rise. In fact, today, well over half (53 per cent) of Irish consumers want high-street shops to offer an online equivalent.

In these current times, it’s no big surprise that companies are investing in their online real estate. What is interesting, however, is that demand for .ie domains has also shot up, making Irish domains one of the business must-haves of the moment.

Irish domains are on the rise

The latest research, published in June 2020 by IE Domain Registry, highlighted an increase of 26 per cent in .ie domains in the first six months of this year. That’s 33,286 new Irish domains registered between January and June 2020.

Most of these registrations were in May and June, just as businesses were starting to adjust to new ways of operating and futureproofing their business.

According to IE Domain Registry, the increase suggests that more business owners have gone online since lockdown in order to “maintain their revenue streams” as well as stay in touch with customers and expand markets.

Flying the Irish flag

Owning an Irish domain has a host of business benefits. In the current climate these are more important than ever. For instance, some of the benefits include:

• Buying local

Since the start of lockdown, we’ve all become acutely aware of the importance of local communities and business. So, whether you’re a freelance digital marketer from Kerry, or a fishmonger from Galway, promoting your local connection through your website domain name is a great way to bring customers in. Case in hand, 81 per cent of consumers believe that buying Irish is important.

• Confidence

Trust is important in the consumer buying journey. At a time when consumer confidence in imported goods is low (especially from western markets), companies can capitalise on their Irish heritage and resource.

• Exclusivity

Perhaps most important of all – owning an .ie domain is exclusive and unique. It’s reserved just for those that can show a connection to Ireland (through a passport and bank statement for instance). This can give you a competitive edge over others in your market. Furthermore, it might help you get discovered online even quicker.

So in summary, if you want to drive traffic to your business, as well as reassure customers of the providence of your products, owning an. ie domain could be a savvy business move. With the increase in Irish domains since lockdown, there’s never been a better time to invest in one. LetsHost is one of biggest accredited registrars of .ie domains and shared hosting – make us your go-to when levelling up your online brand presence.