Choosing the right email domain extension is more important than it might seem. The goal is to leave a lasting impression, not just be functional. Whether building a personal brand or running a business, your email address often serves as the first point of contact. The big question is: how do these extensions impact usability, perception, and trust when it comes to email communication?
That’s exactly what one user on Hacker News questioned, sparking a lively debate about the pros and cons of non-dot com domains for email addresses.
I want to make a lifelong email domain, but don’t want to pay an enormous amount for a .com. If I do a “.party” or something, will that ruin my life? Will web forms still reject it and will people always be adding “.com” whenever I tell it to them?
Source: Ask HN: Is it a bad idea to make an email domain with an uncommon TLD? | Hacker News
It’s a relatable question in a world where .com still dominates, leaving alternative extensions to fight for recognition and credibility. The community’s answers and some key stats reveal how domain extensions shape usability and perception.
The Power of the Right Domain Extension: Why .com Still Leads
With over 1,600 domain extensions available, choosing the right one for your email address is more important than ever. Not all extensions offer the same level of trust, credibility, or ease of use, and the wrong choice can impact how others perceive and interact with your emails. So, what factors should you consider when selecting the perfect domain extension for email communication?
Common Challenges with Email Domains
Confusion with Less Common TLDs
One user shared their frustration with using a .dev domain for their personal email, highlighting the constant confusion it caused when communicating with non-technical people. Recipients often defaulted to assuming the email ended in .com, leading to delivery errors and unnecessary follow-ups. This example underscores the widespread reliance on .com as the standard, a perception supported by Statista research, which shows that as of August 2024, 44.4% of global websites used a .com top-level domain.
I regret using firstnamelastname.dev as my main personal account. It’s uncommon, and causes confusion if I have to dictate it out over the phone. You have to optimize for the non-technical people scheduling appointments that don’t realize there are options other than .com I’ve started the process of migrating over to a .com with my middle initial added, and it’s so much easier knowing that everyone will understand the TLD. I imagine .net would be similar.
Source: Ask HN: Is it a bad idea to make an email domain with an uncommon TLD? | Hacker News
Issues with Uncommon Extensions
Users who adopted extensions like .email, .me, .party, .lol, or .ng shared mixed experiences. Some reported minimal issues, while others encountered challenges such as web form rejections or email filters blocking their messages. These experiences align with AtomRadar’s research showing only 26% of consumers trust newer extensions like .biz, .ai, or .us. The lower trust and higher spam association of these extensions often lead to stricter filters, resulting in undelivered emails.
Do NOT use an uncommon TLD. I was using .lol recently and missed a job interview because the employer wasn’t receiving any of my emails — they kept getting rejected by their email servers! And I was only informed by Thunderbird weeks later when it was too late. Ever since then, I’ve just been using gmail for everything.
Source: Ask HN: Is it a bad idea to make an email domain with an uncommon TLD? | Hacker News
I know people who’ve used strange ones like .club or .wtf and gotten by and others who due to the groups they interact with have to switch back to dotcom or something more recognizable etc. If you fall in the latter where someone might not “get it” and maybe even append .com (hello@hb.party.com) thinking it’s missing then that answers your question. In my country companies end with Ltd (Limited) so got one for my “company.limited” and it’s pretty cool, no issues there and makes for some interesting convo when I give people, also my primary email is hosted at fastmail and my email is me@”my full name”.com so I can also when some asks say email me @ … as a sentence.
Source: Ask HN: Is it a bad idea to make an email domain with an uncommon TLD? | Hacker News
Avoiding Long and Complex Domains
A user using a .net domain emphasised the importance of keeping custom email domains short to minimize the chances of misspellings while also simplifying communication and building trust. Lengthy or complex email addresses increase the risk of errors and can undermine professionalism.
I’ve been self hosting a .net email domain for decades. I don’t really have the problem you’re describing. Depending on the recipient, I do sometimes reitterate the .net TLD, but that’s it. I would say a more significant issue would be having a custom domain name that’s too long, as this increases the liklyhood that it will be misspelled.
Source: Ask HN: Is it a bad idea to make an email domain with an uncommon TLD? | Hacker News
Professionalism and First Impressions
A commenter using .guru for a decade reported no issues, while another regretted using .us due to challenges with spam and legal constraints around obfuscating WHOIS information. For professional use, ICANN research shows that legacy TLDs like .com, .org, and .net are recognised by over 88% of consumers, making them safer choices for maintaining credibility and avoiding unnecessary hurdles.
A few years ago I bought a couple .us domains on Namecheap without realizing that Whois Privacy isn’t supported and accidentally doxxed myself. My main phone number was basically unusable for a few months with constant spam calls. I quickly changed the Whois info to a burner number but the damage was already done.
Ended up setting up Google Voice to immediately go to voicemail for all non-contacts and used a generic “this phone number is not in service” message with that ascending tone. No idea if that actually had an effect but the number of spam calls plummeted after about a month of that and is basically back to normal now.
I’m still steering clear of .us after that experience…
Source: Ask HN: Is it a bad idea to make an email domain with an uncommon TLD? | Hacker News
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Email Domain
Whether for business or personal use, your email domain plays a key role in how you’re perceived. To ensure reliability and credibility, opt for trustworthy extensions like .com, .net, or .org. Keep your email address simple, relevant, and easy to remember: short and clear domains minimise errors and leave a lasting impression. The goal is to create an email address that works effortlessly and builds trust, making a positive impact every time you hit “send.”
The right domain name is an important consideration when it comes to building and protecting your brand. If you’re ready to take the next step and invest in a perfect domain name for your business, contact us to learn more about our available options and how we can help you get started.
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