Domain names and websites go live sooner after registration
Average domain name registered within an hour, and website live inside two weeks
Half of .nl registrants register their domain names within an hour of thinking of them. And 95 per cent inside a week. In 80 per cent of cases, a website follows in less than a month. Drawn from a survey of 110 businesspeople on the SIDN Panel, the figures confirm a well-established trend towards shorter lead times. In the last ten years, the typical interval between domain registration and website activation has fallen from nearly six months to just a couple of weeks. Our survey respondents were generally very positive about the domain registration process, but flagged up domain name hijacking as a source of frustration.
Fast, faster, fastest
The time between domain registration and website go-live is falling all the time. Registrants tend to be more knowledgeable and experienced, and typically have a registrar they're used to working with. User-friendly registration processes and improved tooling make a difference too. It's now much easier to get a domain name and set up a site, thanks to resources such as website builders and design templates. As a result, the median lead time to website activation has come down from nearly six months in 2012, to about two weeks now. The domain name registration process is even faster: after thinking of a domain name, people typically register it within an hour.
Domain registration is the first step for businesses
When a business is first set up or starts a new activity, the first step is usually to register the domain name. Writing the business plan and designing and building the website follow later. People do things that way to prevent someone else getting the name after the business has been registered with the Chamber of Commerce. When that happens, the newly formed business may be asked to pay a considerable sum to get control of the domain matching their trading name – a practice known as domain name hijacking.
Combining extensions is increasingly popular
What's the preferred domain name extension for a new business website? In the past, the answer was usually .nl, .com or one of the other popular choices. Nowadays, however, more and more businesses are opting to register and make equal use of multiple versions of their name. The combination of the .nl version and the .com version is the most common, but .nl is sometimes used with .eu as well. The main reason for the combined extension strategy is to appeal to both domestic and international audiences. Often, the firms in question have two versions of their website. Where business mail is concerned, .nl remains the strong preference.
Registrants very happy with registrars' services
It's increasingly common for registrants to have an established relationship with a registrar whose services they're happy with. In 80 per cent of cases, a new registration involves the registrant going to a service provider they've used before for domain names and, for example, hosting or web design. If there's one thing they'd like to see improved, it's the availability of telephone support. Asked how strongly they would recommend their registrar, on a scale of one to ten, registrants' average response was more than eight. The NPS for registrars came out at plus 33 per cent.
"There's nothing else I want. The service is excellent and the process very smooth."
Domain name hijacking causes annoyance
Asked about the improvement they would most like to see where domain names are concerned, registrants flagged up action on hijacking. Many respondents were annoyed about losing domain names to traders.
"People shouldn't be allowed to register domain names just to sell them on at a fat profit. The practice is a blight on the market, which impacts negatively on genuine enterprises and other organisations that want to actually use domains and websites for their services or projects."