Domain extensions (.com · .kr · .co.kr)

What types of domain extensions are there?

Domain extensions fall into two main groups: generic extensions and country extensions. .com, .net and .org are the best-known generic ones, and there are separate country extensions such as .kr (Korea) and .jp (Japan).

These days there are also many newer extensions that hint at a type of business, like .shop, .store and .cafe. The list of extensions used worldwide is published by IANA, the organization that manages the internet's addressing system.

Within Korean addresses, there are also extensions split by purpose: .co.kr (companies), .or.kr (nonprofits), .go.kr (government) and .ac.kr (schools). The government, school and nonprofit ones have eligibility rules, so ordinary businesses usually choose from .kr, .co.kr and .com.

Whatever the extension, the address works the same way. Connecting a website, business email and subdomains all work identically with any extension, so choose based on how it feels to customers and the price rather than on features.

Which domain extension is right for your business?

If you only serve customers in Korea, .kr or .co.kr works well; if you're thinking about overseas customers or selling abroad, .com is a safe choice. There's no single right answer: the best address is the one customers are least likely to get confused about.

Newer extensions have the advantage that good names are still available, but they're unfamiliar to customers, who may ask back, "Isn't it .com?" If you often give out your address on business cards or over the phone, a familiar extension is easier.

For example, a neighborhood Pilates studio might find a short .kr address easy to read out during phone inquiries, while a hanbok rental shop that gets many foreign tourists might find .com more familiar to overseas customers. A shop selling handmade desserts online might also consider an extension that shows the business type, like .shop.

Does a domain extension affect search rankings?

The extension itself doesn't boost your ranking, but it does signal which country's customers your site is for. Google Search Central describes country extensions like .kr as "a strong signal that the site is meant for a specific country."

On the other hand, a generic extension like .com doesn't put you at a disadvantage in Korean searches. Google also works out which country a site is for from other information, such as content written in Korean, a Korean address and phone number, and your Google Business Profile.

Note that some extensions, like .tv and .me, are technically country extensions but are so widely used as generic ones that Google doesn't treat them as country-specific. Helpful content and accurate business information matter far more in search than your extension.

To make your website show up well on Naver, Korea's main search portal, start by registering your site with Naver Search Advisor and filling it with solid content, rather than worrying about the extension.

Is it okay to use a Korean-script domain (the Hangul "Korea" extension)?

Yes, but it's safer to use it as a backup address rather than your main one. A Korean-script address like "Dalbit Craft Studio" written in Hangul with the Hangul "Korea" extension is easy to remember and feels friendly, but customers have to switch their phone keyboard back and forth between Korean and English to type it.

Inside computers, a Korean-script address is converted into English letters starting with "xn--". So in email addresses, some apps and older programs, those converted characters show up as-is, which can confuse customers.

If you want to buy a Korean-script address too, set it to forward automatically to your main English address. A good split is to use the Korean address where it has to be read at a glance, like signs and banners, and the English address on business cards, email and QR codes.

Should you buy the same name with several domain extensions?

You don't have to, but it's a good idea to grab one or two extensions customers are likely to mistype. The better known your business name becomes, the more likely someone else is to take a similar address first and cause confusion.

If you buy several, don't show the same website separately on each one. Pick one as your main address and automatically forward the rest to it (a 301 redirect). When the same content is scattered across several addresses, search engines get confused about which one to show.

For example, if a craft studio uses dalbit.kr as its main address and also bought dalbit.com, anyone who comes in through .com automatically lands on dalbit.kr. Customers reach the same business whichever one they type, and search engines remember just the one main address.

1. 01Pick one main address to put on your business cards, sign and social media.
2. 02Choose one or two extensions customers are likely to mix up. (Example: if your main one is .kr, get .com)
3. 03Check both the first-year price and the renewal price of the extra addresses, then register them.
4. 04Ask for the extra addresses to be 301-redirected to your main address.
5. 05Keep the expiry dates of all your addresses in one place and turn on auto-renewal.

What are common mistakes when choosing a domain extension?

The most common mistake is choosing based only on the first-year price. Some newer extensions cost a few thousand won in the first year but tens of thousands of won at renewal.

Also, many customers type .com out of habit. If your business is on .kr and another company uses the same name on .com, customers may end up on the wrong site. Before settling on an address, take a look at who's on the other extensions.

Once you've chosen an extension, it's also important to write it the same way everywhere. If the address on your business cards, sign, Instagram profile and the website field in Naver Place don't match, both customers and search engines get confused about which one is real.

• Choosing an unfamiliar extension without checking the renewal price
• Not checking whether a competitor uses the same name on another extension
• Mixing addresses, like .co.kr on your business cards and .kr on your sign
• Applying for a restricted extension under an ordinary business name