.BE Domain Names
To be or not to be? That is the domain question!
What is a .BE domain?
The .BE domain is a ccTLD (country code top level domain), and the Internet country code for Belgium. Located in Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands, Belgium gained its independence in 1830. The country covers 11,786.93 square miles, an area about the size of Maryland. Belgium has a population of 10,403,951 according to a census in July of 2008. Interestingly, 60% if the population speaks Dutch, 40% French, and less than 1% is considered legally bilingual.
Why should I register a .BE domain name?
The .BE domain is extremely popular in Belgium and most of it's use is by entities connected with this country. The growth of this ccTLD has been rapid with 859,474 registrations as of December 31, 2008. If your company is looking to gain or has already attained a presence in Belgium, owning a .BE domain should be part of your business plan. Registering a .BE domain is the perfect way to show your business is localized in Belgium. Having a .BE extension demonstrates your company's loyalty to local markets, while maintaining your professional image.
Protecting your identity is crucial. That is true for your personal identity as well as your online identity. Safeguarding your assets is non-negotiable in today’s world. By registering your trademark in ccTLDs, you are taking one more step toward protecting your business. You have enough to worry about in business. Don’t let having your competitors acquire your name be one of them. By holding your trademark in ccTLDs, you will not have to concern yourself with attempting to acquire your name after someone else has registered it.
We all know that highly coveted domains are those that are short or have common words. These types of domains are almost impossible to acquire in heavily populated domains like .COM or .NET. However, the chances of finding your domain in a ccTLD are exponentially better. Because most ccTLDs are continuing to grow, it is easier to register short or keyword-rich domains. Country code TLDs are extremely popular for domain hacks. Their short extensions lend themselves to registering domains such as to.BE, notto.BE, or whereto.BE.
Are there any restrictions for registering a .BE?
There are no restrictions for registering a top level .BE domain. Registration for these domain names is open to anyone, similar to .COM, .NET, or .ORG.