.NL Domain Names
Why should I register a .NL domain name?
The .NL domain is a ccTLD (country code top level domain), and the Internet country code for the Netherlands. Located in Western Europe, the Netherlands border the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany. The Netherlands cover 16,033 square miles, an area slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey. According to the July 2008 census, the population was 16,645,313 people. The Netherlands has two official languages: Dutch and Frisian.
This extension is one of the more popular ccTLDs, ranked fourth after .DE, .CN, and .UK in VeriSign's Domain Name Industry Brief of June 2008. The .NL domain had 3,191,127 registrations as of December 31, 2008.
The .NL domain name presents a great opportunity for local and international companies wanting to represent their business in the Netherlands. Local domain names give your company a professional image, which demonstrates proof of your commitment to local customers. By targeting this local market, you can maximize your company's revenues.
Additionally, SIDN has recently launched a release of the CO.NL domain. This domain offers a great opportunity for owners of .NL domains. Research shows that people within countries that have a CO.NL extension are more likely to look for a brand in another CO.NL suffix. Owning both the .NL and CO.NL domain for your business could increase traffic drastically.
If you have a trademark, you need to protect it. Protecting your identity, as well as that of your business online is just as important as protecting you personal identity. By registering ccTLDs you are taking one more step toward preserving your trademark. It is much wiser to be the initial purchaser of a domain, than attempting to acquire it after someone else has.
Another great use for ccTLDs is acquiring shorter names. It is near impossible to register common words in more prevalent domains such as .NET or .COM. It is much more likely to find these types of domains available in a ccTLD.
Are there any restrictions for registering a .NL?
Presently registering a .NL top level domain requires a contact address located within the Netherlands. However, there is talk of this requirement being lifted by the close of 2009. The CO.NL domain does not have any registration restrictions and may be registered by any person, business, or entity located anywhere in the world.