GoDaddy changes default domain from .com to .co for a day

Yesterday one of the biggest domain registrars, GoDaddy, switched their default domain registration service to .co instead of .com. This means that when anyone searched for a new domain to register, the first response they would get is a .co domain instead of the usual one. While the company calls it a test, it's easy to guess that they are planning to shift away from the crowded .com domain space. Let's face it, anyone who wants a domain name now is likely to find their first choice will be already taken as a .com, which isn't surprising with almost 100 million registered names.

Once people learn to move away from .com, what should be the alternative? This particular company obviously seems to think .co, which technically means the Republic of Columbia, should be the new hot commodity. But again it's easy to guess why. These domains cost much more than the traditional .com, .net and .org. They sell at a premium, which means the registrar makes more money on every sale. The simple fact is that countries were given top level domains for a reason. A site based in a country should use their country's domain, whether it's .ca for Canada, .uk for England or .fr for France. But because of the way things are, and how .com is always the default fall back, everyone wants a .com domain name.

Time will tell what starts replacing .com as that space becomes more and more crowded, but it would be a mistake to assume .co will be the savior of newly registered names.

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