The Top-Level Domain (TLD) “.fan” is a part of the domain name system (DNS) of the internet which is administered by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). As suggested by the comprehensive list of TLDs provided by IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority), “.fan” is a generic TLD (gTLD). It adds a relevant and specific designation to a website that could be related to any areas of fandom, making it easier for fans and fan communities on the internet to locate and interact with related content.
The “.fan” TLD was delegated by ICANN and introduced to the Root Zone (the top level of the DNS structure) on December 19, 2017, as listed in the Delegated Strings list from ICANN. The domain is run by the registry operator, Donuts Inc., an American company that manages numerous gTLDs, as mentioned on ICANN’s TLD registry.
Primarily, the “.fan” domain is designed for fan clubs, fan pages, celebrities, enthusiasts, supporters, fan-based community sites, and forums among others. For example, a band might create www.ourband.fan to interact with their fans, share updates about concerts, sell merchandise, and so forth. Or, a popular series may have a fandom site like www.popularseries.fan where enthusiasts can gather, speculate about future episodes, and share their love for the show. Notably, the “.fan” domain doesn’t have any restrictive registration requirements, meaning anyone can register a domain with this TLD.
In terms of its application in digital marketing, using customized TLDs, such as “.fan”, can help businesses attract targeted audiences and improve their SEO rankings. It is an effective way of differentiating themselves from competitors, as indicated by Ahrefs, a known SEO toolset that monitors the Internet.
This is an example of the increasing personalization and specificity of TLDs. Rather than the traditional .com, .org, .net, etc., gTLDs like “.fan” were introduced to add more options and dimensions to the way we classify and navigate the digital world.
References:
1. IANA — Comprehensive TLD List (https://data.iana.org/TLD/tlds-alpha-by-domain.txt)
2. ICANN’s TLD Registry (https://lookup.icann.org/lookup)
3. ICANN’s Delegated Strings list (https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/delegated-strings)
4. Domain Name Stat – Top Level Domain List (https://domainnamestat.com/statistics/tld-top/tlds-with-most-domains)
5. Ahrefs.com’s Explainer on TLDs (https://ahrefs.com/blog/top-level-domain/)
