The top-level domain (TLD) “.plumbing” is intended for businesses, individuals, and organizations that are associated with the plumbing sector. DNSimple, a leading domain name registry, defines a TLD as the last part of a domain name, which follows the final dot. Examples of TLDs include .com, .net, and .org. The “.plumbing” TLD is part of a category known as generic top-level domains (gTLDs), which also includes others such as .biz, .info, and .name.
Domain name registries, like Donuts Inc., offer the “.plumbing” TLD. Donuts Inc. is recognized by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the authority that coordinates and oversees the internet’s naming system. ICANN has overseen the introduction of hundreds of new gTLDs, including “.plumbing,” into the online namespace since 2013, in what has sometimes been termed the “gTLD expansion.”
The “.plumbing” TLD can be a great choice for plumbers, plumbing businesses, and suppliers who want to showcase their services or products online. As stated by Name.com, having a domain name that reflects your industry can make your website more relevant to those who may be seeking specific services related to the plumbing industry.
For example, instead of using a traditional “.com” or “.net” domain, a plumbing company might choose “www.examplebusiness.plumbing” to more clearly highlight the nature of its operations. Similarly, an individual plumber might use “www.johnsmith.plumbing” as their professional website, carrying a distinctive mark of their trade in their web address.
The use of a “.plumbing” TLD can provide benefits such as increased visibility and higher search engine rankings. Effective search engine optimization (SEO) can leverage the explicitness of a TLD. Quality backlinko, in their definitive guide to keyword research, mention that Google’s algorithm gives some weight to domain names related to search queries.
As with other TLDs, the “.plumbing” domain is public and available to anyone. One can register this domain through accredited domain registries. Due to the specificity of the “.plumbing” TLD, it’s likely less contested than more common options, providing a wider scope of available domain names.
The oversight of “.plumbing” and other new gTLDs is part of ICANN’s mission to promote competition and choice in the domain name space. Further information about ICANN and an exhaustive list of gTLDs can be found on the ICANN website.
Regarding the use of the “.plumbing” TLD, it’s always worth noting that having a keyword in your domain isn’t guaranteed to get you a high ranking. As with most things SEO, it’s part of various factors taken into account by search engine algorithms.
Sources:
1. DNSimple Blog: What is a TLD?
2. ICANN: New gTLDs
3. Name.com: .Plumbing Domain Names
4. Donuts Inc.: Domains
5. Backlinko: keyword research guide
6. ICANN: Factsheet gTLD expansion
7. ICANN: gTLDs as a Category.
8. Google SEO Guide.
