What are IDN domains? How to register them?
Want to connect with international customers in their own language? Or create a web address that builds a stronger global presence? Well, say Hello, or 你好, or ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ, or even こんにちは to an internationalised domain name (IDN), a domain with special characters that does all those things!
What are IDN domains?
IDNs are internationalised domain names that include characters from non-Latin scripts. An IDN lets you use web addresses in your own language. For example, the website name could be written in Spanish as España.com instead of using only English characters.
With Russian, Japanese, and Turkish among the top 10 languages used on the Internet, users everywhere need to be able to access information in their own language. IDNs help by allowing websites to have names in many different languages and scripts. They work by using a special code that turns words from any language into a format that the internet understands.
Why are IDN domain names getting popular?
Imagine you needed to enter Chinese domain name like 中国 into a search engine. How challenging would that be, especially if you were unfamiliar with that language? A domain name made with a user’s own native language – an IDN – can solve this problem.
An estimated 85% of country code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) and 41% of generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) now support IDNs. This reflects a growing popularity of the need for linguistic diversity, that users worldwide can access the internet in their native scripts.
Key Benefits of IDNs
IDNs offer more than just a global reach; they provide benefits that can improve how you connect online. Here’s how IDNs can help you reach audiences worldwide:
1. Better user experience: IDNs make the internet more welcoming by allowing users to access websites with URLs in their own languages, rather than unfamiliar Latin-based characters.
2. Easy to remember and share: For people who speak languages written in non-Latin scripts, an IDN is easier to remember and tell others about. This is great for spreading the word about your site naturally, enhancing brand recognition.
3. Localised branding: By using words and characters that match the local language, IDNs help your site show up better in search results and make it easier for people to find and recall your brand.
While IDNs are great for making websites more accessible and culturally relevant, it's important to know about the security risks they might bring, like phishing attacks.
What is the difference between IDNs and regular domain names?
Regular domain names are limited to ASCII characters (the 26 letters of the English alphabet), digits (0-9), and a few special characters like hyphens. They follow the traditional DNS protocols primarily catering to English-speaking users.
On the other hand, IDNs support many characters from different languages and scripts worldwide. This includes scripts such as Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, and many others. IDNs make the internet more accessible to non-English speakers by allowing them to use their native scripts for website addresses.
How to register an IDN domain?
Thanks to better technology and more options for domain extensions, registering an IDN is now simpler. Here's how to get started.
1. Learn about Punycode
Since domain name servers only support the English alphabets, digits (0 – 9), and a couple of punctuation marks, a system called Punycode was created. Punycode translates words containing special characters, like accents or characters from non-Latin scripts, into ASCII (the basic English character set) which DNS systems can process.
2. Convert your desired domain name
Use a Punycode converter to translate your desired IDN into ASCII. For example, if you want to register "España.com," Punycode converts this to "xn--espaa-rta.com."
3. Check domain extension support
IDNs are available for many domain extensions. Check the Features & Requirements section of the domain extension you are interested in. If it says *IDN Supported, then it is possible to use accented characters and non-Latin scripts when registering your domain.
4. Register your domain name
Once you have your Punycode translation, you can register this as your domain through a domain registrar that supports IDNs. Enter the Punycode version of your domain name during the registration process.
Getting started with IDNs
As we've explored, IDNs open up a world of possibilities, allowing you to connect more deeply with international audiences in their own linguistic scripts.
If you're considering expanding your reach, why not explore the available IDN options to find a domain that best fits your audience's language and cultural context?
