Yes, a .ie domain generally ranks better in Ireland compared to other domain extensions like .com. This advantage stems from search engines’ geo-targeting practices, which prioritise local results based on domain relevance.
What a .ie Domain Does in Ireland
1. Local Search Rankings
Google favours .ie domains in Irish search results, which gives a small Irish business a chance against much larger international brands.
The .IE Domain Profile Report 2023 puts .ie at 54.3% of all top-level domains hosted in Ireland, more than 25 percentage points ahead of .com on 29.3%.
2. Trust and Credibility
91% of Irish consumers associate .ie websites with Irish businesses over other domain extensions like .com.
An Irish customer who lands on a .ie website is more likely to stay on it and buy.
3. Marketing Aimed at the Irish Market
A .ie address tells a visitor you are an Irish business selling to Irish customers, not an international site that happens to ship here.
4. Availability of Names
The good .com names are long gone, so there is a better chance of getting the name you want on .ie. There were 48,689 new .ie domain registrations in 2023.
5. Cybersecurity
In 2023, 552 cyberattacks were detected on .ie domains, well below the rate on other top-level domains. 70% of content-rich .ie websites are secured with a certificate.
6. Steady Growth
The rush of .ie registrations during the Covid-19 pandemic has tapered off, but the .ie database has still grown 16.8% over the past five years.
7. Local Keywords in Domain Names
In 24 counties, the county name or the word “Ireland” was a top 3 keyword in new .ie domain registrations. Irish businesses are putting the place name into the address on purpose.
8. Room for E-commerce Growth
Almost 9 in 10 .ie websites (88.57%) have no e-commerce functionality. If you sell online from a .ie address, you have fewer Irish competitors than you would expect.
9. How Many Stay Registered
Of the domains registered between March 31, 2020, and December 31, 2021 (during the height of the pandemic), 49.65% remain active.
10. A Community of Irish Businesses
Registering a .ie domain puts you on the same register as other Irish businesses, which can lead to introductions and work passed on.
The Future of .ie Domains
Irish e-commerce keeps growing and Irish shoppers keep looking for local suppliers, so a .ie address is a safe choice for the long run.
A .ie domain helps in the Irish market, but it is one signal among many. The rest of your SEO still has to be right.
Bubblehub Media is an SEO agency working with Irish businesses on .ie sites.
If you want someone to look at how your .ie site is ranking, send us the address and we will come back to you with what we find.
