IE Domain Registry t/a .IE Annual Report 2021

Market share The .ie domain now accounts for 52.6% of all domains hosted in Ireland, followed by .com (30.8%) and .uk (7.6%). Since 2010, .ie gained over 12 percentage points in market share of Ireland’s hosted domains from .com, indicating that .ie is the domain-of-choice for Irish business and citizens. During the pandemic, a local .ie web address has been a lifeline, a way to mitigate the worst effects of the physical lockdown. It has advantageously positioned many businesses for a more digitally integrated post-Covid-19 economy. Because every applicant is validated, a .ie website is a great way for Irish businesses to demonstrate their trustworthiness to customers. Geographical analysis of the database The geographical analysis of the .ie database at the end of December 2021 indicated that registrants were from: the Republic of Ireland – 295,979 (90%); Northern Ireland – 4,756 (1%); and International – 29,373 (9%). Registrants with addresses in Great Britain comprises the majority of internationally registered .ie domains. As part of the .ie registration process, applicants for .ie domains in foreign countries will have provided evidence of a proven connection to Ireland and so the registered owner is always traceable, an important issue for consumers and authorities. They either have customers in Ireland or have provided evidence of another type of professional or personal connection to Ireland. International review There are more than 240 country code top-level domain extensions (ccTLDs) worldwide, including .ie. Compared to twenty-three other European countries, Ireland ranks 18th, with 66 country code domains per 1,000 of population. Using this metric, Ireland ranks ahead of or is comparable to, European countries with larger populations, including Italy (59 .it domains per 1,000), France (57 .fr domains per 1,000), Spain (42 .es domains per 1,000). However, Ireland ranks behind several European countries with similar populations, including Denmark (235 .dk domains) and Norway (154 .no domains). Our nearest neighbours in the UK have 165 .uk domains per 1,000 of population. Commentators attribute this to Ireland’s slow start in building out early internet infrastructure, compared to European neighbours, which had many competing internet service providers and cable operators. Supporting the business community Throughout 2021, we continued to support the business community in Ireland with a range of initiatives and sponsorships. Our objective is to help them celebrate excellence in digital processes, e-commerce and digital marketing. Indirectly, this helps to promote the .ie domain name and to encourage internet usage. We sponsored the Small Firms Association (SFA) National Small Business Awards. These awards celebrate the achievements of small business in Ireland and recognise the vital contribution of the small business community to the Irish economy. We also supported the Energia Family Business Awards in the category of Tech Family Business of the Year. Additionally, by providing useful, relevant and informative digital content, we continued to build and strengthen relationships with key SME and micro- enterprise representative bodies such as the Local Enterprise Offices, Retail Excellence, Digital Business Ireland, Guaranteed Irish, Hardware Association of Ireland and the All Ireland Business Foundation. By working with these groups, we engage with their networks to promote the benefits of digital adoption and e-commerce. Business and Market Review RETURN TO NORMAL: 2022 so far, has seen the rate of registrations return to normal levels at 25,539 for the half year period, in line with those experienced pre-pandemic. SEASONAL CHANGES: Despite continuous easing of restrictions, new .ie domain registrations remain stable. This suggests some ‘decoupling’ of registrations from pandemic restrictions, as well as an increased SME awareness of new, year-round digital consumer behaviours. PEAK LOCKDOWN: By May, non-essential retailers have been closed for 6 weeks. Over 7,000 register a .ie web address in the month of May. The majority are businesses seeking to continue selling to and communicating with their customers online. WINTER OF DISCONTENT: Ireland begins 2021 in strict lockdown. In response, SMEs move to keep their businesses operational and stay connected with customers. New. ie registrations in January increased 25.9% v January 2020, peaking in March (+43.8% vs 2020). Q1 20 14,174 Q2 20 19,077 Q3 20 16,013 Q4 20 15,849 Q1 21 19,001 Q2 21 14,814 Q3 21 14,703 Q4 21 13,680 Q1 22 13,651 Q2 22 11,888 11,000 12,000 13,000 14,000 16,000 15,000 17,000 18,000 19,000 20,000 RESTRICTIONS EASE: New .ie registrations dip as pandemic restrictions ease in most counties. However, registrations are still higher YoY. THE OUTDOOR SUMMER: As non-essential retail reopen in May, new .ie domain registrations decreased. This downward trend continues throughout the summer as people and businesses are encouraged to focus on outdoor activities. Chart 4: Timeline of digital intentions during the lockdown years (Number of .ie domains registered) IE Domain Registry CLG t/a .IE / Annual Report & Review 2021 25