The fact that you’ve clicked on this article makes me think you’re in the process of registering a new domain name and investigating what domain extension you should choose. If you’re investigating .co.nz domain names specifically, you’re also most likely from New Zealand. How close are we to the mark? For our sake, we hope we’re accurate as this article will help you answer the question, is .co.nz a good domain?
In our opinion, .co.nz is not a good domain…it’s a great domain! If you’re looking to reach the New Zealand audience, you’ll find no better domain than .co.nz as it’s been the go-to choice for Kiwis looking to buy a domain name since their inception all the way back in the 1990s.
We hope once you get to the end of this page, you’ll agree with us.
Is .co.nz A Good Domain For New Zealand?
As mentioned above, a .co.nz domain is your best option if you’re looking to target an Audience within the New Zealand market. When internet users see a website that ends in .co.nz, they’ll immediately know the website services New Zealanders.
Of the ten .nz domain extensions that can be registered by the public, .co.nz is the most popular. It has been synonymous with New Zealand domain registration since the early days of the internet and is used by some of the most visited websites in New Zealand, such as stuff.co.nz and trademe.co.nz.
Fun Fact: Did you know that there were only 272 New Zealand domains registered in 1994?
How Popular Are .co.nz Domains?
Whilst on a global scale, New Zealand domains like .co.nz are not as popular as the more generic domains like .com or .net, they are still the most popular domain in New Zealand with total registrations reaching over 750,000 in early 2023 and have registered in greater numbers then .com by Kiwis.
Not being as popular globally as .com is a good thing as you’ll have a much better chance of registering the .co.nz domain you truly want, without having to compromise. You’ll need to be very lucky to register your name or your business name as a .com domain but you’ll probably have no issues registering the .co.nz versions.
If you want to register the domain that’s most popular amongst Kiwis, register a .co.nz domain.
Are .co.nz Domains Safe?
When registering a domain name, the last thing you want to do is choose a domain extension that has a bad reputation. It will hurt the marketability plus useability of your website if people who see your website name immediately associate it with fraudulent activities. This is a risk you run when registering cheaper domains that only cost a few dollars.
So, are .co.nz domains considered safe? According to Spamhaus, a leading authority on internet fraud activities, only 0.1% of all New Zealand domains, including .co.nz, have been used for nefarious purposes.
Considering there are domain extensions that have Spamhaus fraud scores exceeding 60%, it’s safe to say that .co.nz is very safe and if you use one for website or email purposes, nobody will think that you’re up to no good.
What Search Engine Benefits Does .co.nz Have?
All domains that use the .nz extension are considered country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) by Google. Using a ccTLD for your website signals to Google that you’re most likely targeting a specific country, so they’ll give a boost in that country’s search results.
What this means in practical terms is that if you’re in New Zealand and using Google.co.nz, you’re more likely to see websites using .co.nz show up in your search results, which makes sense as there’s little point in showing people in New Zealand websites that target a Canadian or British audience.
There are exceptions to this ccTLD rule where some country domains have been co-opted for other uses. For instance, .ai domains are all the rage at the moment within the Artificial Intelligence and Tech communities. For this reason, Google treats .ai domains as a generic domain like .com, despite the domain originally being used to target the Caribbean country of Anguilla.
This isn’t something you need to worry about though as NZ doesn’t have any other popular meaning besides New Zealand so you’ll definitely see search engines benefits when using a .co.nz domain.
So, Is .co.nz A Good Domain?
Now that you’ve made it this far, we’re pretty confident that you’ll agree with us in saying .co.nz is a good (great!) domain. It’s good for targeting New Zealand audiences, it’s popular amongst Kiwis, it’s safe and has good search engine benefits.
If you’re still looking to buy a domain, buy a .co.nz domain. You won’t be disappointed!
