Start with audience recognition
Choose an extension your customers will understand and trust. A technical audience may accept newer extensions readily, while a broad consumer audience may default mentally to .com.
Use category extensions deliberately
.ai can be a strong category signal for AI products. .io is common among technology companies. Country-code domains can reinforce a local market, but businesses operating internationally should think about future expansion.
Avoid novelty for novelty’s sake
A clever extension hack is only useful if people can remember and type it. The complete domain should still work when spoken aloud.
Check economics
Registration, renewal, and aftermarket pricing vary by extension. Evaluate the long-term ownership cost, not just the first-year price.