Key takeaways:
- The .me domain offers a unique and memorable way for individuals and businesses to create a distinct online presence.
- The .me extension can be used in a variety of applications, not limited to personal branding.
- The once country-specific domain has become highly effective for marketing, thanks to its catchy, memorable nature.
Finding a domain name that truly captures your brand’s essence can be challenging with so many options. Traditional domain extensions feel overused and don’t reflect a unique personal brand. To attract your target customers to your website, you must create a distinct and memorable web address that resonates with your brand identity. That’s where the .me domain enters the picture.
In this guide, we’ll break down what .me premium domains are, their benefits, potential drawbacks, and how to register one. By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of whether a .me domain fits your brand or personal project.
What is a .me domain?
This domain extension was created in 2007 as a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the Mediterranean island of Montenegro. Due to its attractive and personal appeal, .me domains became a globally recognized premium domain extension in July 2008. Currently, it’s managed by the .me registry, treating it like any other generic top-level domain (gTLD) by search engines.
Why choose a .me domain?
The .me domain extension gives distinct opportunities for both individuals and businesses to create a strong personal brand. Below are some of the reasons why choosing .me domains can highly benefit your brand:
- Unique appeal
- Versatility
- SEO neutrality
- Global accessibility
- Memorability
Let’s look at each reason in more detail.
Unique appeal
Its concise and user-friendly nature makes it an ideal option for businesses or personal websites looking to create a strong personalized website address. The .me domain helps you create a web address that instantly resonates between you and your brand online.
The .me domain extension offers a creative and memorable way to build a personal website. It is a great option for creative professionals who want to showcase their talents and skills or for bloggers or entrepreneurs who want to connect with their audience.
Versatility
Aside from their unique appeal, the .me domains are versatile extensions. They are perfect for those who want to build personal identities, promote personal blogs or portfolios, or launch call-to-action campaigns.
If you’re a startup business or someone who seeks a modern touch, the .me domain can be used for a wide range of purposes, from showcasing products to hosting marketing campaigns.
SEO neutrality
Search engines treat .me domains as gTLDs, which gives them an equal footing with .com or .org. However, take note that domain names and domain extensions are not a direct ranking factor. However, choosing a relevant domain extension for your brand, such as a .me domain, can help build your brand’s credibility and trustworthiness—something search engines favor.
Here are some tips and best practices to optimize your .me domain:
- Use relevant keywords in your web address (also applicable to your business) to boost search visibility. But avoid keyword stuffing. It appears spammy and can hurt your SEO performance.
- Optimize meta titles, descriptions, and on-page content to align with SEO standards.
- Build backlinks (third-party hyperlinks that drive traffic from other websites to your domain) and leverage social media signals to improve your domain’s authority and presence.
Global accessibility
Due to their attractive and personal appeal, the .me domains have been globally available to everyone since 2008. This means that this top-level domain (TLD) is available to everyone online without restrictions.
Memorability
A short, memorable extension grabs attention. The extension’s action-oriented nature makes it perfect for domain hacks (linking of second and top-level domains to form a word or phrase) like “join.me” or “hire.me.”
Who can use .me domains?
You can use .me domains for a wide range of purposes, particularly for personal websites or if you want to build your brand. If you want to make your business more personalized, .me domains are your best choice.
Here’s a list of businesses that can strategically use .me domains:
Individual businesses
Bloggers, creatives, authors, and website developers can use .me domains to create short, memorable, and professional online personal branding. The .me domains offer versatility for different online projects, from personal blog posts and portfolios to freelance platforms.
Tech innovator Lea Verou is one of the standout examples. She uses lea.verou.me as a platform site to share projects, speaking engagements, and web development tools, all while reinforcing her brand with a memorable, custom domain.
Celebrities, influencers, and public figures
The .me domain can be a powerful tool for celebrities, influencers, and public figures. It directly connects to the individual, reinforcing your brand and making it easily recognizable. Aside from being memorable, its exclusivity aligns with the image many celebrities cultivate.
Institutions in Montenegro
The .me domain was originally assigned to Montenegro as its country-specific domain. Many institutions in Montenegro use .me domains to strengthen their national identity, improve visibility on search engines, and build trust online.
Using a .me domain also creates unique branding opportunities and supports the local economy. It helps organizations establish a strong online presence, connect better with the local market, and contribute to Montenegro’s digital growth.
How to register a .me domain with Network Solutions
Are you planning to secure your .me premium domain name? Here’s a detailed guide on how to register it with Network Solutions:
Step 1: Visit Network Solutions’ website and look for the domain name search bar.
Step 2: Type in your desired .me domain name on the search bar and click SEARCH.
If your desired domain name is unavailable, you can use our AI Domain Generator to help you generate a custom domain. But if you want that name badly, you can check our guide on how to buy an already registered domain.
Step 3: If the domain is available, it will be automatically added to your cart. Click CONTINUE.
Note: Domain Privacy + Protection is automatically added to your cart for your security. You can remove it if you wish, but we strongly recommend keeping it to protect your personal information and reduce spam.
Step 4: Select a domain package to match your goals. Network Solutions offers three domain packages: Domain Only, Domain and Essential Hosting, and Domain Premium Hosting.
Step 5: Select any add-ons you’d like to include with your domain, then click CONTINUE TO CART.
Step 6: Review all your details, including the final domain price and the tools you’ve selected. If everything is correct, click CONTINUE TO CHECKOUT.
Step 7: Enter your billing and contact information, and then click SUBMIT PAYMENT to finish the process.
Potential drawbacks of using .me domains
While .me domains offer several advantages, they also have their own set of potential drawbacks:
Perceived as primarily personal
Some perceive that .me domains are primarily suitable for personal use. This limits their perceived professionalism for businesses. With this judgment, businesses might shy away from adopting this TLD and prefer more established ones like .com or .net.
Less familiarity compared to traditional extensions
Although it is a globally recognized premium domain, many businesses and individuals are still unfamiliar with .me domains. Part of the reason is that it’s a new extension and fewer businesses use it.
Perceived as costly
As .me domains are categorized as premium domains, businesses and startups perceive this extension as more expensive than other common extensions. This perception is not unfounded.
You may see registrars introducing cheaper offers for this domain from time to time. Still, its base price can sometimes be significantly more expensive than popular gTLDs (.com and .net) across most major domain providers.
Successful .me websites
The .me domain is a powerful top-level domain for creating personalized, memorable web addresses. Many platforms have adopted the extension and leveraged it effectively. Here are some of the successful ones:
- Connectify.me. This website offers software solutions that transform your PC into a Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing you to share your internet connection with other devices. The .me domain makes it easier for users to associate the product with the brand, enhancing the website’s memorability.
- Who.unfollowed.me. The platform helps users discover who has unfollowed them on X and other social networks. The .me domain aligns well with the app’s goal of uncovering users’ “unfollower” count.
- PayPal.me. PayPal uses paypal.me to offer a simple, personalized way for users to request money. This page helps you create custom URLs you can share with others for quick payments. The .me domain links feel more personal and memorable.
- About.me. About.me allows users to create a personalized landing page showcasing their biographies, social media links, and professional highlights. They use .me domain to allow their users to present themselves online in a way that’s memorable and easy to share.
These examples show how versatile .me is in crafting clever, memorable website names. It gives you room to be creative with your domain names while keeping them relevant and professional.
The future of .me domains
The significance of personalized online platforms will continue to grow as the digital space evolves. As a result, .me domains are poised for a promising future. Alongside other distinctive domain extensions like .io, .ly, and .ai, .me will continue to gain recognition for its value, securing its place in the ever-changing online ecosystem.
Below are several trends shaping .me domains’ trajectory:
- Growing focus on personal branding. Personal branding continues to become popular as more individuals and entrepreneurs shift to online platforms. The .me domain offers a perfect solution for these business-minded people who want to build a distinct online presence.
- Broadening use of .me domains across industries. While people initially use .me domains for personal sites and portfolios, their scope continues to expand. We’re seeing more startups, entrepreneurs, and companies use .me to create a more human-centered brand. The flexibility of .me as a domain extension attracts more organizations looking to make their digital presence more approachable and relatable to customers.
- Increasing creativity in marketing and campaigns. The future of .me domains will likely see even more creative applications, especially in marketing campaigns. The ability to integrate the .me extension into catchy, memorable domain hacks will continue to make it an attractive option for marketers. From custom URLs to personalized landing pages, .me is an effective marketer’s tool for capturing customers’ attention.
- A global trend with local significance. While originally from Montenegro, .me has become a globally recognized extension. More people worldwide use it for their personal and professional websites. This global trend will be complemented by its local appeal, especially in its country of origin, where it will continue serving as a national symbol in the online world.
Create a personalized web address with .me domain
The .me domains offer the perfect blend of personalization, memorability, and global reach. Whether you’re a freelancer showcasing your skills, a business running a marketing campaign, or someone seeking a unique web address, .me domains have you covered.
These premium extensions won’t hurt your search engine ranking, and you can easily register them on our platform. Don’t wait—claim your perfect .me domain today and unlock the potential of a truly personalized online space!
Frequently asked questions
A .me domain is a TLD you can register for your website. Its personalized features make your web presence more distinct online. It works like any other domain to attract visitors to your site.
The .me domain is short, memorable, and strongly associated with personal brands. It’s an excellent option for personal branding and creating a distinct online identity. However, it’s slowly gaining industry-wide recognition as more companies and startups use .me to craft distinct website names.
If you’re creating a personal website, online portfolio, or blog, .me is a unique choice. It’s also ideal for freelancers and artists who want to share their work with the world.
Yes, you can. Popular website builders support .me domains. You can connect your registered .me domain to your chosen platform and build your website.