Benefits:

• Branding and clarity: Instantly tells visitors your website is a directory of some sort, boosting relevance and user expectations.
• Specificity: Helps your website stand out from the crowd, especially amongst businesses with similar names using common extensions like .com.
• Increased name availability: Due to its specificity, you’re more likely to find the ideal domain name reflecting your directory’s purpose compared to broader extensions.
• Improved SEO: The keywords “directory” or your category directly integrated into the domain can potentially boost search engine ranking.

Who should use it?

• Businesses and organizations providing online directories:
  • Local business directories
  • Product and service directories
  • Member directories and lists
  • Faculty and staff directories
  • Campus maps and directory services
  • Shopping center directories
• Individuals maintaining personal directories or resources:
  • Portfolio directories
  • Book recommendation lists
  • Educational resource directories
  • Travel guides and directories

Things to consider:

• Niche extension: While beneficial for directories, it might not be relevant to businesses outside this specific purpose.
• Cost: Pricing may be similar to other gTLDs, potentially higher than popular extensions like .com.
• Limited awareness: The .directory extension is still relatively new, and some users might not be as familiar with it as traditional TLDs.

Overall, the .directory domain extension is a valuable tool for anyone establishing an online directory or list of information. It offers clear branding, increased name availability, and targeted audience, making it a powerful choice for optimizing your directory’s online presence and reach.