Over two-thirds (68.3%) of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) around the world use a .org domain name to get online compared to the less than one in 10 (9.2%) that use a .com, according to the 2017 Global NGO Online Technology Report published by the Public Interest Registry (PIR) this week. The report found 2.2% used the .ngo gTLD, 1.8% used .net and 18.5% used other TLDs, predominately country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs).The report is the second from the registry operator for the .org, .ngo and .ong (generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) and surveyed nearly double the number of survey respondents from 2016 – 4,908 for 2017 compared to 2,780 for 2016 – and the findings make for a solid foundation to assert benchmarks for success.The report seeks to gain a better understanding of how NGOs worldwide use online technology to engage their supporters and donors but also provides interesting research into TLD usage around the world.Among top level domains, there is a wide variation between the world’s regions on which one they choose. In Asia 66% use .org, 5% use .ngo. 10% use .com and 19% use other TLDs, predominately ccTLDs.In Australia and Oceania, 45% use .org domain, 2% use .ngo, 11% use .com and 42% use other domains, again predominately ccTLDs.Within Europe, 47% use .org, 2% use .ngo, 7% use .com and 44% use other domains, predominately ccTLDs, the highest of any region.In North America, 77% use .org domain, 1% use .ngo, 9% use .com and 13% use other domains, predominately ccTLDs with it likely the vast majority of these being Canadian NGOs using .ca as well as some using .us.Within South America, 68% use .org, 11% use .com, 29% use other domains, predominately ccTLDs. And finally, within Africa 66% use .org, 3% use .ngo, 12% use .com and 22% use other domains, predominately again ccTLDs.It’s not unexpected, but it appears to be developed western countries outside the United States are much more likely to use their own ccTLD than the US or developing countries. Part of this comes down to trust. For example, the Nigerian internet Registration Association (NiRA) is working hard to promote their .ng ccTLD within Nigeria. But they face a battle to develop awareness and trust. In an interview with Nigeria’s Guardian newspaper, Reverend Sunday Folayan, the President, Executive Board of Directors of NiRA said “Nigerians [hardly] consume local goods because they believe there is a level of inferiority attached to it.”The report is available for download from:
techreport.ngo
NGOs Getting Online With Two-Thirds Globally Using .ORG, But Wide Disparity Among Regional TLD Choices
Over two-thirds (68.3%) of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) around the world use a .org domain name to get online compared to the less than one in 10 (9.2%) that use a .com, according to the “2017 Global NGO Online Technology Report” published by the Public Interest Registry (PIR) this week. The report found 2.2% used the .ngo gTLD, 1.8% used .net and 18.5% used other TLDs, predominately ccTLDs.