Ask HN: Are .io domains still considered good for (web based) startups?
Just wondering if they are still considered a good choice or if they're "sooo 5 years ago"? They were all the rage a few years back, but how about nowadays?
If you're trying to build a big direct to consumer brand, .io might not be the best choice.
Where as I think my father would assume `legitsite.la` is a virus or something.
When I see a startup with a .io, I always check the .com and almost always see their name was already taken by some other company.
That's a pretty big hint: think of a better name.
Though, that's ignoring potential legal conflicts, but those are already happening. Again, a constant.
I've owned them in the past and I wouldn't buy them again for a new thing.
There is also some factor of brand protection in this method. If you wait until your business is successful and fast growing, it is too late to go back and get all the TLD's for your brand. They will have been snatched up and you will have been too busy to remember this or notice until it is too late.
But since it's very difficult to obtain a good name in .com these days, a good alternative is .app which was just released so there's plenty of good names at reasonable prices.