When you explore the World Wide Web, you must have come across many websites that end with .org in them. However, most of the time, the websites we come across on Google have the .com at the end of the URL. So what does .org mean, and why is it important?
If you want to know the answer to this, then you must read this blog. Here, you will get to know what does .org mean on a website and its difference from websites with URLs ending with .com.
What Is A Domain Name?
When you enter a website, you will see that its URL or web address is divided into two parts, separated by a . in between. The first part of the website refers to the domain name, which helps users identify the website’s name.
For example, when you open Facebook, you will see that its website address is www.facebook.com. Everything after “www.” and before “.com” will be referred to as a domain name. In this case (and in most other cases), it’s simply the website’s name.
However, what comes next is the main identifying factor of the website. Users refer to that as the domain name extension. It helps users identify what kind of website they are visiting.
Therefore, in the example of Facebook above, “.com” is the domain name extension. Therefore, this signifies that Facebook is a commercial website, which is true. However, even though it’s a social media website, marketers can use it as a platform for digital marketing.
What Does .org Mean In A Web Address?
.org is a domain name that refers to many websites that many consider to be the gTLD (generic top-level domain) of the DNS (Domain name System). It’s an abbreviation of the word organization, which refers to large-scale businesses that act as typically non-profit businesses in nature.
This domain name extension was first used in 1985 when the internet first started out. Now, it is controlled and operated by the PIR (Public Interest Registry), which took over the domain name in 2003.
When it was first launched, it was meant to be used by businesses that classify themselves as non-profit businesses. It was also meant to be used by various open-source projects and communities. However, the policies surrounding its use have been changed by the PIR. Now, it has become an open domain that can be used by anyone.
When the use of .org domains first started in 1985, the number of websites having this domain name increased to a bit, more than one million in the 1990s. However, after it was taken over by the PIR and the regulations surrounding it changed, this number increased to more than 10 million.
What Is The Difference Between .org And .com?
.com is by far the most common domain name extension that you will see on the internet. However, you already know that the .org domain name exists primarily for non-profit organizations and NGOs. On the other hand, .com is used by organizations of the opposite nature.
.com, as one can guess, is used by companies with websites built primarily for commercial purposes. Therefore, most businesses that have their websites will have the domain name .org. Therefore, businesses that want to build an online presence on the internet will use websites with .com domain extensions.
Domain Name Security Of .org Sites
After the .org domain name extension started getting regulated by the PIR, the security provided to such websites increased significantly. This happened when the domain name extension was defined as the very first open generic top-level domain name extension.
This move was significant after it became the most used top-level domain name, it got signed under a DNS zone. PRI signed it under the DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions).
This was an important step in the right direction for .org websites because it allowed the verification of the integrity and authenticity of the website’s DNS data after confirming with several DNS clients.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):
Ans: When it comes to websites and the internet, .org stands for organization. It is a domain name extension that signifies that this site belongs to a non-profit organization, for example like an NGO.
Both these domain name extensions serve different purposes. For example, .com is better suited for profit-making businesses that have created websites to earn money. On the other hand, websites that have .org domain name extensions are non-profit organizations, like NGOs. Therefore, they are both used to recognize different types of businesses.
Ans: Since most .org websites belong to non-profit organizations like NGOs, they can typically be trusted by most people. This is because they typically belong to businesses that are not here for monetary gains but to provide community services and support. Therefore, most big organizations and associations that err genuine and trustworthy use this domain name extension.
Ans: To figure out whether a website is reliable or not, the first thing that you need to do is to check out its domain name extensions. Here, .com (the most common extension) is also the least reliable since many scam sites use these extensions too. On the other hand, websites with extensions like .org, .edu, and .gov are more reliable since reputable businesses and organizations use such extensions, including government agencies and associations.
Conclusion
Therefore, we can conclude here that the answer to the question “What does .org mean?” simply refers to corporate websites.
Consequently, it means that websites with domain name extensions of .org belong to businesses that are non-profit in nature, like various NGOs and other non-profit organizations and associations.
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