Businesses, organisations, clubs, and individuals across Donegal registered 971 new .ie domains in 2021, according to new figures from .IE, Ireland’s country domain manager.
The number represents 15.2% growth in new registrations in Donegal compared to pre-pandemic 2019.
Two of the most frequently used keywords were ‘beauty’ and ‘sea’.
According to the 2021 .IE Domain Profile Report, for most of last year, the rate of new .ie domain registrations largely reflected Government lockdown policy.
“In the months of 2021 when Ireland was in strict lockdown and non-essential retail was closed, new .ie domain registrations surged,” said David Curtin, Chief Executive of .IE.
“SMEs are also no longer simply reacting to the pandemic. Instead, consumer behaviours are changing, and SMEs are changing with them. Businesses in Donegal and across Ireland are investing in new websites, integrating e-commerce technology, and making use of productivity-enhancing tools all year round because they now recognise the huge role they play in profitability and customer acquisition.”