Does your TLD impact PPC click-through rates?

In online paid media, there are a couple of different criteria to stand out from the c. These range from relatively simple tasks, such as adding logos to your ads, to more complex ones, such as constantly analyzing CPC metrics and adjusting bids.

On top of that, click through rates also determine your actual paid media strategys success. Google's quality scores determine your actual place on the search results, the same as your bids. Quality scores are based on three metrics that aim to summarize your site's quality.

These are Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience. In this article, we explore the relationship between domain extensions and click-through behavior, and whether different TLDs can influence users' willingness to click.

The psychology of domain extensions

A domain is a unique identifier that began with websites around 2013. It generally has two elements. A top-level domain, or TLD (like: .com, .shop, or .io), and a second-level domain (SLD), which comes before the dot.

This combination makes a unique string, which ensures that the users can easily get access to the desired website. However, the supply of TLDs was relatively low after the millennium, but around 2013 they started to grow. Since then, businesses have increasingly adopted a wide range of alternative extensions, including .ai, .io, and .shop.

Consumer trust in .com vs. niche authority in .shop, .io, and .app

Even though websites tend to use various TLD options in 2026, consumer behaviors have changed relatively slowly over the years.

In 2025, Inbusiness's survey about domain names concluded a very interesting result. Based on the answers, Gen X and Boomers didn't find domain names more memorable if they included a TLD other than .com, and only ⅓ of Millennials and Gen Z rated it as an impactful dimension. On top of that, Hostinger found out that amongst all extensions, .com still commands the highest level of trust and global recognition from users.

From this information, you might think there is no advantage to using alternative TLDs, since users are still skeptical of them. If we take the average of all industries' data, this is the conclusion. However, as you will realize, in some industries, the trends are completely different.

Industry-specific expectations

It is not a coincidence that amongst startups, the .com extension starts to decline, since there's an increasing demand for .ahave or .sh. They have made greater inroads with their target audience: potential early adopters who are curious about every little update, patch, or news item.

An alternative TLD completely fits this bracket. It seems like they are using a different approach; they think outside the box, which generates positive feelings inside the audience. After the start of the AI boom, companies are even making more efforts to create these resonances. Nowadays, an AI site is not artificial enough if its TLD is not .ai.

In 2025, Crypto.com co-founder Kris Marszalek purchased AI.com for approximately $70 million, demonstrating the extraordinary value that a memorable domain name can command. Although AI.com uses the traditional .com TLD, its short, recognizable name reflects the growing prominence of artificial intelligence online.

If the AI boom will be with us in the next couple of years (and none of the experts think otherwise), .AI TLDs could become the second-largest Top-Level Domain, which could be achieved in a 4-5 year period. No other TLD comes close to this rapid increase in the last 10 years in terms of registration volume.

Alternative TLDs and click behavior

The main issue with alternative domain names is the lack of trust from users in it. A 2024 BrightLocal survey found that legacy TLDs (.com, .co, .org) get 38% better click-through rates than the alternative options. And even though this percentage point is decreasing year by year, the difference is still huge.

That means if there are 3 organic results to a query and the user doesnt know anything from either of the sites, and you're using an alternative TLD while the others are not, theres a significant chance that they wouldnt choose your website. However, there are some other factors that have more explanatory power than the TLD: your organic placement, the displayed text, and even the relevancy of the SLD.

Recommendations for PPC marketers

As a PPC marketer, first you need to understand the industrial environment. As we demonstrated, some industries' alternative TLD-s are more likely blessings than curses.

So, before spending resources on hiding the clues for complete identification, review the actual situation. However, if it can decrease the chances of getting clicks, as users are insecure about the website, you need to act. Fortunately, PPC marketers have some opportunities to hide domain names or put other factors in the spotlight.

In this section, we will demonstrate some of these methods.

Create messages around trust

In search engine advertisements, you have more control over the displayed text than in organic results. Therefore, you can react to certain issues, even before the users click on your site. And if there's a big insecurity around your website, your best option is to communicate in the first possible place.

Messages such as "Trusted by 60+ partners" can help strengthen perceived credibility. Also, writing about how long you are in the industry, or how satisfied your visitors are with your service.

Change the displayed name

Google Ads also allows eligible advertisers to use business information assets, such as a business name and logo, alongside their Search ads. These elements can make the brand more recognizable and may help reduce uncertainty before the user clicks.

Use assets

Google Ads offers ad asset options in paid advertising. These help you add more information about your brand. For example: add your Google Business account with your reviews, display phone numbers, add a logo, and much more.

These can also help you to build more trust around your brand, even though your TLD makes it a little bit harder.