Top-level domains, or TLDs, are the parts of domain names at the end, like .COM or .CO.UK. They’re integral elements of every web address, and there are lots of them to choose from. RU is one such domain name, and it’s actually one of the most-used TLDs in the world.
This guide explores what the .RU domain is, how it’s used, and some pros and cons to consider.
An Introduction to the .RU Domain
The .RU domain is what’s known as a ccTLD or country-code top-level domain. That means it’s the official TLD for a specific country – in this case, the Russian Federation. Other examples of ccTLDs include .FR for France, .IT for Italy, and .US for the United States.
The .RU domain is a particularly significant one, due to the vast size, influence, and population of Russia. In fact, .RU ranks among the most-used TLDs in the world, with hundreds of thousands of websites ending with .RU.
How the .RU Domain Is Used
There are two primary functions for .RU:
Businesses, Organizations, and People Based in Russia
Since .RU is the official ccTLD for Russia, its primary use in clear – it’s aimed at businesses, people, or other entities that exist and operate within Russia itself. All of the big Russian businesses, banks, charities, and organizations have domain names with .RU as the TLD, for example, and the Russian people recognize .RU as their go-to TLD.
Companies or Organizations Expanding into Russia
ccTLDs aren’t necessarily restricted to people and businesses operating in that specific country. Similarly, businesses or organizations outside of Russia may also use the .RU domain name if they operate internationally. A business based in the U.S., for example, may still offer services and products to people in Russia and could set up a .RU address to attract the Russian audience.
How Do You Register a .RU Domain?
Before you register any sort of top-level domain, it’s important to check how to do so. A lot of ccTLDs come with specific rules and regulations, and some of them are exclusively restricted to citizens of the country in question – so nobody from other countries is allowed to register.
Luckily, that’s not the case with .RU domain name registration. You don’t have to be a Russian citizen to set up a .RU address, but you do need to meet certain key criteria:
- Your domain must have between two and 63 characters in total
- You can’t start or finish your domain name with a hyphen
- You have to use Latin letters (not Cyrillic or Russian letters)
The Pros and Cons of the .RU Domain
By this stage, you may be considering creating your own .RU address. Before you dive in, let’s look at the advantages and downsides of this specific TLD.
Pros
- Short and snappy: Like other ccTLDs, .RU consists of just two characters. That makes it concise, easy to remember, and ideal for users who want a snappy web address to make an impact on their target audience.
- Ideal for Russia: If you want to do business in Russia or appeal to a Russian audience, .RU is the domain to go with. This is the de facto domain name used across the Russian Federation and it’s very familiar to the natives.
- SEO benefits: If you want to rank highly on Google or other search engines in Russia (such as Yandex), you’ll have the best odds if you use a .RU address. This may help you gain more clicks, traffic, and sales (if you’re setting up a business website).
- Availability: .RU is a popular domain name, but it’s nowhere near as popular or widely-used as .COM. So, you’ve got more options when creating a .RU site in terms of what your domain name looks like.
Cons
- Not the best reputation: Unfortunately for genuine .RU site owners, the .RU TLD doesn’t have the best reputation. If you scan message boards and articles online, you may notice a general view that .RU domains often seem spammy or untrustworthy, especially among U.S. users.
- Political conflict: At this time, Russia is engaged in a war with Ukraine and has had many sanctions placed upon it by other nations around the world. As such, .RU sites are boycotted and viewed negatively by many outside Russia’s borders.
- Poor SEO outside Russia: While a .RU address can help you get good SEO ranks within Russia, it’s not the same story elsewhere. You may struggle to rank high in Google results in the U.S. or U.K., for example, with your .RU website.
Register Your .RU Domain Today
There you have it – a complete guide to the .RU domain. It’s not for everyone, and it does have a couple of downsides, but for businesses or people that want to reach a Russian audience, there’s no better option.
