RESTON, Va. (September 15, 2011) – It’s no secret that the rise in corporate social media use has increased multi-fold over the past few years, leaving some to question the future of the corporate website. However, according to a new survey commissioned by .ORG, The Public Interest Registry (PIR), the domain name is here to stay, as an overwhelming majority of Americans continue to rely on traditional websites when it comes to seeking credible information about an organization, company or brand.
The survey, which sought to bring insight into consumers’ perceptions of domain names, found that a staggering 81 percent of Americans turn to an organization or company’s website first to find information on the entity, a new product or cause. In contrast, only 16 percent of Americans choose Facebook as their primary source for information, while 14 percent selected LinkedIn, 13 percent elected YouTube, and eight percent preferred Twitter.
Other key findings from this survey revealed the following:
- If a company or organization were to publish identical information on a registered .ORG, .COM, .NET and .INFO address, .ORG would be viewed as the most “trusted” site for information with 41 percent, while 22 percent of those surveyed would rely on a .COM, two percent on a .NET and four percent on a .INFO. Twenty-five percent of those polled trust all the domains equally.
- Nearly half – or 47 percent – of Americans would choose .ORG over .COM, .NET and .INFO to post information on a cause about which they are passionate.
- During a time of crisis, 39 percent of Americans turn to .ORG for information, while 25 percent turn to .COM, 20 percent to .NET and only five percent to .INFO.
- Similarly, when seeking information during a crisis, 44 percent of women choose .ORG for reliable information, while only 34 percent of men choose .ORG. Conversely, 29 percent of men choose .COM as an informational resource during a crisis, whereas only 22 percent of women choose .COM.
- Younger Americans (18-34) are more likely to register a .ORG than those in the older age range (55+), particularly when it comes to sharing information about a personal or professional cause. Sixty-four percent of Americans age 18-24 and 58 percent of Americans age 25-34 would choose .ORG while 39 percent of Americans age 55-64 and 34 percent of Americans age 65 and over would register the domain.
“Our team here at PIR works incredibly hard to ensure that the .ORG name is one that people can turn to find credible information in times of both crisis and calm,” said Brian Cute, CEO of .ORG, the Public Interest Registry. “That said, we are very pleased that .ORG’s inherent value is recognized by the general public. With the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ (ICANN) impending introduction of new domain extensions – not to mention the increasing presence of social media – it’s also gratifying to see that Americans still rely on traditional websites, specifically .ORG, to obtain quality information.”
PIR surveyed 1,000 American adults across the U.S., consisting of 531 females and 469 males. For more information about .ORG, the Public Interest Registry, please visit www.pir.org.