What is .PRO TLD (Domain Name Extension)?

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Define PRO TLD

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About .PRO TLD

The .PRO TLD is a generic top-level domain that is developed for the use of professionals. Right from the name, you can easily infer the relation of the TLD with professionals. So, professionals related to any field can go for .PRO TLD.

It was developed in June 2004. The TLD is managed and administered by Registry Pro, which is now acquired by Afilias.

The Interesting History and Facts of .PRO TLD

Jason Drummond was the name behind the idea of the .PRO TLD. He gave the entire concept and started Registry Pro in order to create the .PRO TLD.

Initially, when the domain was founded, it was a highly restricted one. The TLD was specifically allowed to be used by professionals related to four professions only, such as law professionals, medical professionals, engineers, and accountants. Also, these professionals must belong to the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany in order to get the TLD registered.

In the starting days of .PRO TLD, the domain was extremely expensive and was considered to be the most upmarket and tasteful.

In case you had to get a .PRO TLD, you needed to show all the proofs and verifications of your professional licenses in order to be eligible for a .PRO TLD. In 2008, the list of professionals that was only restricted to doctors, accountants, lawyers, and engineers were made bigger to include several other professions as well.

However, in 2015, the restriction in which it was necessary for you to be a certified professional was no longer active. It meant that you no longer needed to be a certified professional in order to register your website with the .PRO TLD. Simply, anyone could get a .PRO TLD by applying no efforts whatsoever.

Due to the withdrawal of the restriction, the TLD has become a lot cheaper and readily available to anyone who needs it.

Usage Recommendations

Though, initially, the .PRO TLD could only be obtained by certified professionals who presented their documentations. But, now you can get the .PRO TLD even if you are not a professional and an ordinary person.

Any business or service related website could go for .PRO TLD in order to add a professional look and feel to the website, thanks to the name, .PRO.
The domain extension is extremely short and easily remembered by visitors. Many professionals and businesses have registered their websites with the .PRO TLD extension and are enjoying trustworthy appeal from the target public.

Nonetheless, after the dismissal of the restriction in which you needed to be a professional, the .PRO TLD has become shadier and riskier to put your money in. It has definitely lost its charm over time, and now it lands in the lists of the shadiest domains. Some popular hosting companies like SiteGround, included this extension in their spammer’s list of TLDs.

Endnote

The .PRO TLD has gone down the drain due to the distinct steps that were taken by the administration. However, the TLD is still very famous in a few countries like Russia. So, you can make an informed decision based on your aims and target public.

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