Never buy a .online domain (0xsid.com)

Article summary

The author purchased a .online domain for a small project, but it was removed from Google's search results due to a 'serverHold' status set by the registry, Radix. The author was unable to resolve the issue due to a catch-22 situation where Google required domain verification to remove the flag, but the domain would not resolve. The author ultimately had to request a temporary release from the registry to allow Google to review the site. The experience led the author to conclude that buying non-.com domains can be problematic.

Main themes

• Domain registration issues
• Google search result removals
• TLD reliability
• Registrar problems
• Domain verification

What commenters say

• Using non-.com domains can lead to unexpected issues with search engine visibility and registrar support.
• Google's banning policies can be overly aggressive and difficult to appeal, even for innocent sites.
• Some registrars, such as Namecheap, have been acquired by private equity firms, which can lead to poor customer service and price gouging.
• Adding a domain to Google Search Console can help prevent or resolve issues with search engine visibility, but it also ties the domain to a Google account.
• Using a dedicated Google account for each domain registration can help mitigate the risks of account suspension, but it may not be foolproof.
• The use of certain TLDs, such as .online, can increase the risk of being flagged as malicious or suspicious by security vendors.
• Domain owners should be cautious when registering domains with less common TLDs and consider the potential risks and consequences.
• Some commenters recommend using certain registrars, such as Cloudflare or Dynadot, due to their more transparent and customer-friendly practices.