Registering the .cn ccTLD – How to Do It & What Are the Benefits

First introduced in 1990, the .cn domain name has evolved to become the world’s leading Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD) in the world. There are over 20 million domains with this extension – ranging from the standard .cn to variations, such as gov.cn and org.cn – with each giving the company that owns it a route into one of the world’s largest companies.

That leaves you with a couple of questions:

Is it worth it for your business to register a .cn domain and, if so, how would you even do it?

How to Register a .cn Domain

First, the good news:

The China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) allows anybody to register a .cn domain name. So, you don’t have to worry if you’re running a business from outside of China – you can still register. However, there are a couple of caveats to keep in mind.

Though you can register your .cn domain from anywhere in the world, you’ll still need to provide some documentation to the CNNIC. For individuals, a copy of any form of ID – such as your driver’s license – does the job, while businesses need to send a copy of the ID of a company representative. Both also need to sign a “Letter of Commitment,” which confirms that you’re not hosting the domain on a Chinese server.

That brings us to the second caveat – you can’t change your domain name server until the CNNIC reviews this letter along with your identification documents. So, you have to wait until verification is complete, with trying to use the domain name beforehand possibly leading to your registration getting revoked.

Alternatively, you can skip these steps entirely by having a trustee, who is already registered with the CNNIC, handle the domain registration on your behalf.

Why Register a .cn Domain?

Now you know that registering a .cn domain name is fairly straightforward, let’s focus on why you’d want to do it in the first place.

Reason 1 – China Is a Huge Market

And when we say “huge,” we mean China is one of the world’s largest markets in the world for business owners. The country has a population of around 1.425 billion people (over four times the size of the United States) and those people spend billions of dollars on online purchases annually.

In fact, the country’s citizens spent $2.8 trillion in ecommerce stores in 2022, with $480 billion of that going to overseas online merchants. So, having a .cn domain name means you can appeal to that market directly, rather than relying on them to navigate an untranslated version of your website.

Reason 2 – A .cn Domain Name Builds Trust

This reason goes for practically any ccTLD – having it tells the person who sees it that you maintain a presence in their country. For a Chinese consumer, that means your identity has been verified by the country’s authorities and you have CNNIC approval to operate a site dedicated to serving them.

That trust factor is massive.

When somebody makes an online purchase, they have to feel confident that the company from which they buy is legitimate and that it will protect their data. If that confidence isn’t there, then they’re going to bounce without spending a dollar. Your .cn domain name can go a long way to ensuring that doesn’t happen.

Reason 3 – Better Rankings in Chinese Search Engines

Google may be the most popular search engine in the world, but it comes a distant second to China’s most used search engine – Baidu.

Having a website that ranks well in Baidu is going to serve your business better than an equivalent ranking in Google when you operate in China. That’s where a .cn domain comes in. The trust that extension gives you with consumers is mirrored by the trust you’ll receive from Baidu. Plus, your .cn domain means you don’t have to rely on an awkward translation of your main website to get a good ranking. You have a separate domain for a different market.

Register Your .cn Domain Today

All that’s left is to answer one more question:

Where can you register your .cn domain?

Register.Domains is the answer. As a .cn domain name provider, Register.Domains makes Chinese domain names available via its trustee service. Register now – they’re budget friendly and come with complete guidance related to any documentation you may need to provide for the registration.