Digital future: Domain names to dominate in 2025 tech shift

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, the year 2025 is set to witness significant shifts in how content creators, brands, and businesses engage online. Insights from key figures at Identity Digital, a global provider of top-level domains, provide a forecast for these changes, focusing on domain name ownership, the creator economy, and the nuances of digital connectivity in the face of geopolitical influences.

Chief Executive Officer Akram Atallah highlighted a noticeable trend where content creators are increasingly opting to own their domain names. "We are witnessing a positive shift for content creators as they reclaim choice and control through domain names," he said.

Despite their large audiences, the past reliance on social and e-commerce platforms is seen as limiting due to their inherent constraints on autonomy and creativity. This move towards domain ownership is driven by creators seeking more reliable ways to engage audiences independently of platform changes.

Atallah noted that domain names empower creators to craft unique digital identities, enabling them to develop and maintain audience relationships without interference from social media algorithms. This independence fosters a vibrant online ecosystem that supports diverse expressions in the digital space.

Similarly, Chief Strategy Officer Ram Mohan emphasised the resurgence of websites and domains as central components of digital strategy by 2025. He warned that stricter content moderation and unpredictable social media algorithms make reaching their intended audiences increasingly challenging for brands and the creator economy. "The return to digital roots," as Mohan termed it, involves a shift towards owning and controlling their narratives through websites.

This transformation is not about abandoning social media but creating a robust ecosystem where websites with descriptive domains become the hub for brand narratives and audience engagement. As companies invest in compelling websites that accurately reflect their value propositions, they can maintain control over messaging in an ever-shifting digital environment.

Rachel Sterling, the Chief Marketing Officer, elaborated on this evolution, describing how domains are poised to become new languages of self-expression. Much like hashtags in social media, top-level domains (TLDs) are expected to be embraced as unique identifiers. "In 2025, the right side of the dot will emerge as a powerful tool for narrative expression," Sterling noted, pointing to a near 400% increase in .ai registrations as an example of how TLDs are becoming integral to digital identity.

The digital dialogue extends into the integration of artificial intelligence, as Mohan remarked on its impact on domain name visibility. While AI systems lean towards established content from conventional domains, this inherently biases information flow against less-represented languages. This concern prompts a call for inclusivity in the digital arena, advocating for the visibility of multilingual content to ensure an authentically diverse internet.

Furthermore, geopolitical shifts are expected to influence global digital interactions, as noted by Mohan, who predicts that tensions will affect how information is accessed and shared. This will underscore the importance of domain security and the management of online identities to counter potential threats such as phishing schemes.

As 2025 approaches, these insights from Identity Digital underscore the critical role of domain names in mastering digital engagement and identity. They offer a lens through which we can anticipate changes and prepare for a digital future that prioritises autonomy, inclusivity, and secure connectivity.