Young entrepreneurs have not abandoned domain names. They are starting on social platforms first, then turning to websites as their businesses gain traction.

A sharp decline in domain registration intent among individuals aged 18 to 29 over the past several years prompted SIDN, the registry operator of .nl and co-developer of the Hello Registry platform, to ask an important question: does this trend indicate a structural challenge for the domain name industry, or are young entrepreneurs simply following a different path towards establishing an online presence?

To find out, SIDN commissioned NielsenIQ to examine how commercially active young adults and aspiring entrepreneurs perceive websites and domain names. Surveying more than 500 respondents—half aged 18 to 29—the study provided valuable insights into how the next generation of entrepreneurs is approaching its online presence.

What emerged was not a decline in appreciation for domain names and websites, but a shift in when and how they become relevant.

The rise of the social-first entrepreneur

One of the clearest findings is that younger entrepreneurs no longer follow the traditional path of launching a business. A decade ago, starting a business often involved registering with the chamber of commerce, securing a domain name, creating a website and then attracting customers. Today, many young entrepreneurs begin by building an audience on social platforms. They sell products through social commerce tools, offer services via social media profiles or monetize content through creator platforms. What starts as a hobby, side project, or experiment can gradually evolve into a serious business.

Only when these activities begin to generate meaningful traction do many entrepreneurs invest in their own domain name and website. In other words, websites and domain names are no longer always the starting point of the entrepreneurial journey.

Domain names still matter

Perhaps the most encouraging finding for the industry is that younger adults continue to recognize the value of websites and domain names. Respondents described websites as reliable, professional and permanent digital destinations. They also value having a presence that is not dependent on algorithms, platform policies or the changing popularity of social networks.

However, independence alone is rarely enough to motivate action. The decision to register a domain name is increasingly driven by tangible business outcomes. Improved search engine discoverability was identified as one of the most important reasons to invest in a website and domain name.

The implication is clear: while younger entrepreneurs recognize the value of domain names, they expect a clear return on investment before taking the next step.

Reducing friction is critical

The research also highlights another challenge familiar to many registrars and registries. For many young entrepreneurs, websites, domain names and email solutions are still perceived as relatively complex, time-consuming and expensive to implement. This perception can delay adoption, especially during the early stages of an entrepreneurial journey when simplicity and speed are paramount.

Fortunately, technology is helping to lower these barriers. More than half of respondents indicated that AI-assisted website creation tools would make the process significantly more attractive. For the domain name industry, this presents an opportunity. As AI continues to simplify website creation, some of the hurdles associated with domain adoption could disappear.

What does this mean for registrars and registries?

The findings reinforce something Hello Registry and its partners are seeing more broadly across the domain name ecosystem: a substantial part of the future customer base is already commercially active, but not yet ready to invest in a traditional web presence. Rather than targeting only newly incorporated businesses, registrars may benefit from engaging individuals much earlier in their entrepreneurial journey, while they are building audiences, selling products or experimenting with online business models on social platforms.

This evolution requires a different approach. For early-stage entrepreneurs, simplicity, ease of use, integrated services and rapid deployment matter most. For growing businesses, the focus shifts toward discoverability, professionalism, conversion and long-term brand ownership. The challenge for the industry is therefore not to convince young entrepreneurs that websites matter, but to make the transition from social-first to domain-enabled entrepreneurship as seamless as possible.

Looking ahead

For registries, registrars and digital identity providers, the study offers an encouraging message. The next generation has not abandoned websites and domain names. On the contrary, they continue to associate them with trust, credibility, ownership and professional growth.

What has changed is the timing. Young entrepreneurs increasingly start on social platforms and migrate to domains and websites when their ambitions, audiences and businesses mature. Those organizations that understand and support this evolving customer journey will be best positioned to attract the next generation of domain name users.