What is happening?

The City of Portsmouth is switching its domain name from cityofportsmouth.com to portsmouthnh.gov in early 2025.

What Does That Mean for Users?

Transitioning from a .com to a .gov domain will have several impacts on current website users:

1. Redirection: Initially, users who visit the old .com domain will be automatically redirected to the new .gov domain. This ensures that they can still access the site without any interruption
    
2. Bookmarks and Links: Users will need to update their bookmarks and any saved links to the new .gov domain. Additionally, any external websites linking to the City's site will need to update their links to ensure they point to the correct address
    
3. Email Communications: Email addresses of staff will be updated to the new .gov domain. During a transition period, the old .com email addresses will still be active
    
4. User Experience: Overall user experience should improve due to the enhanced security and credibility of the .gov domain
    
5. Search Engine Results: There might be a temporary fluctuation in search engine rankings as the new domain is indexed
    
6. Communication and Support: The City will post announcements on the website, send social media updates, and have support to assist users with any questions or issues they might encounter

Overall, while there may be some initial adjustments for users, the long-term benefits of increased security, trust, and professionalism will enhance their experience with the City's online services. If you have any specific concerns or need further details, feel free to ask!

Why this change?

Domains specifically for government organizations can offer several important advantages, primarily related to credibility, trust, and clarity of purpose. Here are some compelling reasons why the City is making this switch:

1. Trust and Credibility: A .gov domain is exclusively available to government entities, which unequivocally establishes to visitors that the website is a legitimate and authorized government agency.
    
2. Protection from Impersonation: Government organizations are attractive targets for impersonation and phishing attempts. By using a .gov domain, the City can reduce the risk of fraudulent websites attempting to impersonate official government sources, which can harm the public and the organization.
    
3. Enhanced Public Service: A .gov domain helps government organizations fulfill their primary mission of serving the public by providing a clear and trusted channel for accessing government services, information, and resources.
    
4. Improved Visibility: Search engines and online directories often prioritize .gov websites in search results, leading to better visibility and easier access for users searching for government-related information and services.
    
5. Compliance and Accessibility: Government organizations are often subject to various legal and regulatory requirements, such as accessibility standards, data privacy regulations, and transparency mandates. Switching to a .gov domain demonstrates our commitment to compliance with these regulations, which is crucial for the City.
    
6. Consistency and Professionalism: Using a .gov domain aligns with the standard practice for government websites. This can improve the overall user experience and make it easier for people to navigate and trust the site.
    
7. Access to Government Resources: Many government organizations have access to specific resources, support, and services designed for .gov websites, which can enhance functionality and security. For example, the nh.gov domain has additional protection against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks provided to the domain owner at no charge via their DNS Hosting arrangement.

Why now?

More than a year ago, The City of Portsmouth requested grant monies from the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program to assist with this change. The New Hampshire Public Risk Management Exchange (PRIMEX), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are recommending that all government agencies migrate to a .gov web domain to protect against cyber threats and gain the advantage of additional cyber services.

The grant program procures and oversees professional services for use by municipalities like Portsmouth to help them migrate from existing web domains to .gov.