Which Domain Is Better, .com Or .co.uk For Your Business Website? [With Examples]
The first thing to know for a new business Squarespace website is which domain to take. Is a .com domain always better than co.uk, com.au, or other local domains? Let me explain!
Is having a .com domain for your business always the best option?
.com is the most common and popular TLD (top-level domain).
As a Squarespace SEO (Search Engine Optimization)-led Website Designer, my clients' most commonly asked question is: is it the best to have a .com domain for your business?
It depends!
Understand Search Engines Logic
Based on Google's document, "If your intended audience is in a particular area, you may want to include that location in your domain name. Doing so can help filter out any unintended audience outside your scope."
If your service targets the UK market, it's best to have .co.uk as your domain.
However, if your brand aims for a global English audience, it does not matter where your clients or customer locates; .com as the domain for your business website is the best.
How Domain Impact Your Search Result Ranking on Google
I have an excellent example for you since I experienced it myself recently.
Example: Why Domain Matters For Local Businesses
I was searching for Grid Marketing based in Australia; when I typed "Grid Marketing" in the search bar and pressed entered, it showed "Grid Digital Marketing" in the Netherlands.
It's no surprise that I got this result!
I base in the Netherlands; Google thought I was looking for Grid Digital Marketing in the Netherlands, although I typed "Grid Marketing." The website for Grid Digital Marketing has a Dutch domain (.nl).
This is an excellent example of how Google's algorithm works.
It is vital to have the local domain as your site URL if you are a local business targeting a local audience.
Is It A Good Idea To Have .co When The .com Domain Is Unavailable?
If you decide to have a .com domain, but it's already taken, should you go for a .co domain?
.co domain is originally for Columbia, but since Google in Columbia uses .com.co as the domain for Columbia, now .com.co is more prevalent in Columbia as a local domain.
Because the .com domain is so popular, people started using .co as an alternative.
When Is It A Good Time To Have .co Domain?
As a Squarespace SEO (Search Engine Optimization)-led Website Designer, I would not recommend it unless you love the brand name and insist on using it for your business.
In this case, I recommend having .co when .com is:
Not in business: the domain is parked for selling at a higher price, or the business has stopped.
Taken but not in a relevant business
Otherwise, you would confuse your readers.
Another thing to consider is that if your business is very successful, some people might build a scam site on your brand with the .com ending.
That is why I recommend having another brand name or having an alternative brand name for your site; for example, your brand name is Live the Life, and your site URL can be livethelifeco.com or lifethelifenow.com.
Things To Know Before Paying For Your Ideal Domain
Now, you have the perfect brand name and are ready to pay for your domain, but wait, here are two crucial things to do first!
Check The Spam Rate (SS)
Why?
Nobody likes spam.
Visit this site for the spam rate; I don't suggest having it if it's more than 5%.
Even if you have a search-engine-optimized website, Google will still not rank you high in the search results because of the high spam rate!
Check The History Of The Domain
Check what the site was like and what it was for by visiting this website.
For a business, you want a legitimate business, also in the past.
Is .com Better For Website Traffic Than Other Domains For Your Business?
The answer is no if it's for a specific area; if it's an English-speaking audience worldwide, yes!
I hope you find this post helpful!
