How International Domains Can Aid Your Business

.com is the most widely used domain on the Internet, and most websites you browse across will be one of these. However, many people overlook the benefits that can arise from using a country-code top-level domain, and in this article I will outline the benefits and why they are useful as a standalone domain or a redirection to you .com.

International domains can help you gain higher rankings on regional Google sites.

On regionally based Google sites such at google.co.uk, they give a greater preference to extensions of that area. This means that if you have a particular audience based in a certain country/continent, it can help if you have your domain name with those extensions. This can direct the traffic you want in your direction, and can help with Search Engine Optimization for those websites. Proof of this can be seen in a random search of 'hardware stores'.

When searched on google.co.uk, the first five extensions are as follows:. org, .co.uk, .com, .com, .co.uk.

When searched on google.ca, the first five extensions are as follows: .ca, .ca, .com, .ca, .com.

Seeing as Google automatically redirects to the country that you are in, people will almost always have the results of their regional Google unless they choose otherwise. Due to this it can be a good idea to consider international domains when trying to get traffic directed to your website.

Another advantage of international domains is that it opens a wider choice of names. Seeing that there are over 150,000,000 domain names registered in the world, over 100,000,000 of those being .com, there can be a great limitation in name choice. All the best .com names have already been registered, leaving many businesses struggling to choose a domain name that will work. For this reason you should take advantage of international domains that have a greater variety of names still available for registration.

Registration of international domain names as an addition to your .com can help you with brand protection through the Internet. By securing your brand name on as many international extensions as possible you can stop third party companies from potentially ruining your brands reputation.

In conclusion, it is a good idea to invest in international domains as they can be beneficial for your company. Make sure that you take advantage of what they have to offer your business.

The Domaining Home Business Model for Entrepreneurs   Finding a Short, Easy to Remember Domain Name - It's Possible!   Get Your Online Presence Started With An Effective Domain Name   In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   

What Are the Advantages of International Domains?

As you have probably noticed, there are endless combinations of extensions available for your domain name. I used to be surprised when I discovered ccTLDs I didn't even realise existed, and impressed when an individual had used them creatively. What is the point of these ccTLDs? General opinion is that .com is the only thing that matters, and that a .com will give better success to a company, but in this article I would like to discuss with you the benefits of international domains.

The battle to register .com is harsh. What you might call an 'amazing' domain name will be taken in seconds or set up in competitive auctions. Sure, you could choose an alternative name but for many this is not a pleasant option. International domains can help you acquire your desired name without having to make any alterations. There is a greater range of choice and many of these extensions are more widely used than you'd imagine. For example, China makes good use of the ccTLD .cn with over 1 million registered.

You will discover hundreds of different languages throughout the Internet and the so called 'King of the Web', Google, shows its interest in these members of the Internet community by providing the website in different languages, finding local results. If you make use of international domains you will be shown as one of these local result.

You may be looking to acquire a domain name not for personal reasons, but for professional reasons. If this is true then your focus could be on potential customers, and expanding globally. Making use of international domains can help you gather clients locally, from those who find it easier to trust an extension they recognise.

The term brand protection does not commonly make you think of domain names, however there is an emerging service that makes use of international domains in order to protect your product. The way this works is by stopping third parties from registering the domain name later on and causing competition and legal disputes by taking the proactive approach and registering a package of domains.

It is important to realize that not all international domains can be registered without a second thought. Most can be registered through registrars such as 101 Domains, but a few need a local presence to be accepted. This can be for a variety of reasons, some due to their popularity. However, don't let this deter you - there are still hundreds for you to choose from.

As mentioned at the beginning, there is great creativity that can arise from the extensions that are available for use. Matt Mullenweg is a very influential man when it comes to the online world. A founding developer of the well-known WordPress and the owner of a blog with an unforgettable name: ma.tt, .tt being the extension for Trinidad and Tobago.

In conclusion, I believe that more people should start seeing international domains as an option because, though .com is winning in popularity, ccTLDs have a number of advantages.

The Domaining Home Business Model for Entrepreneurs   Finding a Short, Easy to Remember Domain Name - It's Possible!   Get Your Online Presence Started With An Effective Domain Name   In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name