I’m running a website outside the USA (which mostly uses .com).
Is using a country-specific TLD super important for my SEO in that country, or is it just a minor detail?
For example:
New Zealand: .nz or .co.nz
UK: .co.uk
Singapore: .sg or .com.sg
Would a regular .com website put me at a disadvantage in that country if all other factors (local SEO signals, etc.) are equal?
Would a regular .com website put me at a disadvantage in that country?
Probably not if you go with .com.
Google says that ccTLDs (country code top-level domains) help target the country, but .com is super common and doesn’t get penalized.
There are exceptions like .tv or .ai, which are treated like generic TLDs now.
Do a quick search in your location for your website’s keywords and check the TLDs on the first couple of pages.
Bottom line:
Bruno said:
@EmmanuelBrown
Thanks! That’s exactly what I was hoping for
No problem! Just make sure your domain is simple, easy to remember, and easy to type.
It won’t help much if. And avoid TLDs known for spam like .biz or .tk.
Google definitely favors ccTLDs. Try this: buy two domains, one .com and one ccTLD (like .uk) with the same random keyword, and you’ll see the ccTLD ranks higher. But if your basic SEO isn’t solid, it won’t make a big difference.
@kenmarkawey
Gotcha! Any idea how much weight that preference holds? I’m wondering if it’s a big handicap or if solid SEO (local content, backlinks from ccTLDs, etc.) can overcome it.
I don’t think having a .com will hurt your rankings, but if you’re creating a site that’s strictly local, go with the country TLD.
The TLD can help with click-through rates since people might prefer clicking on a local site, but rankings will still depend mostly on your content and how well it matches what users are looking for.
There’s some link between higher click-through rates and better rankings, but Google has said CTR isn’t a direct ranking factor.
Yep, using a country-specific TLD sends a clear signal to Google that you’re targeting that country. For better results, you could also try:
This can really boost your chances in search rankings for that country.
A country-specific TLD (like .nz or .co.uk) can give you a slight advantage by showing search engines that your site is more relevant to local users.
A .com domain won’t hurt you, but having a local TLD might give you a little boost in local search results.
I’ve been doing SEO in a smaller market, and ccTLDs or exact match domains (with your main keyword in the domain) work great.
I’ve managed to get sites ranking at the top of Google in just a month, so in smaller markets, it’s really helpful!
I’ve been running my online business for 4 months now, and after researching a ton, here’s what I’ve learned:
If your business is only in one country, it’s better to use the local TLD. It shows up in SERPs as more relevant to users from that area.
Having a good domain and a strong backlink profile is key. Even if you have a local TLD, if your competitor’s .com has stronger backlinks, they’ll outrank you.
High-quality content and a high domain authority (DA) also help a lot. I’ve bought over 150 domains since June 2024, and I’ve noticed that domains with good DA get indexed faster by Google.
So, if you can mix a local TLD with strong backlinks and a solid domain authority, you’ll be in a good spot!
