Simple question about domain names.

[SensibleSid]

If we purchased a domain called whatever.net or whatever.biz etc will it be as good as a .com or a .co.uk in terms of ranking?

I was wondering if you learned, wonderful and most excellent people could tell me please. :kissass:

[Cardinal_Sin]

If we purchased a domain called whatever.net or whatever.biz etc will it be as good as a .com or a .co.uk in terms of ranking?

I was wondering if you learned, wonderful and most excellent people could tell me please. :kissass:

If the .com and the .biz both had, for example, 500 backlinks and exactly the same value (pr backlinks value) then the .com would be above the .biz

[BigNipples]

A .co.uk may be perceived as being "better" by visitors depending on the audience.

[Damian]

A .co.uk may be perceived as being "better" by visitors depending on the audience.

citation needed

[Shandy McAndy]

If we purchased a domain called whatever.net or whatever.biz etc will it be as good as a .com or a .co.uk in terms of ranking?

I was wondering if you learned, wonderful and most excellent people could tell me please. :kissass:

I wouldnt bother with .biz etc, in my experience they are a waste of time. Stick to .com, net and co.uk.

There are still plenty of domains out there

[SensibleSid]

Thank you all for your input. Much respek! AYE!

[BigNipples]

citation needed

more "credible" then. from personal experience, some audiences would prefer to see a .co.uk, than a .biz / .org / .com. it depends on the goal of the site, and who's reading it.

[mOBSCENE]

more "credible" then. from personal experience, some audiences would prefer to see a .co.uk, than a .biz / .org / .com. it depends on the goal of the site, and who's reading it.

We use the Harvard referencing system on this board, please comply.

Thanks

:P

[Dionysius]

Depends on your target audience:

a .co.uk will look better to people searching for Tasty British Housewives or Hot Sweaty British Pussies; on the other hand (or in it, if you prefer), people looking for generic Lesbians or Asses won't give a toss whether it's a .com, .net or .org but they will not expect a .biz for a legitimate porn site and will likely run from a .ws, .io, .in or .cn because of the supposed fraud risk. Also, a domain name that is tied to a specific geographic location is supposed to rank more highly for people performing a search from that location (if setup properly) e.g .co.uk should appear higher in U.K search results than a .com; although any search for Big Tits and Tight Ass Gang Bangers will likely bring up a .com more frequently than a .co.uk. Remember that where you host also has an impact on your listing within search engines - if you use a .co.uk then you should really host in the U.K if you intend to target a U.K audience (I don't recommend you to use a U.K host, given the current "moral government" climate).

Personally, go with .com or .net. I've tried .info for a few things and they can be problematic when submitting to directories and TPGs etc.

So, determine your target audience, determine what you're offering, (as implied above by Cardinal_Sin) properly market whatever TLD you register (keep your target audience in mind) and choose an appropriate place to host.

That's what I've learned over the past few years.

[Damian]

more "credible" then. from personal experience, some audiences would prefer to see a .co.uk, than a .biz / .org / .com. it depends on the goal of the site, and who's reading it.

I'm not being argumentative, for once, but credible to whom?

Surely if it's such a big thing, you can find some citation better than 'personal experience'?

If not, what experience? How did you measure this "credibility"? Test a .com and a.co.uk with your audience?

I am genuinely interested in this.

[BigNipples]

I'm not being argumentative, for once, but credible to whom?

The intended audience of the site. If you're English and are looking for an accountant, would you prefer to see accountant.in or accountant.co.uk? As for citations, I really haven't bothered to research, as I've spoken to audiences directly, and have first hand opinions.

Surely if it's such a big thing, you can find some citation better than 'personal experience'?

Big thing? It was just my 2c. I'm sure there is the necessary internet company research out there if you're prepared to pay for it, and I'm sure as an internet marketer, you know where I mean ;)

If not, what experience? How did you measure this "credibility"? Test a .com and a.co.uk with your audience?

Well OK, personal experience, largely British audience, (non-adult) and after seeing a .co.uk in the url, the "sillies" expected to see a registered company number, registered address and name etc, and wanted to apply all these formal company expectations to the site. They complained that there were none of these and wanted me to add them. They wanted to know more about the "company" when in fact it was just a 'site'. However, the .com (as a control) received no such attention from a similar audience. It was apparent the .co.uk appeared more trustworthy to the "sillies", which let's face it, make up the majority of the internet.

So, depending on your audience and your intended goals a .co.uk may be the better choice as the main domain - though get the .com as well.

.biz, .infos, .mobi etc have always been jokes to me.

[mOBSCENE]

.infos

Thanks for them :reading:

[Damian]

The intended audience of the site. If you're English and are looking for an accountant, would you prefer to see accountant.in or accountant.co.uk? As for citations, I really haven't bothered to research, as I've spoken to audiences directly, and have first hand opinions.

It wasn't really a .in vs .co.uk discussion, was it?

If it was accountants and it was .com or .co.uk I wouldn't give a shit.

Which is the thing you seem to be refuting?


Well OK, personal experience, largely British audience, (non-adult) and after seeing a .co.uk in the url, the "sillies" expected to see a registered company number, registered address and name etc, and wanted to apply all these formal company expectations to the site. They complained that there were none of these and wanted me to add them. They wanted to know more about the "company" when in fact it was just a 'site'. However, the .com (as a control) received no such attention from a similar audience. It was apparent the .co.uk appeared more trustworthy to the "sillies", which let's face it, make up the majority of the internet.

Sounds like you are a designer, with a really stupid client who told you to do stuff you didn't agree with on a site? :)


So, depending on your audience and your intended goals a .co.uk may be the better choice as the main domain - though get the .com as well.

I still cannot think why a .co.uk would be better.

I am NOT saying you are wrong. But offering advice to a stranger that will have implications on their business is a dangerous game, unless you have years of experience, case studies, proof that your advice is right...

Obv this is a message board and all opinions are taking with a pinch of salt. But still...

[BigNipples]

It wasn't really a .in vs .co.uk discussion, was it?

If it was accountants and it was .com or .co.uk I wouldn't give a shit.

Which is the thing you seem to be refuting?

You wouldn't, but some would.

Sounds like you are a designer, with a really stupid client who told you to do stuff you didn't agree with on a site? :)
Not at all, but still, show me a client who isn't stupid.

I still cannot think why a .co.uk would be better.

I am NOT saying you are wrong. But offering advice to a stranger that will have implications on their business is a dangerous game, unless you have years of experience, case studies, proof that your advice is right...

Well, judging from the basic question, without any further explanation given, it is impossible to answer and I, like the others was simply offering an opinion.

And besides, doesn't Google generally rank co.uk's above .coms in English regional searches?

[Cardinal_Sin]

And besides, doesn't Google generally rank co.uk's above .coms in English regional searches?

I thought that was supposed to be the way, but just did some searches on google.co.uk with a uk in various search terms, and no, mainly coms/nets and orgs popped up - Don't own any .co.uk domains so never had the need to check this -
Could be Google took my Polish ip and decided to send me .coms etc -

[Tigger]

Regarding the co.uk doing better for regionals

That "shouild" be the case but right now G is so fucked where they are pulling caffiene into play I'm amazed anything relevant at all is coming in

Whilst a co.uk should out rank other TLD when search for UK only sites you also have to take into account ownership location & hosting if thats not UK then just banging up a .co.uk site will not automatically out rank others - all my .co.uk sites do very well for regional term

You wouldn't, but some would.

and the same for my clients most if not all want a co.uk and they assume by that people when searching will assume its a UK business and I don't see any problems in using a .co.uk

When I was living in the UK and looking for services online I would always click a co.uk over a .com after all a .co.uk is supposed to indicate the location of the business - although I also know many use .com's but all of my experience of working with mainstream companies in the UK points towards .co.uk being the choice

[BigNipples]

i've found using google abroad (generally over the last 4-5 years) tends to return sites with their local tld, even for searches of english, so .fr seems to outrank .coms in france, .gr in greece etc.

however, as english is the same between .com and .co.uk, who knows what the mighty G will do next!