When it comes to having a successful website, the power of your domain name is an important factor. This is especially true with regards to search engines, so even if you’ve already been looking at a domain name check, don’t register a domain until you have all the facts.

Search engines factor in lots of different information when determining which sites to prioritize for a user’s query. The text you choose to register (the part that comes between “www” and “.com” or another extension) is important, but so is the extension itself. Some of these extensions have been around longer, or are simply associated with websites that have greater integrity.

When you do a domain name check in preparation to register a domain, you’ll see that you have the choice of many different domain extensions. These may come at different prices or have different domain availabilities. Here’s an overview of the most popular, and which each is appropriate for:

• .com is popular for worldwide businesses with a global audience. This is the most common domain extension of all
• .org is primarily used for nonprofit organisations and other charities
• .gov cannot be purchased by the public: it is specifically for government use
• .org.uk is for UK nonprofits, specifically and otherwise works like .org sites
• .co.uk is the “.com” of the UK, and is the most popular domain extension for UK-based websites and businesses

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In the world of internet marketing, web hosting, and all other things website-related, it’s common to hear that something “is king”. For example, SEO professionals are known to declare that “content is king,” while those who register domain name addresses will sometimes say “.com is king” over other extensions such as “.net” or “.org.”

But is that true? Is .com really the best domain extension for every website? Not surprisingly, the answer is more complex than a simple yes or no. The appropriate extension depends largely upon the content and purpose of the website itself, as well as on the target audience that the website’s owners seek to reach.

• .com is the most popular extension on a global level. If your website, especially a business website, is meant to appeal to an audience in more than one country, regardless of geography, then you should put emphasis on .com domains during your domain names search process.
• .co.uk is, of course, popular in the UK, and serves a very different purpose. If your business is relevant to nearby customers (within your town, county, or country), then a “.co.uk” domain extension adds legitimacy by showing that you are nearby.

To provide an example, a company that sells party supplies online would do well to sequester a .com domain name, as their target audience comes from many countries and is more likely to trust a business with a common extension.

However, a company that does roof repair in northern England does not need to worry about global customers. This is a company that provides localized service within the UK to customers in the UK. The more clear it is (to both customers and search engines – we’ll address this further below) that this is a UK company, the better. This means a .co.uk web address extension (often made more affordable when purchased as a package with UK web hosting) is a good idea for that website.

The difference in domain name extension matters beyond customer perception. Search engines take many factors into account when returning search results for peoples’ queries. Extension can be a part of that, especially for local businesses. The more obvious it is that you provide the services searchers are looking for, the more likely you are to show up high in search results. So if someone searches for “UK roof repair” and your roof repair site has the “.co.uk” extension, you’re likely to benefit from that correlation.

This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but it’s something to take into consideration when you’re running a domain name check for a potential new website. If you can find a domain name for sale that includes a keyword relevant to your business, and also has the right extension for your needs, your website gains a layer of legitimacy simply by having a good address.

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When you set out to buy a domain name, have you considered not just the title of your domain itself, but also the extension? Domain name registration includes access to dozens of different domain extensions, such as .com, .net, .org, .uk, .biz, .me, and many, many others.

The extensions .com and .uk are most popular for people who buy domain names for UK-based websites. For most websites, having just one domain name may be sufficient. However, there may well be good commercial reasons for buying domain names with additional extensions.

Why would one do this? Well, put simply, to protect your brand. In other words, to prevent someone else buying the same domain name but with a different extension in order to compete with you (for example, you’ve worked hard to promote BusinessName.com and they plan to buy BusinessName.net).

However, before you pursue multiple extensions for domain name registration, make sure you understand what not to do if you have several domain names. For any business website, careful though with a regards to search engine optimisation is a must. Therefore when buying multiple domain name extensions, you should not simply clone your site and put a copy of the same thing at each address. This will trigger Google to think you are a spammer, and hurt all sites. You should either redirect the variations to your main site, or create unique content for each domain name you buy.

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I am set to launch my company online, but the domain name I want, which is a “.com” is already taken. I am a UK business, and although I have already secured the “.co.uk” name I really want my main website to be on the .com as this is the most popular domain extension. What can I do?

There is no doubt that the .com extension is the most popular and recognised domain extension on the World Wide Web. But more often than not, the domain name you desire will have already been registered by someone else. Why is this though? Well, it’s a combination of reasons. Essentially, cheap domain names or even free domain names are regularly offered by a lot  of registration companies. Every single day, literally thousands of people are looking to buy domains, and consequently, hundreds of thousands of domain names are registered every day. Together with the fact that the .com extension is the original extension which has no geographical boundaries or other restrictions, making it the most desirable extension for someone looking to buy domain names.

The first thing to do is to find out who has registered the domain name you want. If there is no website linked to the domain name, you can perform a simple ‘whois’ domain name search. The whois search will list the contact’s (registrant) name and email address.

It’s easier to negotiate directly with the registrant of the domain name if the name doesn’t link to a website or email address. When negotiating, don’t sound too desperate or pushy, it’ll only raise the asking price!

If the domain name is not being used and is close to expiry, it may be prudent not to contact the current registrant, as this may arouse the registrant’s interest in an otherwise dormant domain name. In this case, you can do one of two things.

1. Let the domain name expire and wait for about 45 days after the expiry, which is when the domain should become available to register again.
2. Place a back order with the domain name’s registrar (the domain name registration company).

Option 1 is risky as you don’t know who else is interested in the domain name and may register it before you. Option 2, at least lets you bid for the domain name, even if others have placed back orders on the same domain name.

If you are successful in obtaining the domain name, it’ll be a good idea to register it for multiple years, up to 5 or even 10 years. This way, you won’t be at risk in losing the name because you forgot to renew. Domain names are pretty cheap to register, so it’s always a good idea to buy a domain name for multiple years.

If for whatever reason you’re not successful in obtaining your desired domain name, all is not lost. You could try variations of your company name with either the name of a main product or service you offer, or include the name of the industry you are in. In fact, doing this will improve your search rankings on the search engines because your domain name is more specific. You could also try hyphenating a domain name to give it more clarity and at the same time get a domain name close to the one you originally wanted.

Finally, if you are a UK business, it may be better if you hosted your main site on the .co.uk extension, as this shows your visitors/customers that you are a UK based company.

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