Tips on choosing
the right domain extension
What is your online purpose?
With so many domain extensions to choose from, how do you know which one is right for your website? The simple answer is, use the domain extension that most fits your purpose for being online. For example, charities need a .org, UK companies serving the UK market should have a .co.uk and personal websites and blogs look great with a .me extension. Read on for more tips.
Localised domain extensions
Some search engines are sophisticated enough to recognise that you are in the UK when you are doing a search. They are more likely to display a website ending in .co.uk higher than one ending in .ie (Ireland).
Get your .com
The most popular extension worldwide is .com and it's a good idea to secure this domain wherever possible:
Benefit from 'type in traffic' with the most assumed extension
Many people naturally typing a web address into their browser will add .com as the extension if they don't know what it is. Most web browsers will also automatically check the .com domain first if you don't type one in.
Secure the most popular domain before someone else does
Would it affect your business if someone opened a similar online business to yours with a similar target audience, and registered the same domain in a .com? Would you lose out on traffic to this other website? The answers are yes.
Secure multiple domains
There is no limit to the amount of domain names you can register so it is possible to secure all your brands and relevant keywords in the appropriate extensions for your local or global audience. You can always forward your domains to a single website if you have one.
Start by finding the extension that most suits your purpose for being online and register additional domains that will protect your brand in your local market, and allow you to enter new markets.
UK company selling to UK?
If you are a UK based company and your target market is in the UK you should, where possible, build your website on your .co.uk domain and forward your .com domain to it.
Want to trade internationally?
If you would like to trade with other countries, now or in the future, you should consider securing a country specific extension such as .it for Italy or .fr for France.
Need advice on domain registration or extensions?
Please contact our Sales Advisors who will be happy to help on 0345 363 3632.
Please note this is only a guide, the best judge of your business and your online presence is you. We are here to guide and support you, and to help you make well-informed decisions.
* The following suffixes are on offer when registered for 1 year using the embedded voucher code - .co.uk and .uk and .com and .org.uk. The offer prices are: .co.uk and .uk and .org.uk - FREE. .com - £1.99. These offers entitle you to one .co.uk and one .uk and one .org.uk and one .com at the offer price per account. Additionally, the following extensions will be offered at the prices shown (ex VAT) when registered on site for one year: .net - £8.99, .org - £7.99, .info - £6.99, .biz - £6.99, .uk.com - £20.99, .website - £3.00, .site - £3.99, .tech - £5.00, .store - £5.00, .fun - £3.99, .space - £3.00, .app - £12.00, .london - £18.99, .online - £3.50. Please note, for EU customers VAT rates payable will be subject to your country of residence. All offers are for the first billing period only, do not apply to renewals, are limited to online transactions and cannot be used where free domain offers have already been redeemed. Offers cannot be used in conjunction with any others and may be withdrawn at any time at the discretion of Team Blue Internet Services UK Limited. Standard terms & conditions apply.