Should I go with CCTLD or general COM? Setting up a site selling stuff.

[Datalife]

Hey guys,

I am setting up a store website that's gonna sell stuff along with a partner. But I am in a dilemma. Should I base the store on a COM or CCTLD?

My projected audience and traffic (and buyers) will be coming from my country (mainly). But, the stuff I am gonna sell is a very competitive category with many long established DOMINANT players and the market is a bit limited. So, as to the benefits of going with CCTLD, I am not too sure if there is all that much benefit. We're talking about ranking in Google generally, and the Google specific SERP for my country.

So, just needing some advice from those who have gone before me, in your experience, what works best? Go with a COM or CCTLD to base the website on?

Let's say that both versions are available, I will register both, but I still need to choose one. Would Google know that my site is geared towards people from my country, and still rank me well for their country specific Google, even though I choose COM? I need some real live experience advice

Thanks.

 

[biggie]

.com

 

[elevator]

Go for com and redirect the ccTLD to the .com or vice versa

Cheers and good luck.

 

[Ms Domainer]

I agree with phase1. Buy both domains (if you can).

If your core target buyers are mainly in your country, then set up the ccTLD as your main website with the .com as a redirect. Of course, this depends how vigorously your country uses its ccTLD...

If your core is global, then set up the .com as the main site and redirect the ccTLD to it.

 

[mitch007]

Stay .com

 

[nomen]

I would go with ccTLD if you're targeting customers mainly in your country. The trust factor is bigger IMO. Of course great if you can secure the .com as well.

 

[Name Trader]

From what you have explained, definitely .com and redirect the ccTLD.

 

[doubleU]

If suitable .com is avail and the name suggests it's related to your country use .com

but ccTLD could make since if prestige is required from this geo market

 

[Name Trader]

Personally, I think you need to decide which market you are going after. The .com or the ccTLD market.

 

[gpmgroup]

Depends on your country, your business type and how you want to be perceived. In a country with a well developed ccTLD like .uk there can be advantages. Some customers will chose a co.uk before a .com because they see your business as local and that means to them less possible problems with currency conversions, returns, support, repairs etc. A .com has advantages too for example it can be perceived as a biiger more substantial, global business and therefore potentially more sound.

As others have said you want both if possible ideally before you build your brand around the one you choose.

Back in 2008 Nominet who run .uk gave out a press release which stated that they had surveyed 2352 users and they said that 72% of users stated they were more likely to visit the .co.uk rather than the .com in the first instant. (Though comparing ccTLDs and gTLDs rather than just gTLDs or (ccTLDs used as gTLDs) introduces extra issues for some sites/domains, such as people not wanting to pay postage or have support from a foreign country etc.)

https://www.namepros.com/threads/traffic-to-com-from-other-extensions.771757/

 

[abdussamad]

My projected audience and traffic (and buyers) will be coming from my country (mainly). But, the stuff I am gonna sell is a very competitive category with many long established DOMINANT players and the market is a bit limited. So, as to the benefits of going with CCTLD, I am not too sure if there is all that much benefit. We're talking about ranking in Google generally, and the Google specific SERP for my country.

ccTLDs will rank better in country specific search results so go for the ccTLD. If you like you can buy a .com and 301 redirect to the ccTLD.

Proof that Google associates ccTLDs with a specific country:

If your site has a country-coded top-level domain (such as .ie) it is already associated with a geographic region (in this example, Ireland). In this case, you won't be able to specify a geographic location.

Source: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/1347922?hl=en

 

[vdonline]

.com

I only buy stuffs selling on .com, .net or .biz websites

 

[Bros]

What do the big and respected companies and other things use in your country? If they mainly prefer ccTLD go with, if they mainly prefer .com, go with it.