Introduction

You need different approaches to deliver your messages to different regions, countries, or even counties. People who differ from their place of living all live a different life, with different hobbies, working conditions, social impressions, and many more. You can’t call them the same, as they are not. They resonate differently with the same ads, products, or benefits.

If you step into a new market, you shouldn’t just use the same techniques that once worked, because it worked in different conditions. It’s like bringing your snow shovel to Africa. It is a useful product, but it requires the exact circumstances. These circumstances do not stand in Africa, therefore they don’t understand how that object can be useful.

This also works on the digital landscape. If you have a “.com” domain name, not even one country’s residents believe that it exclusively belongs to them. However, if the brand has a physical (mostly in-shop) activity, this kind of regional connection can be formed, and a “.com” website can still be a strong option. But not always!

So why should you commonly think of geo-targeted domain names? Why do the SEO rules, and Google pushes geo-target domain names? What are the benefits of using them? We all answer these questions in this article! 

What is a geo-targeted domain name?

A geo-targeted domain name is a web address that is specifically created for a geographical area. The main task for them is to be more authentic for those specific users and rank higher in the local search results, therefore the locals can find the website more easily.

The difference between a geo-targeted and a non-geo-targeted domain name is only noticeable if you look at the end of the domain: The Top-level domain (TLD)! It comes after the second-level domain (SLD), which is a free-to-choose word that describes your brand, and distinguishes it from the others. 

For example, in the case of “Google.com”, “Google” is the second-level domain, and “.com” is the top-level domain. Some experts also call it a domain name extension, because it completes the whole web address.

Theoretically “Google.com”, and “Google.org” can work simultaneously as it creates two completely different web addresses. However, these huge enterprises usually don’t let others reserve identical domain names. 

Also, just to make this more complicated, numerous types of top-level domains exist:

General, all around the world TLDs

• These kinds of TLDs are very popular, due to their simplicity. We all know the “.com” ended websites, and even if we do not completely trust all of them, they don’t generate negative feelings either.

Non-profit TLDs

• Only non-profit companies are eligible to use these TLDs. Some of them are even reserved for only one organization. For example: “.gov” is exclusively reserved for the US state. 

Industry-specific TLDs

• These TLDs are on the rise. Some businesses want to categorize themselves as “revolutionary”, and want to try new and new options to even emphasize this image. These are usually innovative entrepreneurs or startup founders. They love using “.tech”, “.ai”, and other popular words in their TLDs to emphasize their message.

Country-specific TLDs (ccTLD)

• And finally the most important for us. Every country has a unique TLD. Even if there is no barrier to using these TLDs outside the specific country, they are often used only inside the designated country. 

But why? We will answer it shortly. 

What is the connection between SEO, search rankings, and domain names?

The answer to the last question lies in the connection between these three elements. Domain names, search engine optimization, and search rankings are closely intertwined, even if their relationship is sometimes overlooked.

First, search engine optimization is basically a series of rules and requirements which – as of Google – all help websites to convert into quality websites. So Google rewards those websites that align with their set of rules, and strive for a quality website. The better you pass these requirements, the better place your site will grab in Google’s search rankings for specific keywords.

That’s a win-win scenario from three different points of view: 

• A business gets more clicks for free

• The users will find themselves on quality sites

• Google remains the top search engine, as they will have satisfied users

The problem is that by now most online businesses understand this system, and try to make everything right. They critically need to, as recent studies show that 75% of all users do not go beyond the first page of Google search results. 

So the competition is very tight for the first few places, and very few changes are the deciding factors. And here is when domain names, and domain registration come down to the picture. 

When to use a geo-targeted domain name?

Google gives a SEO boost to your website in a specific region, if you use the exact nations on your country-code top-level domain! The reason for this is that they believe it will be more authentic to those readers. And this is more or less true. 

When a British user types down “cheap property” into the search bar, they are not necessarily thinking of Indian properties. They rather want to focus on British properties. Or when they are curious about the tax system, they are specifically curious about the national tax system, therefore they need British sources.

So geo-targeted domain names are great when your site is specifically made for one nation’s residents. However, it can be an additional website to your primary website. The way most of the biggest firms do.

Geo-targeted domains as its finest

Coca-Cola is one of the world’s biggest companies. They sell their products on every continent, and almost every country. Therefore they both need to communicate globally, and locally as well. That’s why they run a global website “https://www.coca-colacompany.com/”, they also have regional websites (for example https://www.coca-cola.com/eu/en), and country-specific websites for all markets they are in. For example, here is their site specifically for the UK market: https://www.coca-cola.com/gb/en 

Also, they make unique content and promotions for every regional market so that the visitors become more engaged with the brand! So Coca-Cola always buys domain names, as it is part of their SEO strategy!

When you don’t need a geo-targeted domain name? 

However, even if geo-targeted domain names are a real deal in many scenarios, we bring ourselves some cases when it’s not just unnecessary to use them, but makes more damage than it fixes. 

When you don’t need to distinguish the visitors by their location

In some cases, you don’t need to segment your selling in terms of your buyers’ location. For example, If you run a global e-commerce store that sells digital products, using multiple geo-targeted domain names might be unnecessary. Since your product is not region-specific and is delivered digitally, segmenting visitors by country could create unnecessary complexity without adding value. Instead, a single “.com” domain with localized language options would be more efficient.

When you only want to focus on the worldwide market

Situations occur when your market is so small that you need to think globally from the very first minute. For example, if you sell high-end measurement applicants, you need to operate around the world to gain profitability. In this market, it is unnecessary to have geo-targeted domain names. 

When you don’t have the resources

Domain registration can be expensive. And registering multiple powerful domain names is really a costly activity. Stick with a few markets first, and do not buy every ccTLDs that you just recently glanced at.

Conclusion

In this article, we discovered the world of geo-targeted domain names. We also helped you to understand the connection between SEO and domain names, and when it is essential to switch to geo-targeted domain names. However, we also mentioned when it is not the right time to change that, and how an enterprise uses the combination of general top-level domains, and ccTLDs quite successfully.