Get a SG Domain Name to Boost Your Local Web Presence

To people who have no clue what a TLD (Top Level Domain) is, it is not as strange as you thought it was. In fact, you probably have seen them each time you enter a website address on your favorite web browser. TLD or Top Level Domain is a website's suffix attached to a domain name.

The popular top level domain names include .com, .net, .co, .org, .edu and .info.  Whenever you register a domain name for your website, your domain registrar will ask for your preferred TLD.

Knowing what TLD to use will have a huge impact on your search engine rankings, as well as your website's traffic. Once your TLD has been set, it can't be changed. In this case, your only option is to buy a new domain name. It's very important to do it right the first time around so you won't go through these troubles.

Is it better to use gTLDs (generic TLDs) like .com and .org, or would ccTLDs (country code TLDs) like .sg, .uk, and .us  make sense if you want to target a local audience? Below we've illustrated the pros and cons when using  gTLDs and ccTLDs.

Which is Better for your Website - gTLDs or ccTLDs?

Choosing the right TLDs to use is equally as important as choosing the domain name itself. Most people don't give much thought to TLDs without knowing that it can spell a great difference in a website's ranking in search engines and vastly improve the overall user experience for the visitor. Below we're going make a comparison between gTLDs and ccTLDs and which one is right for your website.

What is gTLD?

Any TLDs that are generic or not associated with a specific geographic location is a generic top-level domain (gTLD). Some examples of gTLDs are .com, .org, .gov, and others.  Among the TLDs, .com is the most popular, with roughly 50% of the websites on the Internet using it.

Pros of gTLDs

• With gTLDs, your website's traffic is optimized for a global audience as it targets multiple geographic locations.

• Most search engines are known to favor websites with .com or .net extensions. Having a gTLD can boost your site's search engine ranking.

Cons of gTLDs

• If your primary aim is to target local visitors, gTLDs might not give you quality results you wanted since its scope is rather generic and broad in nature.

What is ccTLD?

ccTLD or country code top level domain is a two-letter domain extension that represents a specific country or location. They are generally used if you want to target an audience from a particular geographic location.

Check out this list of countries with its corresponding ccTLDs. Some popular examples are .us (United States), .uk (United Kingdom), .sg (Singapore), and .ca (Canada).

Pros of ccTLDs

• It offers better user experience for visitors looking for local businesses or content within their country. As an example, French people searching for local products or services in France are more likely to click on search results coming from .fr websites than otherwise.

• You have better options for domain names within the country TLD selection. Since .com, .net, and .org are more often than not saturated, all the best domain names are probably taken. So let's say you want to register mywebsite.com which is no longer available, you can buy mywebsites.com.sg instead. Just as long as it doesn't violate copyright laws, you can register the same domain name for each available ccTLD.

Cons of ccTLD

• Keep in mind, local top level domains better cater to country-specific search results. If you're targeting a wider geographic audience, this may not be for you.

• It is generally more expensive than generic domain names.

• It offers a separate domain authority.

Depending on what TLD you choose for your website, you want to ensure that the TLD you're purchasing should give you the most visibility with your target audience and helps you to brand your website easily. When choosing a TLD, it's best to consider it based on the goals of your online marketing strategies.

Want to get traffic from both .com and local TLDs?

If you have a main .com website, that website can still generate traffic from different local TLDs by purchasing parked domains. Parked domains allow multiple domains to point to another website which gives you more online visibility and SEO advantage.

Recommended Articles

Here are some related articles we recommend you read:

What are Add-on, Parked and Sub Domains?

5 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Domain Name

Domain Names: What They are How they Work