Did you know that there are about 628.5 million registered domains as of July, 2023?

Nowadays, choosing a domain name is much trickier than it used to be a few years ago.

Furthermore, brandable domains are a dying species.

If you want to buy a new domain for your business or mobile application, there are several things you should consider when making your decision.

In this article, I will give you some tips for buying a good domain name and choosing the right TLD for SEO. We will also answer the common question of, “Do TLDs affect SEO?”

Once you’ve chosen the right domain, you’ll be ready to create your website and work on your SEO to grow your business or brand. 

Do TLDs Affect SEO?

Yes, TLDs can have an impact on your SEO. As a general rule, country-specific domains tend to rank better in search engines than generic TLDs within the targeted region.

For instance, a co.uk domain name will likely rank better for local specific search queries such as “auto loans London” than a generic .com domain will.

As you can see in the screenshot below, 3 of the top 4 websites have the .co.uk domain extension. 

auto loans london

Now that isn’t to say that a .com TLD won’t be able to rank for search queries in the UK. As evidenced in the above screenshot, the highest ranking website has a .com domain extension.

However, if you only operate within and target a specific region, consider using a country-specific domain extension (ccTLD).

What Domain Extension (TLD) is Best for SEO?

When buying a domain, it’s important to understand that you must try to choose generic Top Level Domains if you want to compete worldwide.

These domains can help you stay competitive in search engines and will also increase your brand reputation. 

Why? 

Because these domains don’t target specific countries and they are widely known.

Examples of generic Top-Level Domains include:

  • .aero
  • .biz
  • .cat
  • .com
  • .coop
  • .edu
  • .gov
  • .info
  • .int
  • .jobs
  • .mil
  • .mobi
  • .museum
  • .name
  • .net
  • .org
  • .pro
  • .tel
  • .travel

Does this mean the rest of the domain extensions are not good for SEO?

Yes and no.

If you want to rank high in Google.com, you should try sticking to a gTLD.

For instance, if you own an electronic store that sells products worldwide, choosing a .com, .net or .org domain extension would be the best solution.

However, there are times when you’ll want to stray from this list. 

If, for example, you want to sell products only in Germany, you can go for a .de domain extension, and Google will understand that your goal is to rank higher in Google.de.

german shoe store

One Common Domain Mistake to Avoid

Due to the lack of brandable domains available, many entrepreneurs make the mistake of choosing a country-level domain without realizing that this will hold them back from ranking in Google internationally.

Let me give you another example. 

The website lemona.de may sound very brandable and easy to remember, but, in fact, it’s not a good domain to have if you want to rank for worldwide terms. 

Google considers this domain regional and it will only rank in Google.de (Germany).

More Tips for Buying the Right Domain

Once you’ve chosen a good name for your business or website, you can find a domain name that’s easy to remember and easy to spell. Here are some tips you must consider:

  • Choose a short domain with maximum 20 characters. Longer domains will look like spam.
  • If available, stick to .com .org or .net domain extensions.
  • Pick a domain that’s easy to remember and one that you can build a brand around it.
  • Avoid more than one hyphens in your domain name.

Conclusion

Think about who your audience is and determine what type of domain is the right one for your unique business.

Don’t buy country-level domains for the sake of owning a domain that sounds nice. Give yourself the power to go global with an internationally-appealing domain.