Putting up your own website is one of the effective ways to market your business or establishment. Whether you are using your website as a platform for self-expression, or using it as a marketing tool for your products and services, it is important that you choose the right domain name and extension. The domain name not only adds character and identity to your website, but it also figures in the ranking. Search engine giant Google has listed a number of high-ranking generic domain names that you could use for your website, though there is no cut-and-dried rule for choosing a domain name – you may definitely choose whatever domain name you like. But if you want to rank high in Google and thus be known worldwide, you may want to reconsider.
While too specific domain names do help people identify your website better, they can be limiting. For example, if you use the domain extension .ph, your website is confined to the Philippines, in the same manner that .fr domain extensions are limited to France. Since the domain names are restricted by to specific regions, there are small chances of you being known to other parts of the globe. Google ranks the websites according to the domain extensions used, and whatever is generic and thus most commonly used, these are given higher priority.
To gain a higher ranking in Google, choose the right domain extension. Some of these common domain extensions are .com, .biz, .edu, and .gov are found in the first few pages of Google, unless someone searches exactly for a more specific domain extension. Google ranks websites according to the length of the domain names and the kind of extensions used. The game is still about what is easily searched and found in the sea of websites in cyberspace, and because there could be hundreds of websites launched every day, the competition is tighter. Aside from relevant content, keywords, and links that are SEO-friendly, domain extensions are also considered by Google for the ranking.
Should specific domain extensions deter you from getting a higher rank on Google? If there is no chance for you to change your domain extension, then think of other ways to boost your ranking and to make your website optimized for search engines. Having a specific niche will help because it could easily gain a market. Use keywords in your articles so that your website will surface in the first few pages of Google.
Use the specific domain extension to your advantage. Though it could be limiting, you could channel readers and potential clients to your websites through other marketing schemes. Stock up on ads and backlinks so you could drive website traffic to you. These backlinks not only help you gain a wider audience, but they also help you in terms of PR. Keywords, on the other hand, provide a more concentrated readership to your articles. When you use the right keywords, your website will be one of the first links to appear on the web pages despite the specific domain extension.