ccTLDs Best SEO Practices

What are ccTLDs?

Country code top-level domains, commonly known as ccTLDs, are territorial domain extensions allocated to specific countries. These extensions consist of two letters reserved for a particular territory and are assigned by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), following the ISO 3166-1 standard of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Some examples of ccTLDs include .ch, .fr, .us, .es, and many others.

ccTLD

gTLD vs. ccTLD: which is better?

Every website has a domain extension or TLD, which can be of one of the following types:

A gTLD, which is a generic top-level domain.
A ccTLD, which, as we have seen, is a country code top-level domain.

Neither of these extensions is better than the other as they respond to different needs.

Both gTLDs and ccTLDs serve different purposes, and neither one is inherently better than the other. While gTLDs are suitable for general use worldwide and therefore can reach a broader audience, ccTLDs are intended for users who are physically located in the country to which the ccTLD belongs.

Choosing between the two depends on your specific goals. There are many reasons why a generic TLD might be appropriate for your website. However, if you need to signal to search engines that you are targeting specific countries or regions, choosing a ccTLD may be a more effective option for your international SEO strategy.

Why are they important for SEO?

The significance of ccTLDs for SEO lies in their ability to effectively communicate to search engines and users that a website is intended for a particular region, rather than a specific language. By utilizing a ccTLD, search engines can understand that a website’s content is highly relevant to the geographic area it is targeting, and should therefore be displayed in search results for that region.

For instance, if we consider similar sites with different ccTLDs such as webpage.it, webpage.ar, and webpage.online, webpage.it is more likely to rank higher in the search engine results for an Italian user than the other two domains, assuming similar authority, quality, and other SEO-related factors.

Using ccTLDs

ccTLDs are commonly used to indicate the geographic target of a website’s content, giving it an international character. This extension serves as a strong signal to search engines that the website’s information is intended for a specific country or region, helping it appear in relevant local search results.

TLD

However, when using country-code TLDs, there are a few things to keep in mind. Let’s see several cases with examples to understand what would be your best option.

Case 1: You own several websites with ccTLDs

When you own multiple websites with different country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) such as example.de and example.uk, search engine crawlers treat them as separate entities. This means that link value gained by one site won’t be passed on to the other. As a result, building authority for each site can be costly, particularly for resource-limited businesses.

To address this issue, some webmasters use subdirectories or subdomains to direct users to the relevant content. However, it’s important to note that depending on the ccTLD, registering a domain may require affiliation with the country in question.

Before investing in ccTLDs, it’s crucial to conduct a thorough analysis to determine if they will benefit your business. By doing so, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals and resources.

Case 2: Your business only operates in one country

If your business operates in a single country, it’s important to consider whether you have plans to expand to other countries in the future before deciding on a country code top-level domain (ccTLD). If you have no plans to expand, using a ccTLD is generally not an issue. However, if you do plan to expand your business internationally, it may be worth considering other options, such as a generic top-level domain (gTLD) or a subdirectory/subdomain strategy, to avoid potential complications and costs associated with managing multiple ccTLDs.

Case 3: Your business is active in several countries

Suppose your company operates in multiple countries. In that case, it’s recommended to choose a generic top-level domain (gTLD) such as .com, while using country code subfolders to manage internationalization in the early stages of your business.

By using a gTLD, you signal to search engines that your business is international in scope, while country code subfolders help indicate which specific country each page targets. This approach can simplify website management and avoid the costs associated with managing multiple ccTLDs.

However, it’s important to note that as your business grows and expands into new markets, you may need to reassess your internationalization strategy and consider using additional ccTLDs or other solutions to better serve your global audience.

Case 4: You have a global business

Consider another scenario: your business has a global presence and maintains offices in multiple countries around the world. Your website content is available in several languages, making it a substantial project.

In this case, purchasing country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) can be a beneficial option for improving your website’s ranking signals. However, it’s important to note that this approach is typically only advisable for larger businesses, as it involves a complex and expensive task that can be difficult to maintain over time.

Alternative solutions, such as using gTLDs and country code subdirectories or subdomains, may be more practical for smaller businesses or those with more limited resources. It’s important to carefully consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of each approach and choose the one that best aligns with your business goals and capabilities.