.com or .co.uk?

joolee · #1 09-13-2009, 05:07 AM

This is probably a very silly question

. I am about to set up a website. I am UK based. Do you think it matters whether I have a .com or a .co.uk address? I think the latter indicates immediately that I am UK based but my husband thinks .com is better (as easier to type!). I am leaning towards using ArtSpan. They could do either but I would have to buy the .co.uk address first, as they couldn't give me a .co.uk address.

Also, are there any UK based artists out there using ArtSpan? I know there are very few listed as members. Again, I'm not sure that this matters.

Anyone have any thoughts on this please?

Jools

chiendent · #2 09-13-2009, 06:54 AM

Yes, it matters. If you are in the UK, use preferably .co.uk since then, Google will index your site for being viewed by the UK visitors. the . com is useful too but it is general and it will be more difficult to obtain visibility! I will say both with an htaccess permanent redirection of the .com towards the .co.uk.

timelady · #3 09-13-2009, 07:21 AM

I think .com is always better, but either is fine if the dot com isn't available. .com is what everyone types in first when they think they remember a website name

I've got a .com and never noticed the effect that chiendent mentions - but I make sure I submit it to the relevent categories on search engines. (so Google knows I'm a UK artist/site) In fact all my domains I own are .coms actually (had to think about it!

)

Tina.

Colorix · #4 09-13-2009, 08:32 AM

Jools, it is a good question. We who live outside the UK never remember how to use that .co.uk correctly..., so for us a simple .com is easiest. UK people will obviously have no problem. Toss a coin? Fwiw, I'm with your hubby.

Florence · #5 09-13-2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiendent

Yes, it matters. If you are in the UK, use preferably .co.uk since then, Google will index your site for being viewed by the UK visitors. the . com is useful too but it is general and it will be more difficult to obtain visibility! I will say both with an htaccess permanent redirection of the .com towards the .co.uk.

My understanding is that Google assigns a geographical location to sites based on the server they are hosted on. So if you are hosted on Artspan, which is presumably an American site with servers in the U.S., you would be considered an American site whatever your domain is. But maybe I'm wrong, things change so quickly. What is true today may not be true tomorrow, so I wouldn't worry too much about it and get whatever is available, then work on promoting that domain.

A shorter URL may be easier to remember and write down, but most people will look you up through Google if they want to find you anyway.

I would just make sure that you get to keep the domain even if you leave artspan. My policy is to buy the domain directly, not through a hosting company, that way I can change hosting companies whenever I want to. It's not an absolute necessity but I feel safer that way

timelady · #6 09-13-2009, 09:59 AM

My hosting for some sites is in the US - since I submit my (and all my clients') sites to the relevent geographical search engines it shouldn't matter. (ie. google.co.uk).

I agree with Florence about always buying the domain separately - make sure you always have control of your domain purchases and can access them at anytime to change hosting if you need to. Most horror stories I hear is when an artist has bought a domain through a hosting company and then lose their site (by mistake or malice) AND their url.

Tina.

Colorix · #7 09-13-2009, 11:38 AM

Oh, yes, do check that the right to your Domain is with you. I got my site and domain through a host before knowing to make sure, but reading the fine print afterwards (one learns... nowadays I read it first) assured me that it is in the contract that they promise to transfer it to me if I ever quit them. As it is my name, this is very important. Very happy with them, so it is an academic question.

Florence · #8 09-13-2009, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timelady

My hosting for some sites is in the US - since I submit my (and all my clients') sites to the relevent geographical search engines it shouldn't matter. (ie. google.co.uk).

Just to clear things up, you cannot submit to Google. You can submit to the DMOZ open source directory, which has general categories for English language sites, and regional categories for the UK and other countries. I looked up your site, and it's listed in the general section, not in the UK regional section. I think the regional category for you would be Regional/Europe/United Kingdom/Visual Arts/Artists. Google does use the information in the DMOZ listing, but I doubt that being listed in the regional category would impact the listing on google.co.uk.

joolee · #9 09-14-2009, 06:16 AM

Thank you all so much for your replies - I have a bit of a headache now so I think I'll go and lie down

. This is soooooo complicated for someone who doesn't have a technical cell in her entire body. However, I think I am sort of getting an understanding. I definitely need to buy my own domain name. It seems to me that perhaps the .co.uk or .com is not that important but it is the getting your website on the correct bit of the search engine which is important. I confess, you have lost me Florence, with the DMOZ bit, but I'll look it up and I am hoping ArtSpan will be able to give me some advice. I have heard they are very helpful, so I'll ask them what they think. Until last week, I had never heard of website search optimization, white hat / black hat SEO tactics, mega tags. I didn't even know what html stands for! And I have used the internet on an almost daily basis for many years! Its a whole new world out there.

Thanks again
Jools

Florence · #10 09-14-2009, 06:27 AM

Sorry about that, I know dmoz is really confusing. Just remember that when you have your website running and enough content on it, it will be a good idea to submit it to a number of web directories, among them dmoz.

salmon · #11 09-14-2009, 06:52 AM

joolee, not sure what you long term plan is but assuming you want to sell mainly in the UK I'd go for a .co.uk domain. Like many people if I'm looking to buy online I tend to filter out .com because I want to be assured I am dealing with a UK company and not have to pay expensive postal charges. Just a thought.

rltromble · #12 09-14-2009, 08:58 AM

You could do both, set up one website to redirect to the other. Here is the thing non-.coms are easier to get, but .coms are what people look for first. They are easier to remember. One example that comes to mind is a 3d program I like called Blender. The website used to be www.blender.nl.com, it was a pain trying to remember to use the nl. Eventually they changed it to the simpler www.blender.org.

joolee · #13 09-14-2009, 09:24 AM

Please don't apologize Florence, I can't remain in blissful ignorance - at least, not if I want to succeed in life! And thank you for the link, which is very useful.

Thanks you Salmon, I'm going to go for the .co.uk as my main address, but might buy the .com address and link it to the other one, as suggested by rltromble. Thanks to you too.

Jools

joolee · #14 09-15-2009, 04:24 PM

I have a new website

. Okay, so its still under construction, but for an absolute techie dimwit like me, this is simply wonderful. I just want to say a big THANK YOU to you guys for your very useful advice and also to Denise Glover of Artspan, who was the pinnacle of helpfulness and patience! I can't tell you how stressed I have been over this

.

Oh, and the address is www.juliemardell.co.uk

Thank you again.

Jools

Florence · #15 09-15-2009, 04:59 PM

Congratulations! It's a great start

Salute to our Partners