.com or .co.uk

**Stellar** · 08-01-07

Depends how much you script it. Change lots of things here and there.

Yes you could do it that way.

Also depends how much you depend on search engines for traffic.

True. But I think most of us could do with all the traffic we can get, so it is always best to put sites together using best practices for SEO.

The other problem with doing it this way is that your inbound links will end up spead across two sites rather than just the one. So you are going to have to double your efforts to get the same level of inbound links.
That is of course assuming that you need some search engine traffic.

**jwoody** · 08-01-07

I feel the main problem is that since im aiming the website primarily at the UK, users are more than likely going to click on a .co.uk than a .com

But in doing this, US users (who i wish to sign up to the forum) are less likely to click on the .co.uk

**Keith** · 08-01-07

host the main site on the .co.uk and the forum on the .com

**sem4u** · 08-01-07

I would just use the .com and host in the UK. UK users are just as likely to trust and use a .com site as a .co.uk. Americans are far more picky if they find a .co.uk site.

**jwoody** · 08-01-07

Originally Posted by sem4u

I would just use the .com and host in the UK. UK users are just as likely to trust and use a .com site as a .co.uk. Americans are far more picky if they find a .co.uk site.

Agreed, I think this is going to be the best solution really.

**csn** · 09-01-07

Originally Posted by shyguy0507

as above I would physically host it on .com and have a redirect on the .co.uk

I agree.

I tend to use .co.uk as most of my work targets UK visitors but all my names experience some degree of overseas visitors. One .co.uk name has had nearly 50% US traffic.

.com makes you a global prospect. If you ever want to expand from the UK, you need a .com name.

**Atomic** · 09-01-07

my 6d's worth (show my age). I personally would always go for a .com over a .co.uk, I think the end user is not that discerning all they are looking for is what they want and don't really look at the extension as long as the search engine brings up the result they are after.

Bear in mind lots of people if your name is your product like apple will type in apple in the address bar and press cntrl and enter which puts in the http:// and the .com extension

**canard** · 10-01-07

Originally Posted by Stellar

But then you are effectively going to have 2 websites with the same content. The search engines will kill you for having duplicate content.

yikes are you sure?? We rank #1 on most UK search engines for our main key term (using .co.uk). We're about to launch the site so that you can visit from USA and buy in dollars (using .com) - if what you're saying is true, could that impact on our rankings (v. important - about 50% of traffic is from google organic)? In which case would it be worth us re-writing the content for the USA version (the backend of our site treats it as a different language so we could change the content slightly or completely?) and if so how much do we have to re-write for google to see it's a different site?

**canard** · 10-01-07

Originally Posted by Atomic

my 6d's worth (show my age). I personally would always go for a .com over a .co.uk, I think the end user is not that discerning all they are looking for is what they want and don't really look at the extension as long as the search engine brings up the result they are after.

Bear in mind lots of people if your name is your product like apple will type in apple in the address bar and press cntrl and enter which puts in the http:// and the .com extension

And to make a comment that's a bit more on topic.

I agree that in the UK most people aren't too fussed - I think it's a red herring that people click on/buy from .co.uk more than .com.

Is there any statistical evidence for or against this? I'm sure it must have been done...

And the 'cntrl' command... never even heard of this - and never seen it being done. Where is 'cntrl' anyway?

**Stellar** · 10-01-07

yikes are you sure?? We rank #1 on most UK search engines for our main key term (using .co.uk). We're about to launch the site so that you can visit from USA and buy in dollars (using .com) - if what you're saying is true, could that impact on our rankings (v. important - about 50% of traffic is from google organic)? In which case would it be worth us re-writing the content for the USA version (the backend of our site treats it as a different language so we could change the content slightly or completely?) and if so how much do we have to re-write for google to see it's a different site?

The most likely scenario in my opion is that your .com will be seen as duplicating the .co.uk and therefore hit google's duplicate content filter and either not be indexed, or seriously effect the rankings of the .com. The .co.uk may well be uneffected, especially if it is an established site. But I think it is a risky strategy as having duplicate content is never a good idea.

As to how much to change the content. Well, there is no hard and fast rule as far as I know. Some people believe that as long as it is not exactly the same, it doesn't get tagged as duplicate. So a few changes on each page may do it. But again, in my opion this is risky. If you want to go down this route, then change the content as much as you can. You could always do it in stages, rather than doing the whole .com in one hit, and test it.

I'd be interested to see what others think of this.

**Harry smith** · 10-01-07

I would suggest you to rewrite whole content for .com you know not every UK citizen use Google.co.uk some may just type your sitename and enter for getting .com version.
Or
for getting better ranking in .com you can redirect your whole site at .com but it will affect your .co.uk ranking, so be sure.