Do search engines prefer .com domains over .co.uk?

[isg]

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I'm setting up a voucher site targeted solely at the UK market and have registered my domain with both .com and .co.uk.

Could someone tell me which of the following setups is preferred:
1. Use the .co.uk as the main site (.com redirects to .co.uk)
2. Use the .com as the main site (redirecting .co.uk to .com)
3. Just have both pointing to the same content and then after a while see which one 'wins' and redirect all traffic to it

It makes more sense to me to use .co.uk as the main site but I've heard that search engines prefer .com domains. As a total beginner any advice would be greatly appreciated

thanks

[dc000000]

Option 1 is the best

[gadget]

As a total beginner any advice would be greatly appreciated

.. then why are you looking to start with such a competitive market?

I'd build the site on the co.uk and put 10 pages on the .com with a link to the co.uk .. just make sure you register the .com in another name, different admin-C and host on a different server so that the IP address is different. Yes you have to do 2 lots of link-building but every little helps.

[w3bmaster]

The tld counts only on local searches for google.com any tld can rank as well ...

[JohnnyCash]

.. then why are you looking to start with such a competitive market?

I'd build the site on the co.uk and put 10 pages on the .com with a link to the co.uk .. just make sure you register the .com in another name, different admin-C and host on a different server so that the IP address is different. Yes you have to do 2 lots of link-building but every little helps.

I agree with the first line of this. If you need to ask such a basic question, I am sorry but you are too late in the game to compete with discountvouchers.co.uk, myvouchercodes.co.uk and a million others.

Its not the type of search anyone is going to look onto the 2nd page for - the first discount voucher result they see and they're gone I'd guess.

Personally I don't agree with the 2nd thing, I'd just 301 the .com to the .co.uk. If you can build any links to the .com as a 10 page site, then you should build them directly to the .co.uk, not water down their value by hoarding them on the .com then passing them over. Its far better to have 10 links pointing to your main site, than 10 links pointing to a secondary site then 1 link from that to the real one.

(that would all be assuming the .com didn't have any links or strength right now)

[gadget]

Yea, fair point JohhnyCash.

[crazihos]

Or if using gadets method could you not use the .com to attract/do 3 way links after some minimal link building?

[JohnnyCash]

Or if using gadets method could you not use the .com to attract/do 3 way links after some minimal link building?

Since both are going to be the same domain name with a different extension, its going to be immediately obvious you are doing 3 way link exchanges. If you are going to do 3-ways there is absolutely nothing to gain by doing it with a similar url, you are only adding to the risk.

[crazihos]

Good tip, not tried 3 way because I always thought you may end up seo ing twice, what you've said makes perfect sense though so if I try 3 way I'll be doing the above!

[tulipkiya]

Well dear..i can say..that..you can choose...1 preferred ...but can follow 2 too..

its not the matter to point to the domain..its the matter of what quality of content you put on your web...and yes..

having a .co.uk domain to point the domain in searches to a better..result is a big plus..

I hope you have the point....gud luck..with that...

[pipeten]

From experience I would say that there is no difference between any of them. Just make sure you pick just one to promote as that will be the one appearing in the search results, there is no point spredin promotion over 2 domains.

Also, if you are picking the .com as the one to promote you will need to make sure it is hosted in the UK to get high results in Google UK users.