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If you are one of thousands who is setting out on a digital adventure, you’ve most likely struggled with which domain, or domains, to register to protect your idea from anyone who might try to capitalise on your hard work. This can be a difficult task, as many entrepreneurs struggle to choose one domain, never mind several.
Brand protection
Many major corporations take brand protection very seriously. For example, in 2015, Google’s parent company Alphabet actually registered the domain abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz.com. The domain is far too long to be used, and instead, Alphabet operates under abc.xyz. However, the example demonstrates the lengths – literally! – that business owners will take to protect their creations.
While the US doesn’t officially own the .com top level domain, most US companies begin with a .com domain, just as UK companies begin with a .co.uk domain. The .com domain extension has now become an international web address and appears in search engine results around the globe, which is why many businesses choose the .com version first. However, there are some benefits to registering both a .com and a .co.uk that you may not know about. Of course, owning both is not an absolute necessity, but ask yourself one simple question:
How will I feel if someone registers the .com version of my domain as a direct competition to my business?
If the thought of another business operating under your brand name makes you uncomfortable, it should. As long as the domain is floating around unclaimed, anyone can register it and use it for their own purposes.
The perks of monopolising your brand
Keep in mind that if you were to buy every domain available that included your brand name, you would burn through your budget very quickly. There are hundreds of gTLDs (Generic top-level domains) from .guru to .club that could include your brand. So, before you begin bulk registration of hundreds of new domains, take a moment to prioritise.
There are a few reasons to register a domain outside of your main web address. The first is to prevent anyone else from using it. The second is to use a new domain to reach new audiences. The third, and perhaps most appealing, is to take advantage of the SEO benefits that come with domain redirects. While you may not be concerned with international sales, you are most likely interested in protecting your ideas, and who wouldn’t like a little push in search engine results. When operating with both .com and a .co.uk domains, your website will appear in UK searches as well as international searches due to the .com. Registering both a .com and a .co.uk for your website is a beneficial move for any online enterprise.
The best of both worlds
Once registered, all that’s left is to set the redirect and watch your traffic grow. Rest easy knowing that your domain is protected from squatters. So why not protect your brand and get an SEO benefit in return by owning both the .com & .co.uk versions of your online business domain name?
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