Sometimes things that don’t seem like they would go together, actually work out really well. For example, peanut butter and Oreos, peanut butter and bacon, cinnamon and pineapples- you get the point.
ccTLDs and .COM are one of these unexpected yet surprisingly brilliant combinations. In order to understand the magic of this pairing you first need to understand how to decipher a URL. First you have the protocol (you can read more about SSL certificates and the difference between HTTP and HTTPS here). Next you have the subdomain commonly seen as www., but which can also be used in this way.
When looking at domains it is important to note that whatever is to the very right of the last dot is the most important. In the examples below, .COM is the top-level domain for both. The 2nd-level domain in the first example is the domain name EXAMPLE. In the bottom example, .HK the ccTLD for Hong Kong is the 2nd-level domain and the domain name EXAMPLE becomes the 3rd-level domain. Together .HK.COM are the domain extension (the peanut butter to our jelly, or peanut butter and basically anything).
The benefits of .COM
- The most recognized domain extension
- A global standard for doing business online
- Trustworthy and well-established brand
The benefits of ccTLDs
- Expand your brand globally
- Boosts your brand in local search results
- Market to a certain region, audience, and culture
Together they make a great pair
Branding is the name of the game. The goal is to get an excellent name and an excellent location on the web. A strong domain portfolio consists of a range of domain names. If you already have the .COM equivalent of your name or if the .COM is already taken, it is a good idea to register the ccTLD of the region you are conducting business in. For example, a bike business expanding in China would benefit from registering bike.COM, bike.CN and bike.CN.COM, and bike.COM.CN. The combination of a targeted, local international domain with the global recognition of .COM results in the perfect domain name!
