4.- Use a single ccTLD to reach several countries
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2024 10:12 am
Sites that start out by focusing on a single country, typically where their initial business is located, and use their specific ccTLDs (country code top-level domains such as .uk, .mx, .es, .fr or .de that are geolocalized to each country by default) may face a significant challenge when it comes time to expand internationally.
The challenge is that you don't have the option of using the in philippines phone code itial ccTLD to reach other countries, as you can do with gTLDs (an acronym for “generic top-level domains” such as .com, .org, .net) since they are not associated with a specific country.
A gTLD domain can be used to reach different countries by enabling subdirectories or subdomains for each country that can be geolocated using the Google Search Console .
Unfortunately, some businesses are not aware of these options and try to target other countries by enabling subdirectories for different countries with a ccTLD that is already geolocated in another.
We can see an example below, with a US version on a subdomain under a .co.uk (ccTLD that is already geolocated to the UK by default).
International SEO positioning - ccTLD
Because of this, when expanding into new international markets, businesses that already have a ccTLD (rather than a gTLD) will need to choose between several options, usually between geolocating for the new markets using specific ccTLDs for each one or creating a new gTLD that allows for the creation of new country options in subdomains or subdirectories that can be geolocated, reusing the same one.
The first option will require more work to grow the popularity of each individual country-focused ccTLD.
The second option will require - if you want to consolidate the existing country version with the new ones into a single domain - to perform a migration. On the other hand, you can enable the gTLD additionally, only for use in the new markets, avoiding a migration of the initial version. Using a single gTLD with geolocalized subdirectories for several markets will help to geolocalize to several countries in a way that is usually more efficient and easier to manage.
5.- Assume that Google allows segmentation by continent with domains such as .asia or .eu or “eu” values in the hreflang tag
Google does not (at least not yet) allow regional targeting at the continent level, regardless of whether you use top-level dom
The challenge is that you don't have the option of using the in philippines phone code itial ccTLD to reach other countries, as you can do with gTLDs (an acronym for “generic top-level domains” such as .com, .org, .net) since they are not associated with a specific country.
A gTLD domain can be used to reach different countries by enabling subdirectories or subdomains for each country that can be geolocated using the Google Search Console .
Unfortunately, some businesses are not aware of these options and try to target other countries by enabling subdirectories for different countries with a ccTLD that is already geolocated in another.
We can see an example below, with a US version on a subdomain under a .co.uk (ccTLD that is already geolocated to the UK by default).
International SEO positioning - ccTLD
Because of this, when expanding into new international markets, businesses that already have a ccTLD (rather than a gTLD) will need to choose between several options, usually between geolocating for the new markets using specific ccTLDs for each one or creating a new gTLD that allows for the creation of new country options in subdomains or subdirectories that can be geolocated, reusing the same one.
The first option will require more work to grow the popularity of each individual country-focused ccTLD.
The second option will require - if you want to consolidate the existing country version with the new ones into a single domain - to perform a migration. On the other hand, you can enable the gTLD additionally, only for use in the new markets, avoiding a migration of the initial version. Using a single gTLD with geolocalized subdirectories for several markets will help to geolocalize to several countries in a way that is usually more efficient and easier to manage.
5.- Assume that Google allows segmentation by continent with domains such as .asia or .eu or “eu” values in the hreflang tag
Google does not (at least not yet) allow regional targeting at the continent level, regardless of whether you use top-level dom