Dot com remains the most common and preferred domain extension. A few years ago, we had a handful of domain extension to choose from e.g. .com, .net, .org e.t.c.
Currently, more extensions have been introduced, giving domain owners to a wider choice and opportunity to choose a more descriptive name, e.g. .shop .boutique .club .game .beauty e.tc. All these are international domain which anyone can register.
However, certain domain extensions are country specific. These domains are referred to as ccTLD (Country Code Top Level Domain) e.g. ZM for Zambia, ZA for South Africa, ZW for Zimbabwe, NG for Nigeria e.t.c.
These ccTLD domain offer some benefits over international domain extensions. The following are some benefits
- Better Search Engine Ranking
When a user makes a search on the internet, search engines already know the location and will prioritize results based on that location e.g. when a user in Zambia searches for “Architects”, all variables being equal, google will try to display architects who are closer to the user first i.e. www.architectcompany.co.zm will rank higher than www.architectcompany.com - Availability
It is currently very hard to find a dot com of your choice/company. You will most likely find your company name already taken. ccTLD are more readily available because the buyers are few (single country as opposed to the whole world) - Boosts customer confidence
Anyone can register a dot com and other domains extensions, making it easier for scamers to run website. As for ccTLD, you need some physical presence in a country in order to register the domain. This due diligence when registering ccTLD boosts customer trust because you are local.
You can search if your ZM domain is available and register it today at www.xypnet.com