In this article, we're going to discuss the pros and cons behind a .co top level domain (TLD).

As mentioned in a previous post, a .com domain is always the best choice for a website. However, this domain is usually taken.  Luckily, there are other domains that we can use - some are better than others. Let's take a look at the .co domain and see if it is a good choice for you or your company.

What is the .co  domain?

At one time, a .co  domain was closely associated with websites and businesses in the country, Columbia. This is no longer the sole use of this extension. In July of 2010, GoDaddy introduced this domain as a mainstream alternative to the .com.  The main objective of using the .co domain is for real businesses to have the next best thing when they can not find a.com to use.To date, 75% of the web owners that use this domain are associated with various commercial and corporate endeavors.

Several country-specific websites often append the .co domain to their country code extension.  For example, a British company can use co.uk instead of just .uk and a company in Japan may use .co.jp  instead of just .jp.  This is useful for the international marketing strategy of a foreign company. Users quickly understand the location and general commercial genre.

Like. org and .net.com, the .co domain has been accepted by international web users. The domain is only one letter shy of looking like a. com.  It is simple to remember and closely resembles the number one TLD.

Users easily associate a.co  extension with terms such as Corporation, Commerce, and, of course, company. As a result, this domain is way more useful than a. org or .net, for an enterprise or other business.

If your business uses the .co  domain, you should make sure there is no other brand with your same name that uses .com.  Many users often default to using.com when typing in a web address. So if another brand has the same or a similar name while using a.com, a web user may not remember to use .co and can go to a different website.

Price

Even though .com is more popular overall, a .co  domain is actually more expensive. It is not so expensive due to its popularity. It is priced high so that scammers won't buy this domain in bulk. People have bought .com domains in bulk just to resell them back at a very high price. So the price point is a subtle form of protection.

On the flip side, at least serious buyers and companies that could really benefit from having a. co should not have any problems buying this extension. Unlike most .coms, this extension is available -  a company just has to be willing to pay the price.

SEO Ranking

Using a .co domain won't affect your search engine ranking in a bad way. Google recognizes this domain as a generic top-level domain - GCCTLD. A website with this extension also will not be ranked lower than a.com website in search. You'll be treated in the same manner as a .com. 

As long as you have search engine optimized content, you have a chance to rank well in Google search. So if you have this extension, continue to focus on your SEO strategy and marketing campaign. Your business is capable of outranking a.com website that does not utilize a good SEO strategy.

Safety

This domain is just as safe as any other domain. You should have the same safety protocols for your website as you would with any other domain.

As I stated earlier, make sure a competitor with a.com does not have your same brand name. This may be confusing for a web user who may accidentally type the “m” after the .co and go to your competitor instead of you. As a result, you could lose out on potential business.

You also should check that no one is copying your website or impersonating your business under a .com.

What Are The Main Advantages?

When your company has a.co  as an extension, it will readily be recognized as a commercial business, company or corporation. This may help with overall branding and can help people take your content seriously.  In addition, this domain is recognised internationally as being symbolic of a corporation or serious company.

It is a short and sweet extension and is easy to fit with a brand name. Compared to other extensions, this one is easy to remember. After all, it is only one letter short of the number one domain, which is .com. 

While this domain might be a little pricier, at least it is available and is kept for serious business people. When you are ready to put your business online or change the extension, you can rely on the .co to be available.

If you are a company based out of Columbia, you have the double advantage of having a country centered domain while also being associated with a company or corporation.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a web name and extension can take a lot of time and research. Regardless of the type of business you have, a.com is always the best option. However, if you must put your website up, you need an extension even if a .com is not available at the time.

Luckily, the .co  domain is available for people who are willing to pay for it. The price should not break the bank, it is simply meant to keep away bulk buyers with bad intentions. Your company or enterprise can have an ideal extension that is widely associated with the type of company that you have. It is internationally recognized as a corporate brand extension. 

You should not have to worry about SEO ranking as long as you are doing your due diligence with your search engine optimization strategy. In summary, a .co extension can be a good choice when a.com is not available.