Can't get .co.uk or .com...

[mikelaluz]

Hi guys

I have a client who has registered a business name but can only get a .ltd.uk domain name. The .co.uk and the .com names are taken but not used.

My question is will the .ltd.uk adversely effect any SEO we undertake.

Many thanks in advance for your your assistance

Kind Regards

Mike

[KreativeJuice]

I can't comment on the SEO, but can you imagine the number of potential clients that will type in .co.uk/.com rather than .ltd.uk and then give up??? Time to choose a new web address I feel.

[fisicx]

Have you tried to buy the .com/.co.uk?

The TLD won't adversly affect your SEO - in fact Google couldn't care less (unless you have a .co.uk and want to rank well in Japan).

[mikelaluz]

Hi Fisicx

Good point - the problem is that the guy's chosen company name is a very close derivative of a very well known company. That in itself is a problem but they have clearly bought up the .com and .co.uk because it is so close to theirs.
The only advantage to this is that they will never go on line with them.

The ideal is to change the trading name but he is very loathe to do this which I fully understand.

So any observations on the SEO question would be very helpful

Regards

Mike

[fisicx]

Keep the registered name but just buy another domain name - one that matches the business.

So if he is registered as microsoftuk then all he needs to do is buy bloatedsoftware.co.uk and put the registered name on the site.

[mikelaluz]

Thanks Fisicx

You've given me an idea there that I think will solve the problem

Cheers

Mike

[JackieC]

Or stick the Town / County onto the end of it to differentiate and therefore make unique?

[iamlijo]

in my opinion you better go and get any other .co.uk domain whose .com is available . People usualy have a tendency togo to .com .


regards

Lijo George

[JustOneUK]

Or stick the Town / County onto the end of it to differentiate and therefore make unique?

or add UK on the end... eg: MyWebsiteUK.com & MyWebsiteUK.co.uk

[iamlijo]

yes. thats a great advice . Use as he suggested. its much better than .tld.uk

regards
Lijo George
Techseol Websolutions
or add UK on the end... eg: MyWebsiteUK.com & MyWebsiteUK.co.uk

[Dawg]

the problem is that the guy's chosen company name is a very close derivative of a very well known company

Regardless of what TLD you might end up using your core problem is this "very close derivative". If it is too close they will close your friend/client down. A foolish choice of a company name if there is a risk of been accused of passing off.

[wsi]

What ever you do, do not use .ltd.uk as your (clients) main domain name! You cannot have a website on such a (frankly) terrible extension unless you have the .com (.co.uk for UK businesses) equivalents 301'ing to the poor extension.

My advice to clients is either pay for the .com/.co.uk if they're already registered or consider a different company name (in the case of a new startup who don't have the funds to pay the .com/.co.uk asking price).