If you run a business targeted at the local New Zealand market, opting for a CO.NZ domain name extension could be what you need to enjoy the online market advantage.
We all know of the many benefits of choosing the right domain name, from branding benefits to the more vital SEO advantages, but not many people are aware that new businesses and even established operations can gain or strengthen its foothold in any local market by simply using the ccTLD of that country in their domain name.
If your business is targeted at a local market, using the ccTLD extension of that country will significantly help in geo-targeting and optimization for local search. This means that you stand a higher chance of attracting the customers that matter to your New Zealand business if your website carries a CO.NZ domain extension.
If you are new to the world of domain names and extensions, Country Code Top Level Domain or ccTLD is the domain extension that relates to a specific country. There are ccTLDs for almost every country of the world, such as CO.UK for the United Kingdom, .FR for France, .DE for Germany, and CO.NZ for New Zealand.
Using a ccTLD as your domain extension makes it easy for people to identify that your business operation is targeted to a specific country. Additionally, when you use domain extensions like CO.NZ, you are letting search engines know that your business is for customers in New Zealand.
When you should use CO.NZ
One of the most popular reasons why people use ccTLD for their domain extensions is that they cannot find the .COM version of their choice domain name. We all know that .COM is the most popular TLD in the world, and has the highest number of registrants, so it should come as no surprise when you search for the .COM version of your ideal domain name and find out that it is unavailable. In cases like this, simply channel your New Zealand business by choosing a CO.NZ domain extension.
Another place you can use CO.NZ domain extension is if you already have the .COM of your preferred domain name but want to target local customers in New Zealand, using the .CO.NZ domain extension will make it easier for your business to be accepted by local customers and rank high in local search.
Also, if you are launching a new business or website for the New Zealand market, a ccTLD makes it easy for local customers to relate with your new business and for your business to rank high in results for local search. In fact, studies have shown that customers prefer local businesses that they can reach easily.
Top 5 Benefits of a CO.NZ domain extension for your New Zealand Business
- It boosts your brand
As a business that caters to New Zealand customers, you want to make it easy for your customers to identify with and believe in your brand, and one of the fastest ways to achieve this is by using a local domain extension.
A local domain extension shows that yours is a local business, builds local credibility and strengthens your brand. CO.NZ domain names are especially perfect for businesses that offer products and services that people would prefer to get locally, such as: plumbers, restaurants, repair shops, and builders.
Also, studies have shown that people are willing to trust and do business with websites that use a local domain or ccTLD such as CO.NZ, because they know that it will be easy to reach these businesses when they have problems than with brands from outside the country.
- Better results for SEO
One of the greatest benefits of ccTLD is that it gives your website a higher chance of ranking better in SEO for country based search results. Google uses ccTLD as a strong factor to determine your that your website is intended only for a particular country and so, your website will rank higher for local search in that country.
For instance, if someone runs a search query for plumbers in Queenstown, Google will give priority to plumbing contractors in Queenstown and environs, particularly those with a CO.NZ domain extension.
Using a ccTLD for your country targeted website will do more for local SEO than geo-targeting your domain name OR server location.
- It lowers your spending on marketing
Using a CO.NZ domain extension for your New Zealand business can significantly lower your spending on adverts and publicity. One research discovered that using a ccTLD for your website can help reduce the PPC advertising cost for a local website. Additionally, Country Code Top Level Domains can improve the quality score of your website, which will in turn lower costs. At the end of the day, higher quality scores and lower cost per click means more leads and more conversions with less marketing budget.
- It helps build your online authority
If you have some idea about search optimization, you will know that backlinks are one of the most effective methods of driving high quality traffic to websites. But what you may not know is that when you use a CO.NZ domain extension for your New Zealand website, you are sending signals to search engines, search users, and other businesses that your business is credible. As a result of this, a lot of local businesses will be willing to link back to content on your website, as long as you have quality content that serve their niche or industry.
Having a rich source of backlinks to your site will boost your site authority, and drive high value traffic to your website. Additionally, you will find it easier to feature in local business directories as your domain extension obviously shows you cater to the local market.
- You can use your ideal domain name
Almost every website and business owner spends an average of 72 hours trying to come up with the ideal domain name for their business. Unfortunately, this domain name is unavailable for more than half of the time.
We have already established that .COM domain extensions are very popular, and account for more than 46% of the registered domains in the world, and this means that you have a very small chance of registering your preferred .COM domain name. in a situation like this, you can make small changes to the spelling or arrangement of your domain name, spend hours thinking up another domain name, or opt for a ccTLD.
When you opt for a ccTLD, you have a higher chance of getting the domain of your choice quickly and with zero hassles.
It is important to point out though, that some countries require that your business have a local presence before you can register a ccTLD. But, if you are looking to take advantage of the New Zealand market, or you are launching a new website targeted for customers in New Zealand, then you can visit a website like https://www.discountdomains.co.nz to easily register your .CO.NZ domain name.
Best practices for choosing your ideal .CO.NZ domain name
While there is no one size fits all strategy when it comes to choosing the right domain name for your New Zealand business, there are a few best practices that would ensure you end up with a good fit.
- Make it relevant
Your domain name should be able to communicate the relevance of your business to your local target audience. People should be able to understand what you do from your domain name. This doesn’t mean that you must put your business type or niche as part of your domain name; only make sure that the words that make up your domain name can be easily understood . It should mean the same thing to different people.
- Keep it short
Your New Zealand domain name should be short and catchy. Don’t get carried away and try forcing your domain name to fit your brand or business name. Studies have shown that some of the top websites in the world have domain names made up of just nine characters. Try to limit yours to this same number or at most fifteen characters.
- Easy to spell
If your .CO.NZ domain names are difficult to spell, then you stand the risk of losing a huge chunk of your potential audience. Before registering your new domain name, tell a friend about it over the phone, and have them spell it back to you. If one person makes a mistake in spelling, chances are some of your intended audience will also.
You will be surprised at the number of websites that have lost hundreds of customers simply because their domain name was too complex to remember or spell, or sounded like something else, and so was spelt differently.
- Do keyword research
One way to ensure the visibility of your online business is to tie your domain name to relevant keywords people are searching for. Ask yourself, what words are closely associated with your business niche? Google keywords planner can help you gain insight into keywords people are using to search for the type of products and services you offer. When you have discovered a relevant keyword, find a way to stylishly integrate it into your domain name.
Wrapping up
As you can see, .COM domain names are not the only way to go when it comes to getting an impressive online presence. When your business targets a local market, using a ccTLD helps resonate with your target market and helps you enjoy tremendous SEO benefits. So next time you are considering a new name for your next New Zealand venture, remember that CO.NZ is as good a choice as .COM, if not better.
