Help With New Website Name!

[crancor1]

Hi All,

I need some help with whether or not to use .com or .ca in my new website name.

Currently my website is: ...cranberrycornersDOTca.
Last week I registered the the two names: cranberrycornersgiftbasketsDOTcom and cranberrycornersgiftbasketsDOTca[

I am located in Ottawa, Canada and my company name is Cranberry Corners Gift Baskets.

Which is the best name - as as far as SEO optimization - is the best one to use?

Secondly, with all the redirecting needed what is the best redirecting sequence to use so my organic rankings don't drop drastically when we apply the name change?

Patti:roll:

[deepsand]

What is the geographical scope of your expected customer base?

[crancor1]

Hi Deepsand,

60% of our customers come from Canada with delivery to Canada.
20% from the USA with delivery to Canada.
10% from other countries around the world with delivery to Canada.
We deliver about 1% of the above to the USA.

Patti,
[self promo pseudo-signature removed by mod]

[crancor1]

Hi Andy,

I am not an expert on SEO but from all I have learned, if you can come up with an name with the word Article in it then you will rank better in Google.

That is exactly why we are changing our name, we are adding the words 'gift baskets' to the name or title simply to get a better SEO or Google ranking as these 2 little words will make our site rank higher. If you key in free article submission into Google dot com, look at all the names. you will see most have the word 'article' or 'article submission' in them. Hope this helps.

Patti
[self promo pseudo-signature removed by mod]

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Hi Deepsand,

60% of our customers come from Canada with delivery to Canada.
20% from the USA with delivery to Canada.
10% from other countries around the world with delivery to Canada.
We deliver about 1% of the above to the USA.

Patti,
Cranberry Corners Gift Baskets

Where do you want to take the business' future? Internationally? or are you happy that most of your business is from Canadians?

[crancor1]

Deepsand,

I am delighted with our Canadian base of course, but I would like to receive a lot more orders from other countries. At Christmas we even get orders from Hong Kong, Greenland, UK, Greece and Brazil. These orders would most likely be delivered to North America as the shipping costs to ship overseas are way too high for most people to ship to anywhere but Canada and the USA.

Patti
[self promo pseudo-signature removed by mod]

[bocaj]

Having a dot com name could make it easier to remember for your customers, and it probably would appeal more to your international ones. :)

[cw1865]

Well, I would suggest that you use .com; I don't order from .ca - and I am in the US. Now of course, the question is whether a Canadian would demand to see the .ca and that is a question I just can't answer!

[clumberman]

Personally, I prefer .com for ease of remembering, though I'm not =quite= yet ready for nametags in my clothes. :-) Use both with a redirect from the .ca to the .com, would be my suggestion.

[LD]

I don't order from .ca - and I am in the US.

I'm curious why you feel that way.



Now of course, the question is whether a Canadian would demand to see the .ca and that is a question I just can't answer!


I would suggest Canadian buyers might "prefer" the .ca domain, not "demand".

[Ravenhawk]

As a Canadian I have found that most Canadian prefer and remember the .ca domain but if your intending to hit the international market you will want to use the .com. There is a simple solution and that is to use both. Make the .com your main and then park the .ca on top of it then you get the best of both world same way I. If my fellow Canadians are like me when I want to do business with a Canadian company I always try hitting the .ca domain of their name first before I search for them as a .com. So by parking the .ca on top of the .com you will always win.

[HTMLBasicTutor]

The reason I asked this:

Where do you want to take the business' future? Internationally? or are you happy that most of your business is from Canadians?
Is because Google will play God and target you for Canadian search results. i.e. you don't have an option to change this in Google Webmaster Tools.

This can work in your favour if the person searching specifically searches for a gift service in Canada. But it may be harder to rank in Google's country specific versions.


Deepsand,

I am delighted with our Canadian base of course, but I would like to receive a lot more orders from other countries. At Christmas we even get orders from Hong Kong, Greenland, UK, Greece and Brazil. These orders would most likely be delivered to North America as the shipping costs to ship overseas are way too high for most people to ship to anywhere but Canada and the USA.

Patti
Cranberry Corners Gift Baskets, Ottawa, Canada
If you want to go with the .com version:
-park the .ca on top of the .com as someone else already suggested
-don't forget to park your old domain names at the same address
-use 301 permanent redirects to redirect all the parked names to the name you want to use. This will help get your new version indexed as the search bots visit the old site plus it will send any existing incoming links to the new version.
-Make it really clear what currency your prices are in. This is one thing Canadian sites that use .com don't do well. As a Canadian, if I go to a Canadian site I want to be clear that I am paying in Canadian dollars.
-accept multiple currencies and let the visitor change it if they want. i.e. Don't IP sniff and only offer me paying in Canadian funds and not be able to change it. I just might want to use my US account.;-) This could apply to international visitors also. They could have an account in Canadian or US funds that they prefer to use due to exchange rates.

[iaccess]

There is a simple solution and that is to use both. Make the .com your main and then park the .ca on top of it then you get the best of both world same way I. If my fellow Canadians are like me when I want to do business with a Canadian company I always try hitting the .ca domain of their name first before I search for them as a .com. So by parking the .ca on top of the .com you will always win.

I would strongly disagree with this. Parking one domain on another creates duplicate content, which can cause issues with indexing and ranking. Use one or the other, and 301 redirect the unused one to the other.

As for choosing .ca and .com, if most of your business is Canada consumers, and you expect it to stay that way even with some growth in International, I'd use the .ca domain since it will rank much better in google.ca, bing.ca and yahoo.ca. There is a strong preference for country top level domains ("TLD"), even if those searches are performed from the US or another country using the .ca search engine.

One approach to International is to use the .com, but build it out with unique content that targets international users. Maybe start with the .ca, then do the .com later as a unique site once you get traction with international. If you go this route, you will need to build links to both domains.

As to migration from your old domain, it is very important to use a 301 redirect from each page on your old site to an equivalent page on the new site, including your home page. This is critical to avoid a significant drop in rankings. Don't just redirect everything to the new home page. Take an inventory of pages on your old site, and put in place specific 301 redirects for each page. If there are too many pages, do the ones that have the most traffic or value to your site.

[puamana]

There may be a script that will recognize what country the ip address is in and redirect to to .com or .ca (as mobile browsers can be recognized by an embedded script)?

[SuperMan]

Your best bet is to use the .COM domain - especially if you looking to expand worldwide. At this point I would also build sites with domain suffixes such as .CA and any other country where there is marketshare and interest. As a past global webmaster, this is how you want to structure your domains...

[morestar]

I would have to agree with the members who have said you should go with the .com. Myself being Canadian, I never really worried about purchasing something from the States. As long as there's a real contact number I can call and the site looks really ligit then I'll purchase from it easily - never had a problem and I've never heard anyone up hear say they'd rather buy from .ca - maybe register a .ca but not buy from one - either or for us...

Good that you're going to launch a domain with your keywords in it and I would, as others have suggested, advise you to redirect all the other domains to the new one - page for page if you can and leave it at that...don't make it into a BIG SEO deal cause it isn't one...

[morestar]

Your best bet is to use the .COM domain - especially if you looking to expand worldwide. At this point I would also build sites with domain suffixes such as .CA and any other country where there is marketshare and interest. As a past global webmaster, this is how you want to structure your domains...

Yes register the .net, .org and .co.uk if you can and redirect all those too (to the .com) - but more so for securing those domains than anything...

[deepsand]

I would strongly disagree with this. Parking one domain on another creates duplicate content, which can cause issues with indexing and ranking. Use one or the other, and 301 redirect the unused one to the other.
Parked domains create no such problems, particularly here, as the parked DN would be forwarded.

[deepsand]

There may be a script that will recognize what country the ip address is in and redirect to to .com or .ca (as mobile browsers can be recognized by an embedded script)?
That's a server side function that is not in play when users execute a search.

[puamana]

In that case, I generally tell my clients that the .com domain is usually the best choice if they looking for international as well as local orders. For local branding, I'd suggest one site targeted toward .ca customers, and another under .com for us and international sales.

[holmpage]

I'm Canadian. If you want US customers and can ship to the US as well as Canada, I'd use the dot-com and redirect the dot-ca to it. Be clear that you are in Canada, though, so that if someone is searching for "gift baskets canada" they'll find you and easily see that you are, indeed, in Canada. That can put off Americans, though. You have to make it totally transparent and easy for them, perhaps with a select-the-flag pricing option (not that the exchange rate matters much these days.) But dot-com is good currency in Canada, and only Canadians will buy from dot-ca. For Americans, you have to make it look like you're one of them. (Sorry guys, but it's true.)

[hotels]

.com and have a section for Canadians.

You can use .ca to feed traffic to .com.

Make .ca unique(niche) content.

That's my 2 cents

[deepsand]

.com and have a section for Canadians.

You can use .ca to feed traffic to .com.

Make .ca unique(niche) content.
Given that there is no Canadian specific content, one of the DNs would need to be content poor in order to avoid duplication.

Furthermore, of what benefit the additional hosting costs, the dilution of link juice, and, most importantly, force the bulk of his customers to voluntarily re-direct themselves to a second DN?

[HTMLBasicTutor]

only Canadians will buy from dot-ca.
I disagree. Most of my customers are Americans and all my sites are .ca. ;-)

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Ok, everyone is not considering what type of business Patti has, a gift basket business.

Who do you usually buy a gift basket for? Someone else. If that someone else lives in Canada, wouldn't it make sense to buy from a Canadian site to save on shipping and the chance of the person receiving the gift having to pay customs charges?

Think of this like sending someone flowers. Would you not look for a florist close to the person you want to send the flowers to?

People outside of Canada sometimes don't understand how big Canada is, just as with other countries. I would think if someone from outside of Canada was looking to send a gift to someone in Canada they would start with the search gift baskets, Canada. So..... if the SEO is done well on the site Patti should be able to rank for this search using her .ca version of her domain name in any of the search engines and then has a better chance of getting at least a look from the searcher because there is .ca at the end of her domain name.

As everyone has already pointed out, it is assumed (correctly or not) that .com domains are most likely US.

The correct strategy has to be selected for what Patti wants to do with her business and that stategy just might be pushing .ca version of her site. It is up to her how hard she wants to work for or how badly she wants those international orders.

[deepsand]

everyone is not considering what type of business ...

everyone has already pointed out, it is assumed ...


Well, not quite "everyone."

<tongue_in_cheek>

Use cranberrycornersgiftbaskets.xxx, and you'll never want for traffic.

</tongue_in_cheek>

[crancor1]

Ok, everyone is not considering what type of business Patti has, a gift basket business.

Who do you usually buy a gift basket for? Someone else. If that someone else lives in Canada, wouldn't it make sense to buy from a Canadian site to save on shipping and the chance of the person receiving the gift having to pay customs charges?

Think of this like sending someone flowers. Would you not look for a florist close to the person you want to send the flowers to?

People outside of Canada sometimes don't understand how big Canada is, just as with other countries. I would think if someone from outside of Canada was looking to send a gift to someone in Canada they would start with the search gift baskets, Canada. So..... if the SEO is done well on the site Patti should be able to rank for this search using her .ca version of her domain name in any of the search engines and then has a better chance of getting at least a look from the searcher because there is .ca at the end of her domain name.

As everyone has already pointed out, it is assumed (correctly or not) that .com domains are most likely US.

The correct strategy has to be selected for what Patti wants to do with her business and that stategy just might be pushing .ca version of her site. It is up to her how hard she wants to work for or how badly she wants those international orders.

Not sure what you mean Basic Tutor by your last paragraph. Please clarify.

Patti, [self promo pseudo-signature removed by mod]

[Clint1]

Originally Posted by cw1865
I don't order from .ca - and I am in the US.
I'm curious why you feel that way.
I would guess due to shipping?? I'm the same way; I'm in the USA and if I'm looking for something to order I ignore .ca (and other country's domains) simply because of shipping.

[nickoran]

As everyone has already pointed out, it is assumed (correctly or not) that .com domains are most likely US.


I think this will be very different for many reasons, I would say in the UK a .com is generally considered to be a global site over a US one.

Personally I would go with the .com, there are other ways to optimise your site if you want it to be locally targeted than having to worry about the domain extension. Google will for example take into account your contact page and details on there etc.

[LD]

I would guess due to shipping?? I'm the same way; I'm in the USA and if I'm looking for something to order I ignore .ca (and other country's domains) simply because of shipping.

So are the criteria for your choice also considerate of the cost or the distance the product would have to be shipped? If it's the distance, then to pose a question; assuming your base is in Buffalo NY and a .ca site in Toronto Ontario offers you a product you desire. Let's also say the same or similar product is available in Cali. If the shipping costs are the same or better from the .ca site does the same thinking apply?

[Clint1]

So are the criteria for your choice also considerate of the cost or the distance the product would have to be shipped? If it's the distance, then to pose a question; assuming your base is in Buffalo NY and a .ca site in Toronto Ontario offers you a product you desire. Let's also say the same or similar product is available in Cali. If the shipping costs are the same or better from the .ca site does the same thinking apply?
No......but I wouldn't know for sure since I'm in LA, not CA. I'm about as far as you can get from Canada (and be in the USA) and I know from experience that getting something shipped from Canada is a lot more than getting something shipped from somewhere in the USA. But I don't know if that's the case if you live in MN, NY, or WI, etc, and then compare ordering something from Canada as opposed to LA. Those states are of course much closer to Canada than LA, so shipping may be less, but it may be an "international thing" where the shipping still costs more because the countries are different.

[LD]

Fair enough. I have purchased software that originated in Cali - I think the cost was $25 to ship to Canada. I've also returned the same product (it was fraudulent and I was eventually ripped off - another thread perhaps) and my cost to ship back was about the same.

[Clint1]

.........(it was fraudulent and I was eventually ripped off - another thread perhaps) and my cost to ship back was about the same.
:shock: Indeed. And I would have never paid to ship it back.

[LD]

I had to send it back to comply with the refund policy that would ensure I'd never get the refund and which also ensured would I no longer have in my possession the evidence to qualify my claims of fraud. Isn't eBay wonderful? :-( Ooops! didn't mean to hijack the thread.

[rickanderson]

Hi All,

I need some help with whether or not to use .com or .ca in my new website name.

Currently my website is: ...cranberrycornersDOTca.
Last week I registered the the two names: cranberrycornersgiftbasketsDOTcom and cranberrycornersgiftbasketsDOTca[

I am located in Ottawa, Canada and my company name is Cranberry Corners Gift Baskets.

Which is the best name - as as far as SEO optimization - is the best one to use?

Secondly, with all the redirecting needed what is the best redirecting sequence to use so my organic rankings don't drop drastically when we apply the name change?

Patti:roll:


hi patti

truth be told, none of the domains you bought are any good. as hard as it might be to hear, no one but you and maybe a friend or two gives a hoot about "cranberry corners". the entire world however, cares about "gift baskets"....and good ones at that.

the smartest thing you can possibly do is to rid yourself of the cranberry and go loud and proud. for example... "worlds best gift baskets dot net" is available. if you're not inclined to be so self aggrandizing and choose to go the cutsie corner way.. thats cool..to each is own.

just dont expect too many sales though.

regards
rick

[Clint1]

hi patti

truth be told, none of the domains you bought are any good. as hard as it might be to hear, no one but you and maybe a friend or two gives a hoot about "cranberry corners". the entire world however, cares about "gift baskets"....and good ones at that.

the smartest thing you can possibly do is to rid yourself of the cranberry and go loud and proud. for example... "worlds best gift baskets dot net" is available. if you're not inclined to be so self aggrandizing and choose to go the cutsie corner way.. thats cool..to each is own.

just dont expect too many sales though.

regards
rick
I tend to agree, but I'm sure "giftbaskets" .com, .net, etc., was taken. However one can still rank as great for "gift baskets" regardless of domain name if that phrase is used in the title tags, h1 tags, and throughout the pages.

But also, one usually tends to put their business name in the domain name, which makes sense, (and which is a professional thing to do). In my case, my niche is very popular with many millions of websites and there were very few domains available that directly targeted my key words and phrases. I of course registered the ones that did apply, and they point to my main domain, which is my business name. (All of my webpages are accessible using any of my registered domains' URL's which redirect to the main site's pages).

[HTMLBasicTutor]

The correct strategy has to be selected for what Patti wants to do with her business and that stategy just might be pushing .ca version of her site. It is up to her how hard she wants to work for or how badly she wants those international orders.



Not sure what you mean Basic Tutor by your last paragraph. Please clarify.

Patti, Cranberry Corners Gift Baskets, Ottawa, Canada:confused:
The point I was trying to get across was people buy gift baskets for other people. If my family from overseas (for example) wanted to send me a gift basket I suspect they would look for someone in Canada first to save on shipping costs from their own country and if they understood how customs charges work that would be even more reason to order from a company in Canada so I didn't get stuck paying the customs charges.

You have to decide if you want to expand you incoming sales from overseas customers first. If so, you can show up in the results in the international versions of the search engines using your .ca domain with some good SEO and hard work.

[defensity]

hi patti

truth be told, none of the domains you bought are any good. as hard as it might be to hear, no one but you and maybe a friend or two gives a hoot about "cranberry corners". the entire world however, cares about "gift baskets"....and good ones at that.

the smartest thing you can possibly do is to rid yourself of the cranberry and go loud and proud. for example... "worlds best gift baskets dot net" is available. if you're not inclined to be so self aggrandizing and choose to go the cutsie corner way.. thats cool..to each is own.

just dont expect too many sales though.

regards
rick

Nonsense

Next you're going to tell Ford, Nike and 1-800 Flowers that no one gives a crap about their brand?

I think sometimes we get consumed with being too keyword-focused in the web-age.
Truth is brand is just as important, especially with a local intent for a local-based business.

Keywords get you found, but brand makes you memorable - not to mention trust

You should have atleast 2 domains, one which is keyword focused and the other brand focused

[deepsand]

truth be told, none of the domains you bought are any good. as hard as it might be to hear, no one but you and maybe a friend or two gives a hoot about "cranberry corners". the entire world however, cares about "gift baskets"....and good ones at that.

the smartest thing you can possibly do is to rid yourself of the cranberry and go loud and proud. for example... "worlds best gift baskets dot net" is available. if you're not inclined to be so self aggrandizing and choose to go the cutsie corner way.. thats cool..to each is own.

just dont expect too many sales though.

regards
rick
This is pure unadulterated drivel.

People are neither impressed by claims to being the best nor given to searching for such.

What people do remember, and will search for, are memorable brand names.

[AtlantaGaToday]

Hi All,

Currently my website is: ...cranberrycornersDOTca.
Last week I registered the the two names: cranberrycornersgiftbasketsDOTcom and cranberrycornersgiftbasketsDOTca[

Which is the best name - as as far as SEO optimization - is the best one to use?




I prefer the first because its shorter and easier to remember. Don't get hung up on having your keywords in the title. It may help but hard work and content will always be king.

[Clint1]

I prefer the first because its shorter and easier to remember. Don't get hung up on having your keywords in the title.
:shock: Do you mean the title tag, or just the title of the domain name?



It may help but hard work and content will always be king.
:rolleyes: Content hasn't been king for a long time now.

[nickoran]

:rolleyes: Content hasn't been king for a long time now.

Come on clint1, you cant make a comment like that and not explain it!? I'll end up tearing my hair out!

[Clint1]

Come on clint1, you cant make a comment like that and not explain it!? I'll end up tearing my hair out!
That's been explained and talked about so many countless times here I just can't do it anymore (or I'll tear my hair out, or worse). If one would just look at all the top-ranking BS in the SERP's, they'd see why.