What Is a .co Domain?
We bet that .co is not the first thing that comes to mind when you’re trying to think of a new domain name, but there must be something about those two letters that even Google has registered google.co. Let’s take a closer look at .co and find out everything you need to know about this top-level-domain (tld).
What Is .co All About?
Since it is a generic top-level domain, any person in any country can register a .co domain name. Because it’s widely used as an acronym for company, cooperation, and collaboration, .co is a good alternative to the also commercial .com domain. In fact, the .co domain extension is particularly popular with up-and-coming start-ups, and it is particularly well received by the tech-savvy public. So the trend is really moving away from the classic and now bloated .com extension.
Of course, choosing the perfect domain name is not an easy task, which you probably know by now. Uniqueness, reach, and memorability are important factors to consider before your domain registration. But we think, that .co actually ticks all the boxes.
Be Distinctive
Since .co was only launched in 2010, your brand name is more likely to be available in .co compared to other e-commerce namespaces like .com or .biz. With plenty of domain name options at hand, you can let your creativity run free – no need to cut corners.
Speaking of getting creative, .co is also a great candidate for domain hacks. Domain hacks are a great way to stand out from traditional web addresses (hack as in cutting up words, not as in hacking computers). If yourbrand.co just doesn’t make the cut or is already taken, try using .co for something other than its original intended purpose, like dis.co.
Benefit From a Global Reach
Think big. You may be just starting out, but if your business has the potential to operate beyond your country’s borders, don’t tie your website name to one location by using a country code top-level domain (ccTLD). Because .co is meaningful and recognised in many languages and cultures, it’s a great choice for scaling your business.
And despite the fact that it can be used globally, .co can be used to show some local pride. You can use it to show your company is from Colombia or the state of Colorado in the United States. Evasflowershop.co will resonate well with your local customers and stick at the top of their minds for sure.
Short & Sweet
When it comes to domain names, the universal advice (and we’re not one to argue) is: “the shorter, the better”. Your domain name should not require a TL;DR. Not only are long domain names hard to remember, but search engines prefer them short, too. So if you’re not doing it for your visitors, do it for your search engine optimisation. Twitter doesn’t use t.co for no reason; could it be any shorter?
.co domains – short, sweet and savvy
Who Is Using .co?
Big brands like Apple and Amazon have already chosen .co, making it a trendy domain name extension. Hundreds of cool businesses followed their lead and jumped on the .co bandwagon. Here are just a few examples:
This London-based creative communications agency uses .co to provide strategic consulting, PR, social media, content, and influencer marketing to some of the world’s most exciting brands.
With addy.co, this Seattle-based company has created a platform that promises to make advertising as easy as online shopping.
naina.co
A photographer, entrepreneur from India that runs on .co. With over two decades or experience, she has built a powerful personal brand that lives on a .co domain name
Pro tip: More than 20 countries use .co as a second-level domain for commercial content, like .co.in or .co.uk. So why not get the best of both worlds and register the .co domain that is intended for your local audience?
.co vs .com – Which One to Choose?
A .com domain name is the status quo for commerce domains and a smart choice if you want to sell products or services internationally. Entrepreneurs around the world rely on the popular .com extension for their e-commerce websites. But with over 161.1 million domains registered, the chances of your brand name still being available aren’t great (sorry). On the other hand, .co is newer, and therefore the .co namespace is much less crowded.
Does that make a difference in your SEO efforts? No, not at all. Since Google treats all new domain extensions the same, you can get your desired name without concern. And as mentioned above, the more concise and relevant your domain is, the more likely Google & Co. will reward you with good rankings.
However, if your desired name is available under .com, there is one clear advantage: its price. While .com domains start at AUD 15.99/year, you can register your .co domain for AUD 44.99/year. That’s the price of 2.5 Starbucks Honey Almond milk Flat Whites. We don’t want to judge you on which is more important; that’s why we all set out own priorities. However, the higher price has little to do with demand but is meant to deter scammers from buying this domain in large quantities. It is therefore a subtle form of protection.
So, Is .co a Good Domain?
With a .co domain, your company is sure to be perceived as a commercial business or corporation. This can help with your overall branding and give your web presence a sense of seriousness.
The short and concise domain extension is versatile to combine and easy to remember not only because of its similarity to .com. A big plus is also the availability of this domain compared to its popular twin.
With domain names, it ultimately comes down to your preferences and what resonates well with your customers. Big brands and startups already rely on the flexibility and reliability of .co, and we agree that a .co domain name definitely has the potential to take your idea a step further.
