Different Domain Extensions and Google Relevancy

Don't see many cc/tv/info/biz/bz/us in the index?

[esaslo]

In all my time on google, I haven't come across, to my memory, any cc/tv/info/biz/bz/us sites in any of the keyterms I search for. My group of sites is optimized for 279 industry specific keywords (avg results 400K per keyword), and is ranked in the top 8 for each... yet, going through the top 200 of most of these keywords, I didn't see a SINGLE different extension outside of the starting five (edu/gov/com/net/org)... does google ignore these?

Thoughts?

[mfishy]

Google definitely does not ignore these. I have one .cc that does quite well. In some SERPS I have even noticed international domain extensions ranking high.

[heini]

>does google ignore these

Yes, Google ignores all TLDs, to be precise.
TLDs are only a factor when it comes to local search, i.e. filtering for UK, FR, AU or whatever results.
Apart from that all TLDs are the same, ranking wise.

[Chris_R]

They just aren't as popular - so you won't see as many - they aren't ignored - and some place very high.

The general rule is that google does not discriminate based on tld - and I agree.

[google.com...]

shows plenty of different domain tlds.

[mbauser2]

I haven't come across, to my memory, any cc/tv/info/biz/bz/us sites in any of the keyterms I search for.

Speaking as someone who used to work for a domain registrar, I can let you in on a little secret: Most of the domain in those TLDs aren't used for anything. Lots have been registered, but most of them are hoarded by speculators, and/or redirected to traditional com/net/org sites.

Unused domains and redirects aren't going to be in Google. Nobody links to them, and they have no content. There is nothing for Google to index.

As for the few real websites that do use those TLDs, they don't get much incoming linkage because everyone looks for com/net/org sites first: There may be a bias, but it's a bias in the linking patterns of webmasters, not Google.

[AAnnAArchy]

If you check out the adult terms, you'll find a lot more of the non.coms. I guess it's more of a case where people don't need to remember the domain name - all that matters is if you show up in the top ten. Plus, there was a sale on the lesser used tlds for a while, so I imagine some people loaded up on them.

[GoogleGuy]

Aye, the ccTLD dinna make a whit o' difference.

[rfgdxm1]

>If you check out the adult terms, you'll find a lot more of the non.coms. I guess it's more of a case where people don't need to remember the domain name - all that matters is if you show up in the top ten.

Right. If the sole purpose of the domain is to be clicked on, with no concern about branding, then the best strategy is keyword domains. With all the good keyword stuffed domains in the popular TLDs taken, then using the minor TLDs makes sense.