Geo domains (a.k.a: geographic domains) are domain names that include the name of a city, region, country, or any other geographic area. For example, domains like “newyork.com” or “parisguide.net” are considered geo domains because they relate to specific places.
A Geo domain is considered a type of exact match domain which means, the domain name includes a keyword that has a high monthly search volume on Google.
Geo Domains can be valuable for businesses targeting local audiences or offering location-specific services. They help in local SEO and can establish credibility and relevance within a particular geographic area.
Types of Geo Domains
Geo Domains could be classified into:
- Country-specific Geo domains (think of China.com, LawyerinUAE.net)
- City-specific Geo domains (e.g. HomeRestorationSydney.com)
- State-specific Geo domains (e.g. CaliforniaHotels.xyz)
- Suburb /Village/ Area-specific (e.g. restaurantsinjupitar.com)
Do Geo Domains Work for SEO?
The Answer is Yes! Geo Domains are very powerful for local SEO where the SERPs (search engine result pages) are showing local packs. This kind of domain creates a higher relevance for local search queries and could be a multiplier for your SEO results.
Geo domains sometimes become very crucial for ranking in some niches or markets, especially, when most of your competitors are using Geo domains. In these situations, you would be losing a competitive advantage to your competitors if you are not using one.
In other local SERPs where the ranking competitors are not using Geo domains, it could be a competitive advantage for you to have one. Actually, that’s when the magic happens! because you could achieve significant SEO results in a short period of time.
How to Choose a good Geo Domain for your business
A good Geo domain is not a random one with your city/country squeezed into it. There are important criteria to check, some are for SEO and the rest are for branding and UX purposes.
The criteria for choosing a good Geo Domain include:
- Geographic relevance: if you are serving a specific city then no point in choosing a geo domain that includes the country name. Not only it is bad for the user experience but you won’t be able to take advantage of the Geo domain if it does not match your service area.
- High Search Volume: Geo domains are considered a type of Exact Match Domains (EDMs) and that is why search volume is a key to success here. Don’t pick a random Geo domain just because it includes your city within. The keyword of the domain has lto have a high search volume. The higher the monthly search volume the better.
- The shorter the better: this rule is not for specifically for SEO, it’s for UX. Although the length of the domain name doesn’t matter for SEO, the shorter it gets the better for users it becomes.
Interestingly enough, I have sold one of the longest domain names ever (thingsToDoWithKidsNearMe.com) and still, it was a bargain for the buyer because of the high search volume it has. If you want to know more about “Near Me” Domain Names, check this article.
A common question: does a Geo Domain have to be .com?
The answer is No, TLD (Top Level Domains) which is the extension of the domain name like .com, .net, .org, .bot, etc DOES NOT matter for SEO, they are all equal.
Final Word
Geo Domains are considered a type of Exact Match Domains targeting a specific geographic location like a city, state, or country, and it’s a very powerful strategy for cutting your SEO budget and accelerating your local SEO results.
If you have a local business and looking for a Powerful Geo Domain talk to me today and let me land you the ideal Goe Domain for your market/niche and case. Call Me Now!