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Ranking a .eu domain within the UK market?

Discussion in 'Domain Research' started by Alien, Jul 21, 2011.

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  1. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

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    Toying with registering a .eu domain name, it's the only one left free to register in the phrase I'd like (even the hyphenated version is gone). This would be my only .eu domain if I take it, I've no experience of using them.

    Is it easy to rank an .eu domain name within Google UK if hosted from a UK server? Anyone had experience of good .eu listings, etc?

    Thanks! :D
     
  2. Domain Forum

    Acorn Domains Elite Member

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  3. AssetDomains

    AssetDomains Well-Known Member

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    There were a few good examples listed on here somewhere but I can't think of them of the top of my head.
    domaindiscount24.com are doing them for 2.50 euros at the moment if your looking for a cheap registrar.
    Just regged a few more myself with what i had left on my travel money card
     
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  4. peter_w United Kingdom

    peter_w Active Member

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    I don't recommend it. The few examples that do exist are all loaded with A LOT of backlinks. The reality is, if you had the link budget, you could probably perform equally well, or even better, on a sub-domain of any other .co.uk URL than you could a .eu domain. Remember that even if you do rank highly with it, your CTR is not going to be as high as .co.uk or .com domains around you.
     
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  5. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

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    Thanks both, much appreciated. :)

    Read a few articles and it seems that it's just as feasible to rank a .eu in Google UK (I'd be hosting it from a UK server too) with a bit more work, good SEO and unique content etc. So, I think I'll take the gamble, fingers crossed!

    The .eu in question is a XXXXXhotels.eu name with around 27K exact local monthly searches, so seems viable. :)

    PS: Should add that the phrase is pretty much unavailable with or without hyphens in any other decent ext or UK domain. :eek:
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2011
  6. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

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    PPS: Does anyone think that it's worth registering a *.uk variation of some sort on the .eu domain and set it up parked on top to redirect to the .eu or stick with the one domain only? :)
     
  7. accelerator United Kingdom

    accelerator Well-Known Member

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    I probably wouldn't bother with the .eu, I would just reg XXXXXhotelsYYYYY.co.uk, with the YYYYY being short and catchy.

    That said, I have ladies jewellery and it's sixth on Bing after being neglected for a long time.

    Rgds
     
  8. Pred United Kingdom

    Pred Well-Known Member

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    i say go for it
    especially if all other ext gone and you can get them for only 3 euros

    only if it's say parishotels as opposed to mexicohotels for example. ;)
    because of the .eu

    that way, people are searching for parishotels from all over the world
    and the .eu may well outperform the .co.uk on foreign search engines, if for example
    paris hotels
    in fact i bet it would
     
  9. peter_w United Kingdom

    peter_w Active Member

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    It's one thing getting the domain for a few euros... but factoring in time spent and money it would need to make it rank, I really can't see how it a viable route? If every extension is gone, it tells you something about the competitive nature of the SERP for that keyword. With an .eu domain you'd be looking at thousands on links (or some bloody good PR) to get anywhere close.

    The point about ranking in Foreign results doesn't really come in to play here? Since Alien is talking specifically about targeting the UK SERP's? Besides which, .eu domains have a similar weight in France, Germany, Spain etc as they do in the UK - very little.

    And even if they did, you'd need strong knowledge of the market and language in order to convert any traffic.
     
  10. Pred United Kingdom

    Pred Well-Known Member

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    well.
    if you're going to build any site, it takes time, more than money, which is money too of course
    we all build more sites that don't make much than do! it's all part of learning. some become successes, most don't
    if there is a high uk search and it's in europe, theres a good chance, many other countries are searching for it
    the fact it's in europe (lets say the paris example) then theres a very good chance theres high english searches too. from canada, america, other english speaking parts, expats abroad etc
    so site can still be in english
    i think the .eu would do fine because the location is in the eu

    you can go down the brandable .co.uk route but then you're adding on another word and the extension is twice as long
    or pay x,xxx for the exact match. no thanks

    try it and see . i do all the time.
    if I'm just targeting the uk then thats different, however sometimes i have picked up other extension, gtlds for regfee and perform ok
    obviously .com, .co.uk and .org.uk all perform best on the uk serps
     
  11. Blossom

    Blossom Well-Known Member

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    There are plenty of niches where obvious names are taken by companies who don't know or care about SEO. Just because the names are gone doesn't mean the ranking sites' SEO is good.

    Having said that, for hotels it will be competitive....but in general terms there's not always correlation.

    I realise that's the nature of the game from a domainer's perspective, but a lot of people here place way too much emphasis on exact match. It's a great bonus if you can get it, but not getting the extension or exact keyword you want shouldn't stop you from actually developing a website or buying a name.
     
  12. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

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    Thank you all, some very interesting facts, opinions and info there, much appreciated. :)

    The domain in question is 'Blackpool Hotels' DOT eu

    Now, before I put some heavy development into this (and it will have hefty content), is it too much of a gamble to use the .eu and perhaps I should seek an alternative .co.uk or even .com?

    Given that 'Blackpool Hotels' is impossible (or expensive!) to get hold of in UK ext, any thoughts?

    Thanks! :D
     
  13. peter_w United Kingdom

    peter_w Active Member

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    I think I've made my view known :) Buying the .eu will turn into a money pit trying to get it to rank, and even if it does it will be a poor convertor due to a lack of trust in the extension in the UK.

    Why not go for something a little more brandable with wider scope such as hotelsinthenorth.com? I'm confident that a xxxxxxxxx.com/blackpool or xxxxxxx.co.uk/blackpool will be easier to rank with and give a better ROI than going for the .eu.
     
  14. Pred United Kingdom

    Pred Well-Known Member

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    don't bother with eu if for blackpool hotels
    no one apart from Brits are stupid enough to go there :D

    shithole.org.uk is actually free to reg :D

    on a serious note
    only bother with com or .co.uk imho for this
     
  15. Pred United Kingdom

    Pred Well-Known Member

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    myblackpoolhotels.co.uk is FTR

    short, brandable and generic

    if had been for parishotels for example, i stand by .eu being better choice as shorter and pure generic and get traffic from uk and other global regions

    but as blackpool, that FTR is perfect imo
     
  16. JMOT

    JMOT Active Member

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    And you are basing that on what exactly?
     
  17. peter_w United Kingdom

    peter_w Active Member

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    "my view". I'm not basing it on any solid research, but you would need to go to some lengths to convince me a .eu domain would get the same CTR has an equivalent .co.uk or .com.
     
  18. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

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    Thanks buddy, I was considering that one too - I'm a fan of 'my' prefix domains. :)
     
  19. Pred United Kingdom

    Pred Well-Known Member

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    i'm going to have a go at one of my .eu (not a huge fan of them, but have some)

    this one is a HIGHLY competitive high paying sector

    the .com and .co.uk are unobtainable. nice sites, developed and nowhere to be seen on google page 1
    the .org.uk is first page centre :D

    give me a few weeks. no promises ;)
     
  20. accelerator United Kingdom

    accelerator Well-Known Member

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    I would go for something like blackpoolhotels[suffix].co.uk, my unproven theory being that the SEO boost is better if the domain begins with the exact match phrase.

    Rgds
     
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