Launching a new site - .uk or .co.uk?

fiftyonesix · Jun 25, 2014

Hi

I'm about to launch a new site and can't decide whether to go with the .co.uk or .uk.

The .co.uk currently has a beta version of the site live which is indexed, with 2 or 3 links pointing to it and some traffic (20 - 30 visitors a day).

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated, I'm leaning towards sticking to the .co.uk and then switching over to the .uk once it's more mainstream.

Thanks!

baldidiot · Jun 25, 2014

We've been doing all of ours on the .co.uk and redirecting the .uk.

Only .uk we're planning for the time being is where the .co.uk has a penalty from the previous owner.

devilsrefugee · Jun 25, 2014

depends.

Regarding the traffic and links you could just set a 301 from the co.uk to the .uk.

Me personally, I like the .uk over the .co.uk. Mainly because its shorter and the .co means nothing to the sites I do really. Just added characters.

However, general joe public probably dont know your site is xyz.uk, but wont make it a difference if you redirect from the .co.uk anyway.

max99x · Jun 25, 2014

.co.uk until the public have an idea what .uk is ... which I guess will be 3 or 4 years down the line ... if ever

fiftyonesix · Jun 27, 2014

Nice one, thanks for the advice. I'm gonna stick with .co.uk for now.

Joe1990 · Jul 16, 2014

I think you have made the right decision. It would probably be best to stick with .co.uk domain until .uk becomes a little more mainstream. It wouldn't hurt to register your domain with the .uk gTLD though and just set up a simple re-direct to your current .co.uk site.

http://blog.names.co.uk/2014/06/new-uk-finally/