Ranking a .eu domain within the UK market?

[AlienAlien is verified member.]

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!

 

[AssetDomains]

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

 

[peter_w]

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.

 

[AlienAlien is verified member.]

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.

 

[AlienAlien is verified member.]

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?

 

[acceleratoraccelerator is verified member.]

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?

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

 

[PredPred is verified member.]

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

 

[peter_w]

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

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.

 

[PredPred is verified member.]

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.

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

 

[Blossom]

If every extension is gone, it tells you something about the competitive nature of the SERP for that keyword.

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.

 

[AlienAlien is verified member.]

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!

 

[peter_w]

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.

 

[PredPred is verified member.]

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

shithole.org.uk is actually free to reg

on a serious note
only bother with com or .co.uk imho for this

 

[PredPred is verified member.]

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

 

[JMOT]

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.

And you are basing that on what exactly?

 

[peter_w]

And you are basing that on what exactly?

"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.

 

[AlienAlien is verified member.]

myblackpoolhotels.co.uk is FTR

Thanks buddy, I was considering that one too - I'm a fan of 'my' prefix domains.

 

[PredPred is verified member.]

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

give me a few weeks. no promises

 

[acceleratoraccelerator is verified member.]

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