.com or .co.uk - which shall I use?!?!

[thomas]

So, I've just bought my full name as a .com and a .co.uk. Now, which one shall I use as the main domain name!!!

I bought them because....

• It's my name!!!
• Possibly use it as a "professional" blog - I do lots of web work so will be a good way to show it off in a more personal setting.
• It seemed like a good idea

So, which shall I choose?

 

[dan_bo]

.orgy

 

[gaz]

.co.uk. better for SEO due to your general location.

 

[ColinJ]

I would use the .co.uk and redirect the .com to it in case people typed .com by mistake.

 

[Night Train]

.co.uk and then link the .com to it so that either will go to the .co.uk site.

I read something recently that said there is less trust of .com sites as there is a greater risk, or perception of risk, of viruses and spam coming from them.

I have a .org for my company name and also a couple of .co.uk relating to my name and my work linking to them. I did have a .com version of my company but the chap who set it up for me stopped talking to me and I can't get hold of it to transfer to my name for billing. No great loss given I don't have the .co.uk version either.

 

[thomas]

I probably will end up using the .co.uk for all of the above reasons. SEO isn't too much of a problem, as my old homepage (when I was like 13 years old) is #1 for my name so I'm just going to 301 that

Actually, it's not for UK only search, so maybe the .co.uk will help steal the bag there

 

[Ghost Donkey]

Are you registering the domain name to a home or business address? I can't confirm it's still the case as I'm on my mobile and won't be on a computer for a while but when I registered a domain name 2 years ago it was possible for anyone to see the postal address a domain name is registered to. Fine if it's a business address or you have a PO box number but no so good if you're using your home address. If you have a .co.uk address and do not use it for business purposes you can change it so the postal address the domain is registered to becomes hidden to most people, the equivalent of going ex-directory. At the time it wasn't possible to do this with a .com address.

This might not be the case today but certainly worth checking out if you will be registering a domain name to your home address.

 

[Black Sheep]

I use .co.uk for myself, for two reasons, it was cheaper than .com and I'm in the uk only seeking to work in the uk and so I have a .co.uk address

 

[thomas]

Are you registering the domain name to a home or business address? I can't confirm it's still the case as I'm on my mobile and won't be on a computer for a while but when I registered a domain name 2 years ago it was possible for anyone to see the postal address a domain name is registered to. Fine if it's a business address or you have a PO box number but no so good if you're using your home address. If you have a .co.uk address and do not use it for business purposes you can change it so the postal address the domain is registered to becomes hidden to most people, the equivalent of going ex-directory. At the time it wasn't possible to do this with a .com address.

This might not be the case today but certainly worth checking out if you will be registering a domain name to your home address.

If you have a .uk for PERSONAL use, in some cases you can hide your contact details. You cannot for commercial businesses.

With a .com (etc) you can usually buy, though it's generally free, whois guard which hides your details.

However, within about 3 clicks of Google you can find my address. A lot of my business is online and having an address makes it more reputable (not a PO box!!). If I wasn't sure how reputable a business was, I would look at the WHOIS. If it's hidden then I'd go elsewhere. I don't hide the whois on any of my domains.

Currently the most annoying thing that happens is a dodgy registration company sending my requests to transfer to them.

Hiding it is fine for personal projects, but even then you should have at least a working email address.

 

[XmisterIS]

I'd go for .co.uk, my own professional website is a .co.uk I prefer it because I'm in the UK! Similarly, people in Germany will go for a .de, in France for a .fr, etc.