Which domain will pave your path to online greatness between .COM & .IN domain extensions. Discover the key to unlocking your virtual kingdom.

1. .COM Or .IN: Which
Domain Is Better For Your
Website?
Which Domain is Better, .COM or .IN?
The debate has been on for years now. These two extensions are
known to be the oldest and most popular, which have certainly
caused a stir among internet users around the globe.
There is no doubt that .com is the predominant suffix typed by the
majority of internet users, but the .in has not been left far behind.
Over the past decade, .in extension has gained immense popularity
among Indian web owners and internet users. The year 2021
marked 3.5 million .in domain registers, which is expected to grow
even more in the coming years.
It’s natural to feel perplexed about which extension to choose since
both are at the upper hand. But not anymore! This post will dive
deep into the pros of these two, the SEO implications on .com
vs. .in domains, and how to choose the right one for your business.
What Is .COM Domain Extension?
.com is one of the internet’s earliest and most prevalent generic
TLD (top-level domain).

2. Symbolics, Inc. first registered the .com TLD in 1985. In the initial
years, it was managed by the United States Department of Defense
and later by Verisign (A worldwide provider of domain name registry
services).
Like the derived name, it was intended for commercial organizations.
However, over the years, this TLD has been used for all types of
websites. The .com domain extension has remained a primary
choice among internet users and web owners despite the
emergence and extinction of numerous other extensions.
You might have seen many famous websites registered under
the .com extension —
 www.google.com
 www.linkedin.com
 www.amazon.com
 www.wordpress.com
 www.instagram.com
 www.youtube.com
Also Read: Understanding Domain Names – A Complete
Guide

3. Why Choose .COM?
➢ No Restrictions
Regardless of the type of business, location, or size, .com is open
for every web owner willing to register their sites under the
extension. However, a few things need to be addressed when
choosing a .com domain extension.
Ensure you regulate the rules set forth by ICANN (Internet
Corporation For Assigned Names And Numbers). This includes the
character limit, character usage, and issues to consider and settle
for the domain name.
We all are well aware of the popularity and recognition of the .com
domain extension. This states that a higher demand means fewer
supplies. Meaning
you have to choose a unique name as there might be a website
registered under the same name and domain as you might be
thinking right now, leading you to consider other domain
extensions.
Also Read: What To Do When Your Domain Name Is Taken?
➢ World Wide Access
Every web owner hopes to expand their business with no
geographical boundaries. Although this is a long-term goal, it would
be a great idea for you to prepare it in advance. This is why we
recommend you buy .com as your domain name.
Unlike other ccTLDs, .com can be accessed by any user worldwide.
For instance, if you buy a .us, .ca, or .au as your local domain, your

4. business will get limited to these vicinities. However, upon
buying .com, you can reach out to a wider audience and expand
your business regardless of your business residence.
Also Read: Top 13 Techniques To Find Creative Domain
Names For Your Business.
➢ A Default Extension
Previously we mentioned that .com is the common extension
searched or autoselected by almost every internet user when
accessing a website. It’s like they are habituated to using the .com
domain as a standard practice when searching for a website. So, if
you want web users to reach out to your website and become a
well-recognized leader in your industry, go for .com.
However, .com is not only the choice of web users and owners.
Many tend to look out for .org, .net, .co, .io, and numerous
other gTLDs for their website. Also, selecting a domain extension
depends on multiple aspects, such as type of business, target
audience, and of course, availability.
Besides these factors, a domain extension should justify the
purpose of your website. For instance, you have an NGO (Non-
governmental Organization) site, and you decided to go for .co as
your extension. But would that make any sense? No, it would not
and confuse your target audience. For NGO sites, .org is the most
preferred and used domain extension, and we recommend you use
the same.
Now that we have discussed the .com domain extension. Let us
move forward to explaining the .in domain extension.

5. What Is .IN Domain Extension?
.in domain extension refers to a ccTLD (Country Code Top-level
Domain) which was introduced in 1989.
.in stands for India because this domain suffix is meant for
businesses and organizations who plan to build a website for the
Indian audience.
.in can not only be used by businesses or organizations but also by
academies & educational institutions, NGOs, government agencies,
and many other businesses. Generally, .in helps in establishing an
online business presence in the Indian market.
In fact, over the years, this suffix has become a preferred choice for
web owners because it is a geo-target domain and can be
accompanied by second-level domain extensions
like .co.in, .org.in, .net.in, and so on to exhibit the actual focus of a
website.
Also Read: What’s My Domain Name Worth? Ways To
Estimate A Domain Value

6. Why Choose .IN?
➢ Brand Empowerment In India
Expanding and empowering your business in India becomes easy
when you have .in as your domain. Firstly, it showcases that your
business is based in India, which helps establish your brand image
within the vicinity.
.in domain extension showcase that your business is committed to
cater the Indian market and audience. In fact, it also shows that
your business is well-acknowledged with the Indian territory, local
culture, language, and preferences.
Unlike .com, buying the .in domain is relatively easy since it has
higher availability for registration.
Also Read: SUBDOMAINS: What Is It & How Is It Helpful?
➢ Easy Recognition
Unlike numerous domain extensions, the .in suffix is relatively easy
to type and recall. More importantly, it is associated with the native
country where the targeted web users reside, which makes the
extension more relatable and easy to remember.
Besides the association and simplicity, .in is a fantastic alternative
to the .com suffix. It is unique, relevant, and easy to search,
making your business appear in the best limelight possible.
➢ Dominant In Local Search
Even though domain extensions don’t directly affect SEO, .in
extension can indirectly contribute to your online growth. Search

7. engines tend to prioritize .in domain extension when displaying
results to Indian audiences and markets. This could lead to
improving your online visibility.
With a .in domain extension, you can signal to Google that your
business is relevant to user search queries, and it is specifically
intended for the Indian audience.
.in domain extension also reduces your competition. Since many
web owners prefer .com, you get an edge in showcasing your
website as unique and relevant as it is registered on the .in suffix.
In fact, the competition will be decreased significantly as the target
keywords will be limited to the search intent of the Indian audience.
Searching and using keywords for a .com extension is relatively
difficult since you target a wider range of audience.
.in should be your priority if your business is popular among the
Indian audience. Choosing this domain extension will improve your
offline as well as online visibility. The more relevant keywords you
have on your site, the more users can find meaningful answers to
their search queries, which can boost your traffic and online
visibility.
Also Read: How Many Keywords Can A Website Have For SEO?
Factors To Consider When
Choosing A Domain Extension
➢ Target Audience & Location
The foremost important aspect to consider when selecting a domain
extension is the target audience and location. Your domain will
reflect the relevancy of your business/brand. As previously

8. mentioned, if you have an NGO site, choosing a .org domain
extension will justify the relevancy among your target audience.
Users can connect to the purpose and extension used in your site.
ccTLDs are also great for local SEO as search engines emphasize
websites with .in suffixes and make them appear at the top in the
search results of Indian audiences. Choosing .in will signal to Google
that your business is limited to the Indian audience and market,
making it easy for a potential audience to find your site.
Also Read: Nameserver: What Is It And What Does It Do?
➢ Niche
Most people focus on registering their site on .com because of its
apparent recognition among web users. However, we always
recommend you choose the extension aligning with your niche or
industry. Doing so will show the relatability between your brand and
website.
For instance, if you have an online shoe-selling website for the
Indian audience, choosing www.shoes.co.in would make more sense.
However, if you were to choose www.shoes.org, not only it looks
uncoordinated with the brand’s purpose, but it also can confuse
users. Choosing an unrelated domain extension also appears
unprofessional, leading to site abandonment and customer churn.
Also Read: What Is A Website Name?
➢ Branding & Marketing

9. Branding and marketing, these two aspects boil down to one point
— what is your goal? If your goal is to remain an Indian brand even
in the foreseeable future, .in would be your best choice. However, if
you plan to scale your business internationally, going for .com
would be ideal.
For targeting multiple cities or countries, choosing different ccTLDs
based on the target zone would be a perfect choice for your
business. All in all, your marketing and branding goals should be
taken into account when choosing a domain extension.
Also Read: Should I Buy Multiple Domain Names And
Extensions?
➢ What If Your Plans Are Going Global?
The point has been made countless times and will be made again
that if you plan to clamber up in the global market, go for .com.
This suffix is accessible by every user on the internet despite the
location. Plus, this domain is available for registration on every
brand or business in any industry.
From eCommerce to educational institutions and healthcare &
lifestyle, it has zero restrictions over any business type.
Lastly, .com is the most recalled extension by web users. The initial
thought when a user searches for a website is to type .com in the
URL. This might be out of habit or assuming that their searched
website is for commercial purposes.
In fact, some users also let the auto search complete their query,
thinking it’s the same website. So, if your site has a .com extension,
your chance of reaching the top increases.

10. Another option for going global is making your website country-
specific. You can buy different country domain extensions, such
as .in, .ca, .uk, and .us, to make your site accessible for a specific
country.
Let’s take Amazon, for example. This eCommerce site is registered
for different countries,
like https://www.amazon.ca and https://www.amazon.in, to reach
out wider audience and become a global selling platform.
➢ Does SEO Favors .COM Extension?
The short answer is NO!
SEO does not favor the .com extension. Moreover, SEO is not
biased toward any other gTLDs or New TLDs. In some manner, .com
will certainly enhance the credibility of your website among your
target audience. Since they recognize and trust the extension.
However, search engines only prioritize the best SEO
practices you follow on your website. That includes
content, website optimization, off-page SEO, technical SEO,
backlinks, internal & external linking, etc.
So, Does Domain Extensions Affect SEO?
Well, Google confirms that TLDs do not impact SEO or offer ranking
advantages. However, choosing the right extension can certainly
help Google to recognize the actual purpose of your website and
business. For instance, if you have a pizza restaurant, it would be
great to go for a catchy and relevant extension such as .pizza. Of
course, you can always choose .com if it is available.
Google even clears the air by stating that ccTLDs and New TLDs will
also be weighed equally like other gTLDs such as .net, .org, and so
on.

11. Even if you plan to switch one domain from another, Google will be
crawling and indexing the domain in the same way it does with
other ways. However, frequently switching domains is not advisable
as improving ranking is time-consuming.
Also Read: Top Industries That Can Benefit From SEO
➢ Does .IN Domain Extension Impact
Your Online Growth?
The .in domain informs Google that your website is solely targeted
at Indian customers. This is the only impact created by the .in
domain. However, this will indirectly improve the rankings of your
website.
Let’s assume you have a restaurant chain in India. To promote
online growth, you build a website and buy a
domain called www.authenticindiankitchen.in.
Since you have .in as your domain extension, Google comprehends
it and ultimately shows your site to the relevant audience searching
for restaurants in India, leading to improved traffic and conversions.
This is what a geo-targeted domain does for your online business.
Always remember that your website’s growth depends entirely on
the quality & relevancy of your content, user experience, marketing
efforts, and the best SEO practices you pursue.
Also Read: Website Optimization Tips To Increase Website
Performance

12. .COM VS .IN: Choose Wisely
Regardless of your choice — .in or .com, we would always
recommend you consider all the factors favoring your online
presence. Even though domain extensions do not impact SEO, they
certainly affect your target audience, which is a key factor for
success.
Lastly, do verify the history of a purchased domain. Previously
purchased domains might have a Black Hat SEO history to
manipulate the rankings. This negative record includes spam links,
keyword stuffing, plagiarized content, and, worst; it could have
been backlisted from appearing in the search engines.
To safeguard against this future headache, don’t forget to check the
history of your domain and take precautionary measures if needed.
Source - https://www.hostitsmart.com/blog/which-domain-is-
better-between-com-or-in/