Google has posted a new video in the #AskGooglebot series. In it, search employee John Mueller answered several questions about domains and their impact on site performance in search.
Are .com domains preferred by Google?
And is it legal to use newer extensions like .space?
Mueller says this is of course acceptable. From an SEO perspective, the new top-level domains are equivalent to other TLDs like .com. So you can choose what you like. There are many different options now.
Which version is better: with or without www?
“You can use whatever you like best. Google systems have no preferences in either case. Sometimes there are technical reasons to go one way or another, but often it’s just a matter of your personal preference. ”
Rel = canonical by different TLDs
Can rel = canonical be used on different TLDs? For example, for gTLDs and ccTLDs?
Yes, you can. The rel = canonical attribute is not limited to the same domain name, says SearchEngines.
Regional domains for the global site
Can a ccTLD be used for a global site?
Yes, you can. While a country code domain name helps Google systems target that country, it still provides global visibility.
The only limitation is that you cannot specify other geo-targeting countries in this case, notes NIXSolutions.
“For example, if you have a site with a .fr extension for France, you can use it all over the world. But you won’t be able to geo-target users in Brazil,” Mueller explained.