.LTD Domain Names

Limited Companies, or LTDs, now have a new domain option with .LTD. This extension allows companies that have an LTD designation to choose a domain name that reflects this standing. .LTD may also be used by attorneys, brokers, and analysts who provide LTD registration services to companies, or who provide online information about obtaining an LTD registration, the pros and cons of the designation, and how to apply the LTD to taxes and other business transactions.

When you chose to register your U.K. business as a Limited Company, you decided to tell everyone that you company is a professional and prestigious one. Establishing your company's image is important not only in the real world, but in the virtual world, as well. Online, it’s very important to portray the best company image possible, from the way you show up in search engine results to how your website looks.

When it comes to search engine results, your website URL – also known as your domain name – matters. When web surfers see your URL, they usually make a decision whether or not to click through to your website within seconds, or even faster.

Having a great domain name helps encourages search engine visitors to click. A long, confusing, hard-to-read domain name? Not so much.

Having a good click-thru rate in the search results is a search engine ranking factor--so having a good domain name that encourages people to click is important.

The Internet is expanding, and one of the ways it’s expanding is by offering us more choices in URL extensions. You’re now able to choose from – literally – hundreds of new “not-com” domain endings, giving you the chance to seize a great domain name that is attractive to both search engines and everyday people.

For example, if the “great” .co.uk domain name you wanted for your Limited Company is already taken, one of the newest options in domain endings is a .Ltd domain name. Yes, as in, .Ltd for “Limited.”

Take a look and decide for yourself which looks better:

Personally, I like shorter names, especially because they're to the point and easier to read. In the example above, I am not sure what you think, but I like the .Ltd domain name much better than the longer CompanyNameLtd.co.uk.

There are a few options when choosing one of these .Ltd domain names:

• Keep using your current longer .co.uk domain name and ignore this great opportunity.
• Redirect your new .Ltd domain name to your current .co.uk domain name.
• Set up a separate website for your new .Ltd domain name.
• Move (migrate) your old, longer .co.uk domain name to a new .Ltd domain name.

I've been involved with a lot of domain name migrations over the years, and luckily if you decide to move from one domain name to another, and it's done properly, you won't lose any online visibility. You won't lose any search engine rankings and positioning. In fact, I've even seen many cases where websites have moved from a .co.uk or a .com domain name to one of these new gTLD (Generic Top Level Domains) and had really good success after their move.

Tips for a successful .Ltd migration

When it comes to evaluating the potential for new .Ltd domain endings, there are a few questions you should consider:

• Is the new domain name you’re considering a shorter, better domain name? Shorter is better, and easier to remember. It takes up less “screen real estate.
• Is your company actually a Limited Company? You’ll want to secure that distinction first if you’re planning to represent yourself that way online.
• Will you move your existing website to the new web address, or build a new site from scratch?

If you decide to move to a new .Ltd domain name, consider making your new .Ltd domain name an HTTPs secure website. HTTPs is a search engine ranking factor, so it’s important to make sure that your website a secure one. Also, be sure to hire a qualified SEO consultant to help with the transition and migration. An SEO consultant or agency can let you know if it’s better to make the transition to the new .Ltd domain over time (especially if you have a very large website) or if moving right away is recommended.

To purchase your own .Ltd domain, click here.

For more information about other new domain options, click here.