Why search engines downplay CC sites
To compare a TLD with a CC above is to compare apples and oranges. It’s simply rubbish and without a basis in fact.
What evidence can anyone present that search engines prefer dot-coms over dot-in domains? To assert such a fallacy is to distract webmasters from the true issues at hand and to discourage efforts to have websites fairly evaluated by search engines.
Search engines prefer websites with relevant content (and keywords) and links from other relevant websites. On the whole, dot-com website managers appear to be out in front on SEO measures—but these measures are not proprietary or secret or otherwise unavailable to owners of CC domains.
Search ranking often has to do with keyword strength. For English-speakers from outside the U.S., subtle adjustments to keywords and syntax do not always come easily. Most of the desi sites I see are promoted by individuals who neither understand the importance of localization nor are knowledgeable enough to take advantage of such opportunities if they are made available.
Localization is a problem for many dot-com website operators in the U.S. and U.K. Translation: hiring experts in local languages and culture is not a high priority. Link popularity and search rankings suffer as a result.
Link popularity and search-engine popularity will suffer as a result of poor website design and construction. If visitors see typos and poor site construction, they are less likely to do business with a website operator or to make a link to that website. This is the situation that PubDomains.in finds itself in at the moment. Not even George Bush could make so many errors in spelling and syntax!
Despite being a PIO, if I were to shift back to India and try to launch an enterprise without having the sense to hire local experts and make strong local tie-ups, then that enterprise would fail. The inverse is too often true when it comes to Desi enterprises seeking to break out into global markets.
Promoters of CC websites need to be conscious of the common pitfalls that befall other websites in their business category. They can and should develop plans to counteract such traps. With PubDomains.in and similarly situated websites, this would entail strict adherence to AP standards [Associated Press Stylebook – ‘Gita for Google’].
Buy it. Read it. Memorize it. Use it. Repeat as necessary.
It is easy to blame someone else for one’s own failings. “Oh those search engines are ignoring me because I’m using a dot-in.” Nonsense, the search engines are ignoring you because you have not cared to make a proper website.
Start with the grammar section in the AP Stylebook where the use of uppercase letters is explained. Need an example? It’s as close as NYT.com or BusinessWeek.com.
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