.co.uk remains the most trusted domain for UK businesses. .uk is growing but .co.uk still wins customer confidence. .com works for international businesses with UK presence.
.co.uk: The Standard
Established 1985. 10.8 million registered domains. First choice for UK businesses.
When to Choose .co.uk
Primary market is UK. Building local trust matters. You want maximum credibility with UK customers.
.uk: The Newcomer
Introduced 2014. 1.2 million registered. Growing but not yet standard.
Advantages of .uk
Shorter (one less level). Often available when .co.uk is taken. Cheaper annual renewal (by £2-3).
Disadvantages of .uk
Some customers still type .co.uk automatically. Less established. If competitor owns YourName.co.uk, you'll lose traffic.
.com: The Global Option
Works if you're targeting international customers or have US presence. UK customers see it as "global" not "local."
When .com Makes Sense
Software/SaaS serving global market. Already established US brand expanding to UK. International e-commerce.
Warning: If you're a UK-only plumber, accountant, or shop, .com looks suspicious to UK customers. Stick with .co.uk.
The Ideal Combination
Buy .co.uk for primary site. Forward .uk to .co.uk (captures both). Consider .com if affordable (prevents confusion).
Cost Breakdown
.co.uk: £10-15/year. .uk: £8-12/year. .com: £12-18/year. Total for all three: £30-45/year. Cheap insurance against customer confusion.
New Extensions (.io, .ai, .tech)
Work for tech startups in specific cases. Confuse mainstream customers. Not recommended for traditional businesses.
When New Extensions Work
Tech company where extension matches product (scheduling.app, finance.tech). Young tech-savvy audience. Brand incorporates extension name.
When They Don't Work
Traditional businesses. Older demographics. Local services. B2B outside tech sector.
SEO Impact
Google treats .co.uk and .uk equally for UK search results. .com gets slight preference for international searches. Extension matters less than content quality.