Google will gradually stop using country code domain names and redirect them to Google.com

Google recently announced that it will gradually stop using local Google websites in the form of country code top-level domain names (ccTLDs), such as google.co.uk, google.fr, google.com.au, etc., and redirect them to google.com. This change will take effect gradually in the next few months.

Google said in its official blog that with the continuous improvement of search engine localization technology, "country-level domain names are no longer necessary." In the past, Google used ccTLDs to identify users' regions and provide localized services. Today, users' geographic locations can be accurately determined in a variety of ways, such as IP addresses and device settings, and there is no need to rely on domain names to achieve positioning. Therefore, Google decided to streamline the architecture and unify all country versions to the main domain name google.com.

After the change is implemented, user requests to visit google.co.jp or google.ca will automatically jump to google.com. Google emphasized that this change has little impact on user experience except that language or regional preferences need to be reset. Localization of search results will continue to operate normally.

However, this move is undoubtedly a blow to the ccTLD registries of various countries. As the most visited website in the world, Google's use of ccTLDs in various places has not only increased the exposure of these country code domain names, but also strengthened its impression of "national Internet portal" in the public's mind. Google's withdrawal means that these domain names will lose the most representative brand site, which may affect the future domain name value evaluation and promotion.

In the early days of the Internet, Google used ccTLD to strengthen the independence of local services in various places, and also gave ccTLD domain names an authoritative impression of "national dimension". However, as the trend of global unification of search services accelerates, Google's choice to return to google.com this time will help further integrate product experience and brand management.

This change is not only an adjustment of Google's search strategy, but also reminds us again: large technology companies have a high degree of dominance in the domain name system, and their decision-making changes may have a substantial impact on the domain name market.

For domain name investors, this move may have a certain impact on the market confidence of some ccTLDs, especially domain names that originally relied on brand association effects. But on the other hand, the value of ccTLDs is more dependent on the combination of local business and cultural background. In the future, the market focus may gradually shift from "international platform use" to "local brand development".

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