Starting or running a small business in Canada? You probably already know that choosing the right domain is one of the most important decisions for your business. Your domain has to look professional, show you can be trusted and help you rank in search results. But did you know there’s an easy choice that will help you do all those things and more? The answer is registering a .CA domain. Here’s why.
You’ll Build Trust
When a potential customer sees that you have a .CA domain, they know right away that you’re going to be great to do business with.
Canadians being super nice is more than just a stereotype: Canada is one of the top three most trusted nations in the world, and the only nation in North OR South America that cracked the top 20. Customer trust can make or break your business, especially when you’re just starting out.
You’ll Join a Community
Shop Local. The 100-mile diet. Every year, it seems people care more about avoiding the big box stores and spending their money at small businesses close to home. A .CA domain signals that you’re a proud Canadian doing business with other Canadians.
And as we’ve already mentioned, three quarters of Canadians prefer to shop online at .CA sites.
You’ll Have Better Local SEO
Using a ccTLD (a domain suffix that’s specific to one place, as opposed to a generic one) signals to Google and other search engines that you’re from that place. So if you use a .CA domain, and someone in Canada searches for your type of business, yours is more likely to turn up at the top of the list than someone with a ccTLD from somewhere else. Having a .CA domain is an easy way to boost your search rankings.
You’ll Get Better Security
First off, .CA domains are managed by CIRA—a group of Canadians. Doesn’t get more trustworthy than that. If we can brave howling Arctic winds and ferocious wild animals, protecting your domain is no problem. Plus, CIRA offers an extra layer of security to .CA domains, with DNSSEC authentication and a domain lock feature that prevents domain hijacking.
You’ll Be Supporting Canadians
One of the reasons Canadians are so awesome is that we love to help out and give back to our communities. And that’s just what a .CA domain does. A portion of every .CA domain sold goes to the Community Investment Program (CIP), which CIRA uses to fund projects in communities across Canada. So far, they’ve donated over $3.2 million to causes like preventing online bullying, empowering immigrants and giving homeless and marginalized kids access to creative digital media opportunities.
A .CA domain comes with tons of benefits, from getting found by local customers to increased security. And you’ll be supporting great initiatives all over the country. So, what are you waiting for? Get your .CA domain today. You’ll be doing good by doing well—our favorite way to do business.
