A top-level domain or domain name (TLD) is the highest level of domain names in the root zone of the Domain Name System of the Internet. For all domains in lower levels, it is the last part of the domain name, that is, the label that follows the last dot of a fully qualified domain name. For example, in the domain name www.example.com, the top-level domain is com, or COM, as domain names are not case-sensitive (Wikipedia). There has been a continuing problem with the Internet in recent years, and that problem is trying to figure out exactly what TLD’s should be used for what type of website. For many people this doesn’t matter to them, other than the inconvenience of trying to remember whether is a .com (a TLD once meant for businesses), a .org (a TLD once used for non-profit organizations), and an International domain, such as .cn, .ca., .ly, or a multitude of others.

In the end the whole process of using a specific TLD in a URL has become a moot point…no one actually pays attention to the original meanings, and just buys whatever domain they feel will be most profitable for their venture. But skipping away from the usual Internet users, let’s look at the people that this problem does effect: those that are looking to create a site full of content that is available on an International scale, but easily picked up by search engines.

This is where the real problem begins. There are three different options you have in this situation, and each one has it’s up and downsides. In the end, you have to look at the three choices you have and decide which one will end up being most beneficial to your situation and desires. Keep in mind that no one will offer you the perfect solution, and that is just an unfortunate consequence of using International content for SEO. But you can create major improvements, which is still all you can hope for in most facets of SEO.