Sometimes, overseas clients ask us whether it’s beneficial to use a .jp domain when creating a Japanese website. They also inquire if hosting the website on a server in Japan is necessary for a .jp domain.
Firstly, using a .jp domain doesn’t provide any advantage or disadvantage in terms of search engine rankings in Japan. It simply gives the impression that the website belongs to a Japanese company.
Regarding the server location, it’s possible to host a website with a .jp domain either in Japan or overseas. There’s a common misconception that hosting in Japan may offer SEO benefits due to the domain extension or targeting Japan specifically, but this isn’t necessarily true. However, for websites targeting Japan, hosting in Japan can result in faster loading times, which can indirectly benefit user experience and potentially SEO.
Regarding domain extensions like “co.jp” compared to “jp,” only registered corporations can obtain “co.jp.” While “co.jp” is often perceived as more trustworthy among business circles, this distinction may not be widely recognized outside of corporate environments.
Similarly, domain extensions such as “or.jp,” “ac.jp,” and “go.jp” are restricted to registered organizations, schools, and government agencies, respectively. These domains are typically associated with public institutions, which can enhance trustworthiness and credibility in search rankings. On the other hand, extensions like “org,” “net,” “biz,” etc., do not confer specific SEO advantages and are open for registration by various entities.
In summary, except for schools and government agencies, the choice of domain extension generally doesn’t significantly impact search rankings for other entities.
