TL;DR
Google is moving away from using country-specific domains (like google.sg or google.fr) and redirecting everything to google.com, but this won’t affect how your ccTLDs (.sg, .my, etc.) are treated in search. They still help with local SEO — just not on their own. If you’ve been relying mainly on your domain extension to target Singapore or regional markets, it’s a good time to review your technical setup, content signals, and site structure.
There was a time when marketers swore by ccTLDs like they were the secret sauce to ranking locally. You’d launch your site in Singapore with a .sg domain, high-five your developer, and call it a day. Fast forward to 2025, and Google’s made it official: it no longer cares whether you use google.fr, google.co.uk, or just plain google.com – you’re getting local results either way. And if you’re running a site with a country code domain? Things have changed.
This article unpacks what Google’s update actually means, whether you should panic (spoiler: probably not), and what to check in your SEO setup so your rankings don’t fall off a cliff.
Ready to Optimise your Website? Speak with our SEO experts today to ensure your site ranks locally.
What are ccTLDs?
A ccTLD, or country code top-level domain, is the bit at the end of a web address that tells you what country the site is associated with. For example:
.sg for Singapore, .uk for the United Kingdom, .au for Australia and so on.
They were designed to help search engines and users understand where a site is based and who it’s targeting. If you saw a .ca domain, you’d expect prices in CAD and content about Canada. Simple.
For marketers, ccTLDs became a handy geo-targeting tool. Want to rank better in the UK? Buy a .co.uk domain, slap on some Union Jack icons, and off you go.
Why did ccTLDs matter for SEO?
Historically, Google treated ccTLDs as a strong signal that your site was meant for users in that country. You could skip the more complex setup of hreflang tags or server-side geo-targeting and still rank well locally.
From a user perspective, it also built trust. Someone searching for a local service was more likely to click on a domain that matched their country. Would you rather buy plumbing services from fixmypipes.sg or fixmypipes.xyz?
What has Google changed – and why?
In a quiet but important update, Google has confirmed it will now start redirecting all of its country-specific search domains (like google.it, google.de, etc.) to google.com. This change reflects something it’s technically been doing since 2017: providing local results based on your location, not the domain you use.
The reason for this is because Google’s systems have gotten a lot better at understanding where you are and what you want. And if you’re traveling for work or using a VPN to test search results in another country, this whole ccTLD thing was probably just getting in the way. Basically, Google has gotten smarter and better at pinpointing your location and delivering applicable results, so CCTLDs aren’t really needed anymore.
For users, the impact is minimal. You might be asked to reset some preferences, but the search results themselves will remain local.
How does this affect websites using ccTLDs?
Google redirecting its own ccTLD domains (like google.fr or google.sg) to google.com doesn’t change how your site’s ccTLD is treated in search. Google has confirmed this update doesn’t affect international SEO, hreflang or how geo-targeting works for your own site.
If you’re using a ccTLD like .sg or .my, you don’t need to make any changes. You shouldn’t redirect everything to a .com just because Google has — their setup isn’t a blueprint for the rest of us.
That said, this update is a good reminder: ccTLDs work best when supported by proper localisation, technical SEO, and content signals. If you’ve been relying solely on your domain extension to rank locally, now’s the time to check what else you’ve got in place.
Wondering if your ccTLD setup is optimized? Speak with our SEO experts today to ensure your site ranks locally.
Google still uses signals like:
- Region-specific content
- Hreflang tags
- Local backlinks
- Geo-targeting settings in Search Console
- (To a lesser extent) server location
Your .sg domain still helps. It just shouldn’t be your only signal.
Should you still use a ccTLD for your website?
It depends. If you’re a local business targeting a single market (e.g. a Singapore-based law firm only working with Singaporean clients), sticking with a ccTLD makes sense. It’s familiar, looks local, and helps with user trust.
But if you’re expanding into multiple countries, ccTLDs can quickly become a logistical nightmare. You’re managing multiple domains, splitting your SEO authority, and creating silos for content.
In that case, a .com with subfolders (like example.com/sg) is a better long-term bet. It lets you consolidate SEO power while still targeting different regions.
What does this mean for your technical SEO setup?
Think of your site like a multi-store business. Google needs clear signage indicating what each branch offers and where to find it, and this needs to be consistent.
There are a few ways you can give Google a helping hand with showing your content to the right people.
- URL structure: Subfolders (example.com/sg) tend to be more SEO-friendly than subdomains (sg.example.com) because they share authority.
- Hreflang: No more copy-paste jobs with broken syntax. You need to implement it properly for every version of your site.
- Canonical tags: Make sure you’re not cannibalising your own rankings across regions.
- Language declarations and structured data: They might seem boring, but they help reinforce your target market.
If you haven’t done a proper international SEO review since your developer promised “it’s all handled,” go check. Or better yet, get someone who actually knows how to audit this stuff. There are no guarantees in SEO, but an expert will be able to advise you on the best course of action to take.
ccTLD vs gTLD: which one makes sense for your site?
A gTLD is a generic top-level domain, like .com, .org, or .net. Unlike ccTLDs, which are tied to specific countries (like .sg for Singapore), gTLDs are used globally and aren’t linked to any one region.
If your business is local, like a law firm serving only Singapore, a ccTLD (e.g. .com.sg) is still a strong choice. But if you’re managing multiple regions, expanding internationally, or already juggling different sites, a gTLD with subfolders (e.g. example.com/sg or example.com/my) makes it much easier. It keeps everything under one roof, consolidates your SEO efforts, and simplifies maintenance.
Things you should cover in your next SEO audit
Yes, we’re doing it. We’re mentioning the dreaded SEO audit — the thing most marketers either put off until traffic tanks or hand off with a vague “let’s just make sure it’s fine.” But with Google rolling out update after update, and now officially killing off its own ccTLD, it’s never been a better time to review what’s under the hood.
Like we said, there are no guarantees in SEO, but this short step-by-step SEO audit will help you decide if there are any changes you need to make to ensure your pages rank for the right people.
Review your international site structure
Make a list of all the different versions of your site for each country or region, and look at how those pages are structured in the URL. For example, are you using subfolders like /sg, /my, or /th, or are you using subdomains like sg.example.com?
If the structure is inconsistent, some using full country names, others using abbreviations, or even different formats altogether, it’s going to be harder for Google to understand your setup. That can dilute your SEO performance.
As part of your audit, document every variation, flag anything inconsistent, and decide on one structure to use moving forward. Subfolders are usually easier to manage and help keep your SEO value in one place.
Check your hreflang implementation
Hreflang tags tell Google which version of a page to show based on a user’s language and location. If someone’s in Singapore and uses English, hreflang helps serve the /sg English page instead of the one meant for the UK.
For this to work, the tags need to be accurate. Each one must use the correct language–country code (like en-SG), point to a live page, and include a return tag (which just means the linked page also points back).
If anything is missing, broken, or inconsistent, Google might ignore your tags completely. You can use a hreflang testing tool to spot and fix common errors.
When hreflang is set up properly, it’s your clearest signal to Google about who each page is for.
Check your Search Console geo-targeting settings
Google Search Console gives you a way to back up your hreflang setup, especially if your tags aren’t working perfectly or your subfolder structure isn’t as clear as it should be.
In Search Console, go to Legacy tools and reports > International Targeting. Under the Country tab, you can choose a target country for your entire site or for specific subfolders like /sg or /my.
This acts as a fallback. It’s not as precise as hreflang, but it gives Google a second signal when something goes wrong, like missing tags, thin content, or unclear page structure.
If your site isn’t ranking well in the markets you’re targeting, checking this setting is a quick and easy fix that can prevent months of lost visibility.
Review your localisation setup
Start with your regional pages and work through the obvious details. Check that each page:
- Uses the correct currency for that country
- Lists delivery options that actually apply to that region
- Includes local contact details like phone numbers, addresses, or support hours
- Links to country-specific legal pages if needed, like terms or privacy policies
Next, scan the page for any leftover content from another market. Look for:
- References to locations that don’t make sense (e.g. “UK customers” on your Malaysia page)
- Promotions or shipping policies that aren’t available in that region
- Language that feels out of place, like British idioms or EU-specific compliance information
If a local customer lands on the page and it feels like it wasn’t written for them, that’s a problem, and it will be a problem for Google too.
Add a language or country selector and link between regions
If your site serves multiple countries or languages, you need a visible way for users (and Google) to switch between them. That means adding a language or country selector — ideally in the header or footer, not hidden in a dropdown three clicks deep.
Once that’s in place, check how your international pages link to each other. If your /sg or /my pages aren’t linked from your homepage or main navigation, they’re likely being ignored by Google, especially if there’s no sitemap entry or external links pointing to them.
Cross-link between country versions where it makes sense. Keep the structure logical. If each page is isolated, Google treats them that way too.
Test how your site performs in each country
Don’t assume your pages load fine just because they work quickly on your laptop in the office. Check how your regional pages perform on mobile while using average network speeds in that country.
Use tools like PageSpeed Insights or WebPageTest to simulate slower connections, especially for regions where 4G might still be spotty. If your /id page takes 12 seconds to load on an average smartphone, users won’t stick around and neither will your rankings.
Slow load times hit both SEO and conversions.
Request Your Technical SEO Audit Today! Ensure your website structures are optimised for local and international SEO.
Frequently asked questions about ccTLDs and SEO
Is Google removing ccTLDs entirely?
No. You can still use a ccTLD like .sg or .my for your website. The change only affects Google’s own search engine domains, for example, google.fr now redirects to google.com. It doesn’t impact whether you can use ccTLDs as part of your brand or SEO strategy.
Will my ccTLDs lose rankings because of this?
No. Google has confirmed that nothing has changed with how ccTLDs work for international SEO. If you already use a ccTLD like .sg or .my, it still acts as a strong signal of geographic relevance. This update only affects Google’s own search engine domains, not how your site is indexed or ranked.
That said, ccTLDs should still be supported by things like hreflang tags, localised content and Search Console settings — not because of this change, but because they’ve always been part of a solid international SEO setup.
Should I move everything to a .com domain?
Can I target multiple countries with one website?
Yes, you can. Using a single gTLD like .com and breaking your content into region-specific subfolders (e.g. /sg, /my, /id) is one way to handle multiple countries. By applying proper geo-targeting and ccTLDs via hreflang tags and Search Console settings, you can centralise your SEO authority and make managing international content easier.
Are ccTLDs now a bad idea?
No. They still make perfect sense for businesses targeting a single country. If you’re only operating in one market, a ccTLD is simple, familiar and effective. But if you’re expanding into multiple regions, managing several ccTLDs can quickly become messy. You’ll need a more scalable setup that’s easier to maintain.
Do I need to change my existing ccTLD site?
Not unless it’s causing problems. If you’ve got a strong local presence and your ccTLD ranks well, keep it. But if you’re planning to expand or your setup is holding you back, now’s the time to consider a more flexible structure.
Do ccTLDs impact paid search or just organic?
ccTLDs are primarily used as a signal for organic search. Paid campaigns target users based on audience settings, not domain names. That said, consistent domain structure across regions can still support PPC performance, particularly when it comes to landing page relevance and Quality Score in Google Ads.
Final thoughts
Google’s update doesn’t change how international SEO works, but it’s a good reason to check if your setup actually does.
If your strategy starts and ends with a ccTLD, that’s not enough. It hasn’t been for a while. To stay visible in the right markets, you need structure, consistency and proper technical SEO behind the scenes.
Google gives you the tools. It’s on you to use them properly.
The easiest way to get up-to-date with Google ccTLD changes
If all of this sounds a bit overwhelming and technical, then it might be a good time to call in the experts. As a leading SEO agency in Singapore, we’ll conduct a thorough technical SEO audit, analysing your current setup, and let you know if it’s optimised to its full potential. And, if you need some tweaks to please those pesky Google bots, then we can do the work too. Get in touch today to speak with one of our SEO experts.
