Geo-Targeting via Domain
Geo-targeting via domain is the practice of using domain structure — typically [[cctld|ccTLDs]] or subdomains/subdirectories with [[hreflang|hreflang tags]] — to signal a website's target country or region to search engines. Google explicitly recognizes [[cctld|ccTLDs]] (e.g., .de, .fr, .jp) as strong geo-targeting signals and will preferentially rank them in their respective national search results. Generic [[gtld|gTLDs]] like .com can be geo-targeted via Google Search Console settings, but ccTLDs provide the strongest automatic signal and require no additional configuration.
Example
A German retailer using example.de automatically receives geo-targeting for Germany in Google Search, while example.com/de/ achieves the same only with correct hreflang tags and Search Console configuration.