Can You Trust a Web Designer You Found on WhatsApp or Facebook?
If you’re starting a business in Cameroon and setting up a website, one of the first big choices is your domain name.
Should you use .com (the global standard) or .cm (Cameroon’s official domain)?
Most blog posts dance around this question. We won’t. Here’s the truth:
If your business serves only Cameroonians → get a .cm domain.
If your business wants global recognition or expansion → get a .com domain.
If you’re serious about your brand → buy both .com and .cm, then redirect one to the other so customers always find you.
Let’s break it down with real Cameroonian examples.
Global standard: About 44% of all websites worldwide use .com. If people don’t know your exact domain, they’ll almost always type “.com” first. Example: if your business is called 45News, customers will try 45news.com before guessing anything else.
Trust and credibility: People associate .com with serious, established businesses. That’s why big companies in Cameroon (banks, multinationals, universities) often use .com for their global-facing sites.
Flexibility: Anyone can register .com, and you can still target Cameroon in Google Search Console if your audience is local.
👉 Downside: .com doesn’t automatically show you’re Cameroonian. You’ll need to localize your content (address, currency, location pages) if Cameroon is your main target.
Local branding: .cm is Cameroon’s country code domain. When customers see .cm, they instantly know you’re a Cameroonian business. That builds trust.
Local SEO boost: Google automatically treats .cm sites as Cameroonian. This means a Douala retailer with shop.cm could rank higher in Yaoundé searches than a .com site with the same content.
Real examples: MTN uses mtn.cm for Cameroon. CRTV uses crtv.cm. Orange has orange.cm. These domains make it clear they’re tailored to Cameroonian users.
Cost advantage: Many registrars in Cameroon sell .cm cheaper than .com (around 7,000 XAF/year vs 9,900 XAF for .com).
👉 Downside: If you expand outside Cameroon, .cm won’t help your international SEO. Historically, .cm had issues with scammers copying .com sites, but the registry has tightened security in recent years.
Besides .com and .cm, you might consider:
.org – Great for NGOs, non-profits, and community organizations.
.net – Originally for tech and network companies, but now used by many businesses as a solid alternative to .com.
.edu – Reserved for accredited universities and schools (not available to everyone).
.dev – A modern choice for developers and tech projects (comes with built-in security).
⚠️ Avoid cheap, obscure domains like .xyz, .info, .top, .club.
These extensions are cheap but often abused by scammers and spammers, which can damage your brand’s credibility.
ALSO READ: Why Your Business Needs a Professional Website in Cameroon (And How WEBLIM Can Help You Win Customers)
Picking the right extension (.com or .cm) is only half the job.
The actual name of your domain matters just as much.
Here’s how to choose wisely:
Long or complicated names are easy to forget and harder to type on a phone.
For example, mybestbakeryindoualalimbe.com is a nightmare.
Something short like bestbakery.cm sticks in people’s minds.
Aim for one to three words if possible.
Hyphens (-) and numbers create confusion.
If your business is 4You Services, should customers type 4you.cm, fouryou.cm, or for-you.cm?
Each option loses you traffic.
Stick with clean, word-only domains.
Ideally, your domain should reflect either your brand name (weblim.com) or what you do (doualabakeries.cm).
This makes it instantly clear to both people and search engines what your site is about.
ALSO READ: Marketing in Cameroon: What Businesses Are Getting Wrong
Not all registrars are equal. Some shady registrars can disappear, hike renewal prices, or even hold your domain hostage.
Use trusted services like Namecheap, Hostinger, or MTN Cameroon.
They offer reliable support, security, and renewal reminders.
Losing your domain because you forgot to renew is one of the most painful mistakes a business can make.
Once it expires, someone else can buy it, even your competitors.
Renew for multiple years if possible to lock it in and show search engines you’re serious.
Your business might expand in the future.
A name that works in Douala today should still make sense if you open branches in Yaoundé or even outside Cameroon.
Avoid hyper-local names unless you’re certain you’ll never scale.
Before you register, make sure the name isn’t already trademarked by another company.
Also, check that the matching name is available on social media platforms.
Consistency across your website and social accounts makes your brand stronger.
ALSO READ: How to Choose the Best Web Design Agency in Cameroon
To make things practical, here are examples of common mistakes and better alternatives for Cameroonian businesses:
| ❌ Bad Example | ✅ Good Example | Why the Good One Wins |
|---|---|---|
| for-you-bakery-237.info | bestbakery.cm | The bad one is too long, has hyphens, numbers, and a sketchy extension. The good one is short, clean, and local. |
| crtv-douala-yaounde-2025.net | crtv.cm | The bad one is confusing and hard to remember. The good one matches the brand name directly. |
| 4you-services.com | foryouservices.com | Numbers cause confusion (is it “4” or “four”?) while the word-only version avoids mistakes. |
| mtnglobalonline.biz | mtn.cm | The bad one looks generic and untrustworthy. The good one is simple, memorable, and instantly trusted locally. |
| mybestbakeryindoualalimbe.com | bestbakery.cm | Long names look unprofessional and are hard to type. Short names stick in customers’ minds. |
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