Google is retiring country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs) like .com.au, redirecting them to google.com starting April 15, 2025. This means the inherent SEO benefit these domains provided is ending, forcing businesses to rely on alternative strategies for international and local visibility. Localized search results will remain, but Google will prioritize user location, content localization signals, and explicit international SEO tactics like hreflang tags and strong Google Business Profiles. The article provides a detailed guide on this "ccTLD sunset," explaining what's changing, what stays the same, Google's reasoning, a timeline, and actionable steps including a single domain strategy with localized content and optimizing local business signals to maintain visibility in the post-ccTLD era.

Full article on Search Insights Academy: Google’s ccTLD Sunset: How the End of Country-Code Domains Impacts Your SEO Strategy