A domain name does not have to end in .com. For a business aimed at the Netherlands, .nl may feel natural; for a Swedish audience, .se may make sense. In 2011 I wrote about this choice as part of starting a website. It affects how people recognize an address and how search engines understand the site.
Google still lists country-code domains as one possible regional signal. It treats some country codes, such as .tv and .me, more like generic domains because people use them that way. An extension is therefore not a universal trick that automatically brings high rankings.
Start with visitors
Ask where your customers live, which language you use and what name they will remember. A local extension may feel familiar to users of a local service. For an organization spanning several countries, a generic domain with separate language or country pages can be easier to manage. Check that your brand works with the chosen ending and will not be confused with someone else's.
Let the site do the work
In my old article I mentioned Pasfoto.nu: its unusual extension did not prevent visibility in the Netherlands at that time. That was an observation from the period, not a promise for new websites. Relevant content, clear structure and a good answer to visitors' needs do work an extension cannot replace.
If your first choice is taken, consider alternatives without forcing a confusing or misleading name. Think ahead too: an address that seems cheap or clever now may be difficult to say aloud or unsuitable if the business grows. Choose a domain that visitors can type without an explanation and that you want to keep using over time.