Typically, a lot of people use the .com domain name. But usually, every company or website has its own needs and problems, so it’s not always that simple.
So let’s take a closer look at the world of top-level domains (TLDs).
About a .com extension
The .com domain name is the most popular extension among sites – nearly 50% of all websites on the Internet use this domain name.
But does the .com extension have any impact on a website’s search rankings? The answer is yes. The bottom line is that a person is more likely to go to abc.com than abc.somethingelse, and Google tends to play on user opinions.
That is why we truly recommend using the .com extension
About a .org extension
The .org extension was originally invented specifically for non-profit organizations. But the situation changed in 2019 when the registry changed ownership. As a result, commercial organizations began to use this extension as well.
If you want to use a .org domain, you will need to identify your company with .org linked directly to your name. This is because users associate most websites with the .com domain name. And tying your .org domain to your website will reduce the likelihood that people will accidentally visit other sites.
In terms of search rankings, it’s worth noting that the domain name works well, but still has less impact than .com.
About a .net extension
The .net domain name is also popular among people. It is often offered as an alternative option for users who want the desired .com extension.
However, if a .com domain name is not available, find out if the current owner is in the same industry before settling for .net, because you don’t want your customers to be theirs.
SEO-wise, .net is a very good extension. But since it is not as popular as the previous two, you are unlikely to get the same benefits.
Should you use other domain names if you can’t even get .org or .net?
In general, yes. There are many domain names out there (from .aaa to .xyz), and if you want to experiment and stand out from the rest of the websites, why not?
But you have to understand that then you will spend a lot of time and effort promoting an unusual domain name and developing certain SEO tactics. If you are not ready for such a burden, we recommend staying away from such extensions.
Should you use specialty domain names?
In general, you can safely use domain names like .edu, .gov, etc. But they also have their limitations and restrictions.
Let’s say you have your law firm and you want to use the .law extension for your website. In this case, you will need information such as attorney registration numbers and the state or jurisdiction in which the attorney or legal entity is licensed.
These extensions can have a positive effect on your SEO. But then again, you have to put in a lot of effort to make its name memorable to users.
The .co extension is really similar to .com.
Unfortunately, this proximity can lead to the fact that users will confuse this domain with .com. And thus, in the search bar they will enter .com, not .co.
We recommend using the .com extension if available. The .co domain can be used as a fallback plan.
Some years ago, there used to be very popular creative domain names: about.me, blo.gs, chi.mp, etc. They looked cool and really caught users’ eyes.
But time passes, trends change and today such names would seem old-fashioned to people. That’s why we recommend working with what’s reliable, not with what’s trendy.
When choosing a domain name, you should not only pick between the big trio – .com, .org, or .net.
Also, domains should be:
- Memorable
- Short
- SEO-friendly
- Typeable
- On-brand
Remember this and make your choice wisely.