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The three most popular domain suffixes include .com, .net and .org. They are also the oldest. Also called domain extensions, they have become quite significant with their introduction of search engines and search engine optimization. This has led to companies and organizations scrutinizing these extensions for their benefits. Nowadays, hundreds of domain suffixes have surfaced, and it’s good to check their significance when it comes to the best SEO services. This post is a detailed guide on .com vs .Net.
Just like choosing your name, choosing a domain suffix is also important. Domain names have three parts, which include: a top-level domain or domain extension, a domain name, and an optional subdomain. The most appropriate used domain with 52% percent of using it is .com. When picking a domain name to ensure that it’s easy to read and also easy to remember. This is to make it easier for your clients and visitors when trying to find you. This also applies to SEO. The name has to make sense for visitors to try and search for it. Domain names should follow strict SEO guidelines to rank well, and this means avoiding the Non .com domains. This is according to Moz, a reputable SEO agency in the US. Other ranking factors include:
Readability – A visitor should be able to read and understand the domain name.
Using broad keywords – Should be sensible with a keyword-rich domain name.
Finding a brandable domain name – This should not have only had keywords but also should also unique.
Hyphens should be avoided.
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The most used and treasured domain suffix is .com. I am not sure why but Google tends to favor websites with a .com TLD. Businesses are still scratching their heads to understand why .com is still accorded so much authority by Google. I think it’s because it’s the oldest and people interact more with search engines using .com than any other suffix. In other words, cognitive fluency favors a top-level domain (TLD) that’s easy and familiar. Websites with the domain name .com are likely to be accorded more authority by Google than a .co.uk or a .business because visitors will type a .com in the search bar than anything else. What makes it even bizarre is the fact that the three suffixes (.com, .net, and.org) share the same birthday but a .com has won the hearts of many and it’s used as a default domain extension making it memorable. This is why it is regarded as the most useful suffix for SEO. This is what makes it popular. Just like a custom license plate, competition has stiffened for.com making its price go up. Many .com domains are now taken or are only available in premium prices, making it difficult to acquire a .com domain. This has lead to many companies setting for a less common suffix. It may be reasonable for branding purposes but not so good for visibility.
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There are so many different domain extension options to pick from. For example, a bakery may decide to settle for .bakery which defines what a business is all about but this may hurt site visibility. From the three, the two that will do justice to your business include the obvious .com and .net. Let’s now look at the difference between the two on the SEO aspect of your business.
When running a business online, the owner is required to choose a domain name accompanied by a domain extension. Like I just stated, the two common ones are .com and .net. These two are traditionally used by commercial businesses and a .net website extension denotes a network, email, or Internet service provider.
Examples of domain extensions and the website category they represent.
.com: Commercial businesses like Apple (apple.com).
.net: Internet service providers or networking websites like SlideShare (slideshare.net).
.org: Nonprofit organizations like Goodwill (goodwill.org).
.edu: Academic organizations and schools like Harvard University (harvard.edu).
.gov: Government entities like Veterans Affairs (va.gov).
A .com portrays a credible company and that is why many individuals, organizations, and businesses prefer it. Artists use it to promote themselves as prominent figures, while organizations want to send a message that they are legitimate. Since all .com domains are taken you can settle for a .net which is not that good but for business domains.
A .net, suffix which is short for “network,” is a domain name extension mainly used by network services online technology companies, Internet service providers, and database providers. Since this suffix was designed for web service companies, it is not proper for businesses outside this industry to use it. However, if you are providing web and Internet-related services, the .net domain extension would be a perfect pick for you.
Online networking brands–Since the .net extension is designed for these brands, it is very easy to remember and any visitor can identify your business easily.
Internet service or tech websites–This extension is also perfect for other businesses that offer services that make them run smoothly. These services include web-hosting providers, domain name registrars, internet providers, and online software companies.
Brand protection–To ensure that your brand is safe from being bought by other companies; it is recommended that you purchase both a .com and .net extension and redirect the .net to the .com website
All the above businesses are perfect for this domain extension and using it will help you with your site visibility and identity. However, when it comes to phone searches, the suffix is disadvantaged because keyboards only have a dedicated .com button, making it hard to type .net when searching for such a domain. You can still get a .com version and redirect it to your main .net site to ensure that you can still capture all .com domain traffic and prevent competitors from stealing customers. Web hosts such as Bluehost, allow you to easily do so and set up a redirect.
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In Google search rank, these specific extensions are not a big deal and have minimal impact on how your business website ranks. Extensions matter a lot when you’re trying to rank for local search results that are not within the USA. Local searches will favor domain suffixes representing their countries. These include .uk, .au, .in, .jp, .ru, and so on. Credibility plays a big role in search engine optimization and Google specifically favors .com because it is user-friendly. It is also relevant to many website visitors making it authoritative. With a .com domain extension, you will find out that you will get more clicks through Google search than .net or any other domain suffixes for that matter. On the other hand, if you are on the network sector a .net would yield better fruits. This is because you are targeting visitors who are interested in technological matters. The general idea that you must have is that your directory listings, backlinks, and page content are more effective on search engine rankings compared to domain extension.
The first thing you need to do before purchasing a domain extension whether it’s a .com or .net domain name for your business is to check its availability. I would strongly recommend purchasing one from a website hosting service like Bluehost because of their intuitive search tool that lets you check whether a domain name or domain extension is available. The ultimate question that you should ask yourself is how an extension helps your brand stay memorable in the visitor’s mind. The extension should bring out your brand’s uniqueness. The domain extension should also fit your business type, and then use keywords to find a domain that aligns with your brand.
Add a search keyword–You should try adding keywords that that is custom-fit to your brand and searchable by your customers. There are plenty of SEO tools to help you with this, Ubersuggest being one of them. This tool helps you to search your products or services and generate a list of related words that potential customers type in the search bar when trying to find companies that are related to your products or services.
Add a location keyword–It is also important if you have a local bakery that your customers are likely to search for you using the name of your city, state, or neighbourhood. Therefore, you should include your state or city name in your domain to help your visitors know where you are found or located. Indicating your location boosts your credibility and also your rank.
Use only meaningful numbers–when you decide to include numbers in your domain, ensure it brings about relevance and you are not just putting it there for the sake of it. The reason being that numbers cause confusion for Internet users and if you can please avoid using them altogether.
Stick with pronounceable words–Always use words that can be pronounced. The reason why this is important is signs and other characters are confusing too when reading out to someone especially in a conversation.
There are many ways to market your domain name including pointing it to any social media profiles and portfolios. This helps you to create a professional brand. This is a great solution if you are an entrepreneur who wants to spread the word about your business. It is also a great idea if you are hosted on a third-party website and wish to market your products to other websites.
When choosing a domain extension, it is also important to know what has worked for other companies. Here are a few tips for experts who have tried it in different ways to make their domains work for them.
The best way to ensure that you are steps ahead is to consider purchasing both .com and .net but not at once. You can buy one domain extension first and when your business grows, purchase another. This way, you will gain ground from your competition.
Since it is very hard to find a .com domain extension (almost impossible), the best solution is to coin a new term that is short, relevant, and easy to remember. You can use animal names to help you with your unique domain.
I will keep insisting that you buy these two domain suffixes over other extensions since there is no downside to it. These two are the most popular of all the extensions. They are also memorable and they don’t give customers room for a pause or make mistakes when typing. Purchasing a .com is specifically mobile-friendly since there is a button dedicated to it. If you are running a company related networking and or the internet a .com will do just fine. And it will also help you market your company when visitors are looking for digital products or web hosting services.
Although there are other industry-specific extensions like accounting and financing, these will do very little or nothing for your SEO. Certain extensions reduce the credibility of a company and make it questionable. They include .biz, .xyz, or even .company. If you can, try to avoid using them.
Naman Modi is a Professional Blogger, SEO Expert & Guest blogger at NamanModi.com, He is an Award-Winning Freelancer & Web Entrepreneur helping new entrepreneur’s launches their first successful online business.
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Really Great work Man, Thanks for your share information, this saved me a lot of time. All of the posts on your blog are having informative and valuable content. Appreciate your efforts.
Hello Naman,
Internet is a world where people seek for information and when they get stumbled with the exact information they are looking for, that it holds a great satisfaction.
That is what one of the biggest motives for lot of websites and blogs out there, to provide users with the exact and accurate information to the users. The need of external SEO reduces when you have the keyword in the domain name itself.
Obviously, the .com is the number one domain extension, which is why it’s so common and why it’s often already registered. If you want a domain name and you want the .com, you can bet that it’s registered, parked, expensive or unwieldy.
Eventually, thanks for revealing a light on crucial topic.
With best wishes,
Amar Kumar