Let’s say you have your perfect domain name for your new website, but the .com extension is unavailable. You can either keep the domain name and switch to an alternative extension or abandon the domain name and get a .com extension.
Now I am sure you were thinking, does domain extension make a difference in the SEO of your website?
It’s a common question, so in this blog, we’ll discuss the differences between .com, .net, and .org extensions and answer which is best for specific purposes.
What is a “.com” extension?
A .com extension is a domain name that ends in “.com”. It’s the most common domain extension, and it’s typically used for commercial websites. At the time of its introduction, .com was intended for e-commerce websites. Today, it is the most popular domain extension, hosting over half of all websites.
What is a “.net” extension?
The second most popular domain extension is .net, which stands for “network” and is recommended alternative to .com. The extension was designed for internet service providers, network operators, and email providers. Today there are over 13.4 million domain names with this extension.
What is a “.org” extension?
It is also one of the top 5 most popular domain extensions ending in “.org” and is mostly used by nonprofit organizations. It was created in 1985 and is currently has more than 10 million registered domains with this extension.
Which Extension is Best and Why?
So, the most straightforward answer to this question is that the .com extension is best among all the extensions. Why?
Here is a list of 5 reasons you might want to go with a .com:
- People think in terms of .com and everything else doesn’t carry the same weight.
- The .com extension is one of the most widely used extensions, and almost every user that knows your brand name will surely type .com after your brand name when searching online.
- It is often perceived as a more authoritative and professional domain extension. Many of the other extensions lack credibility and there is a strong sense of less authority over subject matter when it comes to most other extensions.
- Google likes .com better that’s not to say you can’t rank your website using another extension but when it comes to SEO when possible use a .com domain name.
- In addition to being easier to remember, .com domain names make your site appear more professional and reassuring to customers.
When to choose the .net domain extension?
The .com extension is always the most popular, but if your domain name is already taken, then the .net extension is the best second option. You will always find many purchasing options with this extension, and it also costs you little, just around 10 to 20$ yearly.
Many experts suggest .net as a perfect extension for tech and networking sites. So if your site is for tech or networking services, then .net is a great option to choose.
While buying a .net domain, you must ensure that the company with the same domain name with a .com extension is not in the same industry as yours; otherwise, your audience might become there.
When to choose the .org domain extension?
If you are a non-profit or charity organization, .org is the best domain extension to choose. The .org domain extensions are easier to acquire than .com and .net, and you can have many purchasing options than other extensions.
Using a .org extension, however, presents a unique challenge: maintaining the trust associated with the domain extension without establishing outright commercial intent, and in most cases, it is hard to achieve.
Which Domain Extension is Best for SEO Point of View?
As by Google’s John Mueller, choosing a .net, .com or .org extension will not affect your site’s SEO.
In January 2022, Mueller said,
The newer top-level domains (TLDs) are equivalent to other generic top-level domains like .com when it comes to SEO. Pick something you like, there are lots of options out there now. Source
So all you should do is follow the right SEO practices to rank high in search engines.
However, one important point to remember is that now our digital devices or smartphones already have an extension button which is always .com.
So this makes the user think that your website domain is also .com and sometimes leads him to another site and can decrease your traffic or site success. Additionally, finding .net or other domains is time-taking and less user-friendly.
As a result purchasing both .net and .com extensions and redirecting the other extension to your main domain is always recommended for maximizing your online presence.
Your investment in a second TLD can yield a high return on investment as it prevents visitors from accidentally accessing a competitor’s website.
Conclusion
So this was all about what are the best domain extension and the key points that affect it. I tried to cover all possible points, but if there is anything you would like us to touch on, please let us know, as we would love to learn more and explore new ideas.
