Address While both .com and .net are resourceful domains, there are other considerations to think about when creating a web address. Some of those center around: Traditional vs nontraditional domains Domain protection SEO: how each performs Traditional vs Nontraditional Domains For most businesses, straddling the traditional and nontraditional is part of the balancing act. While companies want to seem edgy and unique, unconventional ways can be viewed negatively by more traditional businesses and customers. In the web domain space, there are now over a thousand domain extensions available to the consumer. All but a handful are looked at as “nontraditional.” So, while it might seem valuable to stand out, be sure to consider how it may be viewed professionally. New TLDs Back in 2012, ICANN decided to allow businesses to apply for unique domain extensions. This quickly rose the number of TLDs from its original 22. Some of the early applications for domain extensions involved words such as: .design .lol .love .book .tech Some of these new TLDS offered immediate value to businesses and consumers who wanted a new and noteworthy domain. Others seemed more like gag websites (hence the stereotype of new TLDs being unprofessional). Either way, these new TLDs have exploded to a comprehensive list. Now, if you’re a yoga company, you can use .yoga. Sell yachts? Make tech? Play tennis? Eat soy? These are all available as domain extensions. Which means not only can you create more unique web addresses, but you can also be more specific. If having a new TLD sounds perfect for your business, be sure to check through the full list to find one that fits your needs. Domain Protection Depending on what you want to accomplish with your business website, it might be worth registering both .com and .net. In this way, you can protect yourself from competing companies taking a very similar domain. Otherwise, another company can ride off your success and potentially drive traffic away. As companies grow, they become more susceptible to being confronted with these sorts of schemes. They are then forced to decide whether to buy out the competing website or to let them be. Needless to say, the larger the company, the more they’re going to have to pay. What are other things you should look out for when it comes to people using similar domain names? Typosquatting Typosquatting is when individuals purchase web domains based on common misspellings of words. From our last example of Incredible Sewing, they might take the web domain by spelling “incredible” as “incredibel.” By systematically using misspellings, these forms of leaching can drive substantial traffic away from the intended website. These typosquatters can then offer to be bought out, or they’ll just continue to steer traffic to other organizations that they own. As of right now, the most viable option for protecting yourself is to purchase multiple domains. Although, this is becoming more difficult with each new TLD. SEO: How Each Performs Search engine optimization has to do with complex algorithms that determine how relevant your website is to a given search. In terms of which domain extension you should pick (between com vs net), there is no evidence that suggests one does better over another. It can be noted, however, that having certain keywords within your web domain can improve your SEO ranking. Having “sewing” within your domain will make your site more relevant for keyword searches around sewing. It’s that straightforward. Com: Pros and Cons As an overview, let’s run through the benefits and pitfalls of using a .com domain extension: Pros – Using a “commercial” extension, companies and individuals can signify their intention. Whether that’s to sell a product or service or to promote your work, the .com does this in a matter that’s professional and can be trusted. Also, there’s no worrying over your web address being confused. Cons – Because nearly half of all websites are based on .com, finding the perfect domain name that isn’t already in use can be tough. It can be pricey to buy out an existing domain and time-consuming to find one available. Net: Pros and Cons Originally designed for any network organization like internet providers and email sites, .net sites have been rising in popularity as an alternative to .com. Pros – Many fewer .net website domains have been registered than .com domains. This means there’s a higher chance of getting your ideal web domain. Also, because of its original design, .net sites are often associated with having a community around them. This can promote a positive image. Cons – These websites will need to market harder to compete with a similar .com site. Automatically, people think that any website is a .com site, which means businesses can lose traffic due to confusion. It all starts with a great domain. Get yours at Domain.com. How to Create the Perfect Domain Name Once you’ve decided whether you’re going with a .com or a .net domain extension, it’s then important to make sure it’s paired with the perfect domain name. The ideal address will do one of three things: State your business State what your business does Incite intrigue The first two are preferred, while the third is more of a backup strategy. Because many .com and .net sites have already been taken, sometimes a roundabout domain will be the best solution. A domain name should also have a few decisive characteristics. Try creating a web address that is some combination of: Clear Concise Unmistakable Short Straightforward Approach The first step is always to check if the business name is available as a domain. If your business name has been taken, check to see how up-to-date the website is. If it’s not current and doesn’t look like it’s being used, it might be possible to purchase the domain name from whomever owns it. Having the business name as the domain name is ideal because it’s the logical extension of that business. Starbucks has Starbucks.com. Apple has apple.com. If the business name is unavailable, sometimes it helps to add a modifier word. If starbucks.com was already taken, the next logical domain would be starbuckscoffee.com. In the same way, Apple would be able to use appleelectronics.com. It’s not as short as only having the business name, but it is still clear, concise, and unmistakable. Branding a Unique Term Another idea for getting the perfect website domain is to coin a term that’s unique to your business. Then you can use that term within your brand’s website. By doing this, you not only have crafted a unique web identity, but it can also be concise and short. Conclusion When determining which domain extension is better, com vs net, always be sure to look inward first. Acknowledge the purpose of putting your content online. Whether it’s to market a brand, sell a product, or connect various smaller sites by theme, each domain extension has its proper setting. By crafting the perfect domain name with the suitable domain extension, you can have a web address that is memorable, unique, and fitting for your business.
