Do You Really Need a .Com Domain?

Posted on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 by CommunicateBetter in "Domain Names"

One could make the argument that internet domains are more popular than ever before, especially when considering that some of the catchier names are still selling for hundred, thousands and sometimes millions of dollars. A domain name is what you need to leave a favorable impression on prospective clients. This name should be easy to remember so that whenever someone see its, it will resonate and they can easily find their way back to your website. However, choosing a domain isn’t always as simple as it seems. Although your domain name will not have any ramification with regards to selecting a web host provider, many people find themselves challenged, wondering if they should register a name with the trendy .com or .net. Although .com still reigns supreme, .net has gained ground over the last couple of years.

The .net TLD is more likely to be available than .com but there are some important factors to consider before deciding on this extension. More often than not, people associate a website with .com as it is typically the first extension they look for. Unfortunately, if they can’t find it, most internet users rarely think to perform a repeat search and look for the website with .net. This could be a setback for you that results in lost visitors and even worse, potential sales.

Evidence is increasingly showing that many people visit a website after learning about it from a friend or associate, seeing it on a commercial advertisement or hearing it on the radio. Regardless of the extension, so many people consistently commit to .com in their head, making it much harder for you to generate referral traffic with any other extension.

Because .com extensions are in high demand, it has become increasingly difficult to secure the name you want with this TLD. Over the years, the majority of all the short, catchy domain names have been snatched up and registered. Throw in popular keywords and the crave of search optimization and you have a plethora of domains that are virtually impossible to secure. This very factor has led several people to .net which is undoubtedly the best alternative. Some people do not even waste their time searching for .com names in fear that they are no longer available. If you are concerned about your visibility, we suggest that you don’t make this mistake. Who knows? You just might get lucky.

The best advice is to do all you can to secure a .com domain before giving up and deciding on any alternatives. You can do some serious brainstorming, share some ideas with a few associates or even perform a search on abandoned domains. By taking a little time to come up with something creative, you can easily secure a good domain that no one has even thought of.

After finding something that coincides perfectly with your site, you will discover that the extra time and effort was well worth it, especially when the traffic starts to roll in. If all else fails, rest assured that several business owners have gotten by just fine by using .net as their second choice.