Staying with .Com Only

[Jason]

Some people don't like non-.com extensions. Others prefer top ones like .com, .net, .org and, still, others have ventured out and used .xyz etc., but still aren't so open-minded past that.

Do you feel some people are snobby with their standards?

 

[Tracy]

Not necessarily "snobby", but more like people in the past were more familiar with a COM domain and tended to be leery of anything else. Now most people use a search engine and don't really pay attention to the domain extensions.
That's like for a while I had DSO.PHOTOS registered for my astrophotography site. But the astrowhat.com is where most of the content was at so I let it expire since there was a premium domain of dso.photo it would probably get confused with.

 

[Jason]

Not necessarily "snobby", but more like people in the past were more familiar with a COM domain and tended to be leery of anything else. Now most people use a search engine and don't really pay attention to the domain extensions.
That's like for a while I had DSO.PHOTOS registered for my astrophotography site. But the astrowhat.com is where most of the content was at so I let it expire since there was a premium domain of dso.photo it would probably get confused with.

Yeah, that's true. People don't pay attention to the domain extensions anyway. That's a big thing to consider these days.

 

[Dismal_Bliss]

All my sites are .com .net or .org

 

[Jason]

All my sites are .com .net or .org

Why is that the case?

 

[Dismal_Bliss]

Why is that the case?

Top level domains are just more valuable, as well as memorable. I did have a .tv domain once for an old YouTube channel because it was a 4 letter acronym that was already taken among the top tiers, and I thought .tv was kinda cool for videos. But that is the only one I have ever owned.

I have several domains where I own the .com .net and .org versions, but one we forward everything to the .net because it's non-commercial and it's all about networking (a forum) and another one we forward to the .org because it's also non-commercial and an "organized" effort between several of us.

Everything else I have I use the .com because they are commercial in nature. The new forum in my siggy is the exception.

 

[Jason]

Top level domains are just more valuable, as well as memorable. I did have a .tv domain once for an old YouTube channel because it was a 4 letter acronym that was already taken among the top tiers, and I thought .tv was kinda cool for videos. But that is the only one I have ever owned.

I have several domains where I own the .com .net and .org versions, but one we forward everything to the .net because it's non-commercial and it's all about networking (a forum) and another one we forward to the .org because it's also non-commercial and an "organized" effort between several of us.

Everything else I have I use the .com because they are commercial in nature. The new forum in my siggy is the exception.

Some don't use the .org for non-commercial stuff, but that seems silly.

 

[Tracy]

Some don't use the .org for non-commercial stuff, but that seems silly.

That's what I was referring to before about some folks being more familiar.
When the wooly wide web first started, most people that were familiar with it knew that odds are if it was a COM domain, it was a commercial venture, ORG was used for stuff like The Salvation Army or other organizations (usually those of public benefit) and the NET were networking related (think portal) for smaller sites. With the proliferation of domains now, you can get even more precise... if you are willing to cut loose the money. As an example, the dso.photos cost around $10 to register. Drop one letter off to dso.photo and it was $116.

 

[Nomad]

For me the most important thing is second level domain, I can avoid dot com if I don't get the name I want.

 

[Ravenfreak]

As you know I use other domain extensions like Zone, sure dot coms are more common and more well known but sometimes it's best to think outside the box. That's how I came up with TheeZone, sure I could have went with "Theezone.com" but to me Thee.zone just sounds cooler. So I definitely don't stick with just .com.

 

[Jason]

If I'm interested in powerful branding, I'd go with .com. However, some sites are not as serious, as with my new .info site, but they are something I want to develop strongly to a point.

 

[Kyng]

I've had a .com for nearly a decade now, and I think it's well worth the price, unless you really can't afford it.

There was a time when I used a .co.cc domain... I'm glad those dark days are behind me!

 

[Jason]

It's interesting to note that in many countries the national extension is more popular.

 

[Tracy]

It's interesting to note that in many countries the national extension is more popular.

I use a US for my personal blog. Unless my site was country specific I don't know if I would personally pursue a country extension.

 

[Cory]

It's a top-level domain that people primarily use and it's easy to remember because of that. It's generally cheaper than some other options as well. That is a few reasons why I decided to use it.

 

[Tracy]

Why is that the case?

one other reason is it helps keep competitors from trying to gain traffic off your COM domain, especially if you are gaining ground and someone has gotten "mad" at you and want to try to steal traffic.
In the old days it was easier since the main domains people were familiar with were the COM/ORG/NET ones and would ignore going to another domain unless they knew it was the site they wanted.
With the plethora of TLDs now that social engineering can be done much more easily, especially if the other site can get a higher position on search engines than your site since few look at the actual domain names they visit, trusting that the search engine is giving them what they they (the user) wants.

How many of us that have been "domain shopping" have looked up a domain, saw that the COM was taken but the ORG/NET was available and purchased it? I know I have with a few that I eventually let die as I realized that the COM domain was getting more traffic and making it harder to find mine.

 

[Jason]

one other reason is it helps keep competitors from trying to gain traffic off your COM domain, especially if you are gaining ground and someone has gotten "mad" at you and want to try to steal traffic.
In the old days it was easier since the main domains people were familiar with were the COM/ORG/NET ones and would ignore going to another domain unless they knew it was the site they wanted.
With the plethora of TLDs now that social engineering can be done much more easily, especially if the other site can get a higher position on search engines than your site since few look at the actual domain names they visit, trusting that the search engine is giving them what they they (the user) wants.

How many of us that have been "domain shopping" have looked up a domain, saw that the COM was taken but the ORG/NET was available and purchased it? I know I have with a few that I eventually let die as I realized that the COM domain was getting more traffic and making it harder to find mine.

Well, one thing I look at is branding. If I got a .com then I can use the name for branding and I don't have to mention the domain extension. I mean, if you don't use a .com, you probably need to mention the domain extension, but I know sites like Forum Promotion don't (Forum Promotion is a .net.). Anyway, with my latest site, I plan to use the domain hack in the ads (TheFreeBiz.Info).

 

[Tracy]

Well, one thing I look at is branding. If I got a .com then I can use the name for branding and I don't have to mention the domain extension.

That argument would have applied even back when the interwebz was getting started.
The fact is, still a LOT of people put more weight into a COM/NET/ORG domain, especially those that are older and been around a while (and they usually have more money to spend which is what a business looks at).
I have a few friends that even now they will not click on anything found in a search engine.
The do a copy of the link to the site and then post it into another browser tab. if they don't like the look of the address they don't go there.
They are also ones who tend to use TOR browser regularly. They also trend towards conspiracy theories... which now it seems a noticeable segment of our society in the U.S. does also.

 

[Jason]

That argument would have applied even back when the interwebz was getting started.
The fact is, still a LOT of people put more weight into a COM/NET/ORG domain, especially those that are older and been around a while (and they usually have more money to spend which is what a business looks at).
I have a few friends that even now they will not click on anything found in a search engine.
The do a copy of the link to the site and then post it into another browser tab. if they don't like the look of the address they don't go there.
They are also ones who tend to use TOR browser regularly. They also trend towards conspiracy theories... which now it seems a noticeable segment of our society in the U.S. does also.

I really think it's just web aficionados or extreme web developers into that. I doubt if the majority of the population even pays attention to the extension. Anyway, if a site is really spam or something, a person's anti-virus will catch it and a search engine won't rank it anyhow.

 

[Tracy]

I really think it's just web aficionados or extreme web developers into that. I doubt if the majority of the population even pays attention to the extension. Anyway, if a site is really spam or something, a person's anti-virus will catch it and a search engine won't rank it anyhow.

You presume everyone runs anti-virus.
Not everyone uses a Windows based solution for their computers.
I know several folks that have various flavors of Linux installed on their desktops and laptops and have never (over the last decade) used an anti-virus for their actual computer and they have never gotten infected... and one of them liked to go to some questionable sites.
I use a Mac (2013 era Mac Mini) and do not run an anti-virus, and I've never gotten an infection.
But yes, there are still folks out there that are what most would call paranoid about stuff like checking a website address before going to it and if it looks "weird" not visiting it.