domain extensions

[stashandstuff]

I am looking at registering a new domain name, but my first choice is taken. The search results suggested using an alternative extension, such as .us or .biz instead of the traditional dot com. I'm wondering if that would make my site more difficult to find, or make it appear less than professional. What is your opinion on domain extensions?

[GraphicsGuy]

I got a biz domain back before they picked up a negative reputation and it was being pitched to become the standard for ecommerce. I took it because a squatter sits on the dot com for my brand name. Since then, the entire biz tld has picked up a reputation associating it with spammers.

 

It doesn't seem to have hindered our sales but I don't think I would reccomend it for someone starting out now. People are much more accustomed to com or net tld's.

[Guest]

Try to keep your domain name easy to remember, and easy to associate with the products you're selling. As Mike pointed out, people have come to expect .com as the extension. Some people even think that *ever* web server has to begin with www and end with .com.

 

-jared

[Simplyeasier]

I am looking at registering a new domain name, but my first choice is taken.  The search results suggested using an alternative extension, such as .us or .biz instead of the traditional dot com.  I'm wondering if that would make my site more difficult to find, or make it appear less than professional.  What is your opinion on domain extensions?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Eventually it won't be your domain name that delivers traffic it will be your search engine and other marketing visibility. However your domain name should be

 

brief

memorable

related well to your business

adheres to surfer expectation

 

Some niches are so crowded that it is difficult to get a name that fits the bill for all the points above - try to look for dot com, and at least one business key word in the domain.

 

Charles

[Sheridan C]

Everybody automatically thinks dot com when typing in a web address.

 

I think you could lose some business by having anything other than dot com.

[Guest]

I hate to echo what others have already said, but there really are people out there (potential buyers!) who just don't "get" domain names. My own parents think that if a site is named "google.net" they must enter "google.net.com"

[Guest]

I agree that it's really helpful to use the name of your company as the domain, but only if it isn't horrifically long. To wit: my sister's band's site name used to be "carolynnblackandtheblues.com." The chances for misspelling are far greater the longer the name.

 

Also, my company's name is My Favorite Things, and you wouldn't believe how many people tell me "I went to your website but it wasn't your store." Duh, that's because my website isn't myfavoritethings.com (taken already) but mftweb.com. I don't remember if myfavoritethings.net was taken, but at that point, I felt that I'd have better luck with the .com tag. The five years I had the brick and mortar store I emphasized my brand to be "MFT" referring to the store as such in newsletters, advertising, etc. I still get the occasional idiot, but then, who doesn't?