Does it matter if my domain name ends with .com? Does it really offer more benefits than .co, .net, .biz, or there is any other popular top-level domain? A survey was conducted on the audience to find out the answers to the questions, appended above.
Contents
Observations: What is the best domain extension for 2021?
- There is a greater recall for URLs with .com domain names than for URLs with other Top-Level Domain (TLD).
- The most trusted TLD is .com, followed by .co embrace second place.
- The likelihood a URL ending in .com is much higher than any other type.
A study indicates that .com is the best option among domain extensions. However, for simple reasons, it is critical to choose the right TLD extension when creating a website as your company will be represented on it for years to come.
Your business niche will determine the TLD you choose, and we will explain how to select one for you in this informative blog post. To learn more about TLDs and their different types, continue reading. To ensure that you can choose the correct TLD extension for your website, we will compare .com websites against other websites one-to-one. So, remain hooked to this blog post till the end.
Let’s walk you through details from the scratch
What is a Domain Name?
Do you know what it is meant by a domain name? Your website has a unique name. An address for your website is its domain name. When it comes to search engine optimization, the name of a website is crucial. Well, domain names are very important and impact your search rankings and how people find you. There are two vital parts to a domain name: Name and The extension.
What is a Top-Level Domain (TLD)?
Top-level domains are the names of websites. It is the website’s unique identifier. In addition to the top-level domain, there is a domain name extension. TLD is also called top-level domain, and both terms are often used interchangeably.
The following types of domain extensions are available:
So, now we can vouch with the fact that we know what a domain extension is, outlined below are the three types of domain extensions and they are:
- Generic Domain Extensions
- Sponsored Domain Extensions
- Country Code Domain Extensions
Let’s take these three types of domain extensions one by one, to elucidate the prominence of each for your SEO-friendly business website.
Type 1: Generic Domain Extensions
The most common extension category is generic domain extensions. Generic domain extensions are the most common in India and other parts of the world. In addition to .com, .org, and .net, there are also several other extensions. You can purchase generic domain extensions from domain hosting companies such as GoDaddy, Bluehost, and Hostgator.
Examples include:
Network: www.abc.org
Business Website: www.abc.biz
Commercial Websites: www.abc.com
Non-Profit companies: www.abc.net
Type 2: Sponsored Domain Extensions
Only a select few organizations can use sponsored domain extensions. Your website name must meet the qualifications before you can use these extensions. Domain extensions such as .gov and .edu are examples of sponsored domain extensions. Only accredited educational institutions are allowed to register domain extensions ending in .edu. Likewise, government agencies explicitly use the .gov domain extension.
Examples:
Education Institutions: www.abc.edu
Public sector agency: www.abc.gov
Type 3: Country Code Domain Extensions
The Country Code Domain Extension is a domain extension specific to a country. The location of an organization can usually be determined by its two-letter domain extension. The .in extension is often used by startups and enterprise-level organizations located in India to advertise their presence in India.
Examples:
India: www.abc.in
Canada: www.abc.ca
United Kingdom: www.abc.uk
Different Domain Extensions – Nitty-Gritty Things You Need To Know
What do understand by .com?
The .com domain extension was originally intended for eCommerce sites, although it is increasingly used for commercial sites today. The .com extension indicates that a website belongs to a commercial business. As a result of this extension’s increasing popularity, independent players have also embraced it as their preferred choice. In addition to eCommerce and business websites, .com websites can also be found on blogs and personal web pages.
What do understand by .net?
It refers to a network. Originally, it was envisioned as a platform for communication-related websites, such as ISPs, e-mail services, and databases. With a second-place ranking after the .com extension, it’s popular across various countries and organizations.
What do understand by .org?
The .org domain extension was originally conceived as a non-profit extension. Recent changes have lifted this restriction and made it more accessible to non-profit organizations, education service providers, charities, and organizations developing open-source software. .org can be used by almost anyone today.
What do understand by.biz?
Business owners can use the .biz LTD extension. It is the most affordable and least popular extension on this list. A .biz LTD domain is usually used for business and eCommerce sites, even though it belongs to the generic extension.
What do understand by .co?
Its widely used extension stands for company or corporation. Domains with this extension are better alternatives to .com, .net, and are often paired with country-specific extensions (such as .co.uk, .co.in).
.com vs. Other Domain Name Extensions: A Comparison
Here is a comparison of .com to other domain extensions.
Is .com better than .net?
A .com domain extension and a .net domain extension are both geared toward businesses. Both of these domain extensions are commonly used by online businesses.
Before you decide on either, you must consider the following:
- Less than 4% of websites use the .net extension.
- Your website extension will be assumed by most people to be a .com. If you give them your business name, they might end up on a competing website if they see your name.
- A .com domain extension is most likely to be remembered by visitors.
.com Vs .org: Which is better?
Do you know which extension to choose between .org and .com?
Consider the following points:
- For commercial business websites, .com is the preferred TLD extension.
- Non-profit organizations can use the .org extension, which is ideal for charities, NGOs, and free online educators.
- If you are into a profitable business your business website will lose its credibility as .org extension is generally associated with free resources.
Which is better, a .com or a .biz?
Do you need to use the .biz extension when you have a business website? The following will tell you if you should go with the .biz extension or .com:
- There are some consequences to using the .biz extension. When you use the .biz domain extension, you communicate to visitors that your website is primarily focused on sales.
- With a .biz website, you might appear too sales-y to your customers forcing your business service on them. It is not something that you want to actively promote, even if the goal is to turn a profit.
Which is better? .com vs .co
The .com and the .co are both business domain extensions. If you’re trying to decide between the two, here are some things to consider:
- As .com and .co terminology are similar, it can be challenging for .co website owners to effectively brand themselves since users assume .com domain names end with .co, therefore requiring clarification.
- Since .co domains cost more than .com, you should only consider this option if you cannot get your target domain name in the .com form.
The influence of domain extensions on SEO
In order to make your website SEO-friendly, the choice of your domain extension, or TLD, is important. A recent survey from Moz has found a slight correlation between domain extension and rankings. Although features like domain-level keywords and extensions are not the strongest predictors of search rankings, they do still impact rankings.
In line with the survey above, a TLD has a low impact on your SEO. However, the true impact of TLD is yet unclear. What we do know is:
- TLDs range from country-specific ones to ones specific to industries or catchy ones. The choice is pretty wide.
- Domain extensions will have no chance of surpassing site quality as the first ranking factor
- If you are only expanding your business within a specific country, the country extension makes sense. Businesses can reap heaps of benefits from SEO services and campaigns.
- .com and .org domains will still rank highly, Google has confirmed.
In order to offer better results, Google prioritizes quality
Google continues to put user experience at the top of its priority list with new domain extensions. Here’s what this might mean:
- It is often more expensive to register a new TLD. By using these extensions, spammy websites are less likely to throw their hacks. In turn, this may improve the trustworthiness of websites that own these extensions.
- The .gov or .archi domain extensions are examples of verified extensions. Since these websites are verified, it may seem fair to rank them higher.
The final thought
In this blog, we have outlined all available TLDs. We are taking into consideration, by now you must be having a better understanding of what these are and which one is right for you. Are you scouring the internet for one of the best website designing services or SEO services? We have got you everything covered. Talk to our diligent team today.
Must Read : Tips for Generating Leads from Your Website
