So you’re ready to start your own website. Once you’ve taken the first step of selecting the best website host for your needs, you’ll want to start thinking about your domain name.
Aside from the site name itself, your domain name extension is also an important choice. For instance, should you choose a .com or a .net?
You’ve likely familiarized yourself with domain name extensions over the years, including .com vs .net, .org, and many other creative options.
The .com and .net domain extensions are the most popular generic top level domain (gTLD) options available, so we’ll break those options down in this article.
Whether you’re a first-time website owner or have plenty of experience in the online world, selecting the right domain extension is always an important step of the process.
It’s easy, affordable, and fun to choose your domain name and right domain extension. First, let’s talk about the importance of your domain name and why it matters to your site and its visitors.
Why Domain Extensions Matter For Your Website and Its Visitors
Domain extensions can tell your site visitors quite a lot about the nature of your website or business before they ever land on your homepage.
Specifically, domain name extensions such as .com and .net have their own specific meanings. These meanings act as descriptors for your site, so that visitors can get an idea of what you’re all about prior to clicking your link.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the meanings of .com and .net domains and why you might want to choose one over the other.
.com domain name extensions were originally intended commercial websites. These include businesses, service providers, online stores, and more. Over time, this domain extension grew to encompass websites of all kinds, both personal websites and commercial businesses.
.com is the most commonly used domain extension on the web, accounting for 46.8% of all sites currently online. This website domain name extension is a great choice for just about any kind of website.
It’s memorable and reliable, and if you’re able to secure the name you want, you’ll give your website a professional domain right out of the gate.
.net domain extensions are often used in the tech industry. Its original meaning stood for “network,” so websites providing network support products and services were more likely to select .net domains.
Oftentimes, .net is still associated with tech industry websites, software services, and network-centric businesses. However, it has become more widely used over the years.
In contrast to .com, .net websites account for roughly 2.8% of the websites online. This much lower usage could allow you to purchase a domain name that you might not be able to get with a .com domain name extension.
How Much Do .com or .net Domain Extensions Cost?
Depending on your website host, .com or .net domain extensions can cost anywhere from free to hundreds of dollars – or more. Its price depends on its availability.
The website host you choose will influence how much your domain name costs. If you purchase your domain name through N, for instance, you could be paying an average of $16.99 USD per year for a .com or .net domain extension.
Should You Get a .com or .net Extension?
Deciding on your domain name, as well as the domain extension you want, comes down to a few different factors, such as:
How you want your website to be known
Whether the domain name you want is available with a .com domain extension
How you want to show up in the search engines
What industry you’re part of
How much money you want to spend on a domain name
Getting a .com extension is advantageous in terms of credibility and results in the search engines. Because most websites boast .com domain extensions, you’d be among the majority.
However, because the .com domain extension is the most popular online, you might run into trouble securing the domain name you really want. That’s because it might be taken already.
Business websites often use both .com and .net domains. If you’re in the tech world, then a .net extension might be a good fit for your needs. Plus, you might be able to get domain names with the .net domain extension that are unavailable as .com.
In the end, you’ll need to consider which domain name feels like the best for for your website.
Aside from the nuance associated with .com and .net domain names, there’s something else to consider: how your desired domain name could potentially affect search engine optimization (SEO).
Which Domain Name Extension is Better for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Whether you’re setting up a business website or a personal blog, the domain extension you choose has the potential to be impacted by SEO. However, in isolation, domain name extensions actually don’t affect your search rankings.
But there’s one area where you could run into SEO problems.
Let’s say that you chose a .net domain because its .com counterpart was already taken.
If the .com domain name is an established, successful website already, you’re going to struggle with building search authority.
That’s because the .com website is already well established, so it’s the first thing users see when they search for your site or business name. You’re burying yourself deep in the search engine rankings before you even begin.
The same would be true if you purchased the .com counterpart of a popular or established .net domain extension.
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