Every business has an important decision to make when it comes to creating a new website: choosing a domain name. With so many options available today, it can be challenging to pick the right one.
The right extension, however, is crucial to getting your business seen online. There are numerous possibilities but most companies tend to go with the .com extension because it is more widely used and tends to work better with search engines. In fact, Verisign, the administrator of .com and .net registries, has confirmed the .com extension still remains the dominant choice for websites today.
While .com is the most popular extension, it is not always the best choice for every organization. In some cases, a desired .com domain name may not be available and can be difficult as well as expensive to obtain. Plus, there are certain extensions are a far better alternative based on the type of business you own. Here are some general tips:
- Use .edu if you are an educational institution (colleges and universities)
- If your organization is country specific, you might want to consider a country domain extension
- If a .com extension is not available, .net is usually your next best option
- If you are non-profit or a foundation, .org would be your best choice for an extension.
If none of the options in the list above are suitable or possible for your business, you can always wait until your desired domain name will be available. In some cases, spending the money to get the right domain name that could either be on sale or auction may be the best choice for your business.
Overall, it is best to not make your domain extension decision lightly. Be sure to take the time to research and select the one that will allow your business to be seen online.
If you have any questions about domain names or extensions, feel free to leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!
