Does the domain name extension affects rankings and general impression?

[Porte]

My question is if domain name extension plays any role in your rankings, search engine treatment, or just general impression.. like .info domain names comparing to .com domain names.

Thanks-

 

[netzilla]

Here is my opinion...

Yes and no. Domains with a .gov and .edu extension have utmost authority and are very trusted in most cases. Since com, net, and org have been around the longest it seems like they are a little more trusted that newer extensions like .info. However, I have seen these other extensions rank in the top 10 results for a search on many occasions so its definitely possible.

In regards to people...a lot of people always think in terms of .com and are unware that anything else exists. I think it time the newer extensions will mature and there will be equality in the indexes.

 

[Dan Schulz]

It won't matter any way you cut it, unless you're dealing with a country-specific search. .edu and .gov TLDs tend to be "trusted" because of the huge amounts of quality relevant content on them and the massive amounts of incoming links they've accrued over the years. Just because those sites are on .edu or .gov TLDs doesn't make them better - they'd rank just as well if they were on .com or .biz or .info or even .ws (the country specific TLD for Western Samoa).

 

[qbert220]

I don't believe it makes a difference to the search engine ranking. I've got a .info that appeared as #1 for a single word search term for several years (now #4).

I do however believe it makes a difference to how likely a visitor is to click on a search result. For me, a ".info" is fine if I'm looking for information about something. If I'm looking to purchase, then I am more likely to ignore the ".info" and click on a ".com" instead (or ".co.uk" since I'm in the UK).

 

[Porte]

Point of views received, well received. Appreciated guys, and all repped.

 

[Keral_Patel]

One other interesting stuff is that .edu and .gov are not available to anyone on the planet.

Other point is that .edu and .gov don't sell clothes and perfumes and all that stuff :D Means they are not very active in that part but yes on content part they are active.

 

[tinner666]

Depends on what your intent is with the domain. If you're offering informative matter, .info is where it's at. If you are running a business or service, .com is good.

.net has long been associated with internet relate forums, info, etc. Same for .org.

Personally, I do type in searches and hunt for .org, .gov, .info, .com, based on what I think I'm looking for.

 

[Micheal Kendal]

Not all extensions are equal, half the domain extensions are worthless when it comes to SEO. If you are registering domain names then you ought to be aiming for any of the following in the order that they appear:

1. dot com
2. dot net
3. dot org

I prefer to run a dot info in preference to a sub domain. Dot info sites are great for hosting blogs or support forums. Nothing looks worse than a crumby /blog or blog.domainname.com. Putting in the parent directory of a .info that is linked to from your main site seems to have a little bit more class. .info is worthless as a commercial domain extension on its own, but in conjunction with any of the big three is very good.

 

[Dan Schulz]

Not all extensions are equal, half the domain extensions are worthless when it comes to SEO. If you are registering domain names then you ought to be aiming for any of the following in the order that they appear:

1. dot com
2. dot net
3. dot org

Did you even bother to read this post? http://www.namepros.com/2764812-post3.html

In it I said that the extension of a domain name doesn't matter unless you're conducting a country-specific search. If you have any hard evidence from independent, verifiable, third parties that proves otherwise, please post it.

I prefer to run a dot info in preference to a sub domain.

Given that subdomains are no longer treated as separate domains, and that .info domains are best used for informational and resource sites, I fail to see why you'd waste your money on one (and the associated hosting costs).

Dot info sites are great for hosting blogs or support forums. Nothing looks worse than a crumby /blog or blog.domainname.com.

Any domain can be good for a blog - what matters is if the site is appropriate, or suitable for a blog.

Putting in the parent directory of a .info that is linked to from your main site seems to have a little bit more class.

And if done often enough can get you busted for creating an artificial link scheme, such as operating a link farm. It's a quick and easy way to get all those sites banned from the search engines.

.info is worthless as a commercial domain extension on its own, but in conjunction with any of the big three is very good.

Oh really? You know, if I had the time, I'd set up a .info domain, write some killer Web copy in an editorial fassion, and then use it to sell ice to eskimos and make a mint over night. As I've said before, the TLD of a domain does not matter.

 

[Porte]

But would it really matter if I want to develop a blog on a .info? or I better get a.com even if keywords will be bad? ~ You say in view of SEO .info won't be ranked as .com or I do not get it from your post?

 

[ezimedia]

HI

I have noticed that my .com domains I have made sites on have always ranked better then sites I have created on a .net domain. or other extensions.

Thanks
Tom

 

[Dan Schulz]

But would it really matter if I want to develop a blog on a .info? or I better get a.com even if keywords will be bad? ~ You say in view of SEO .info won't be ranked as .com or I do not get it from your post?

If that reply was in response to me, then I don't know what else to say other than that a TLD won't matter as far as the search engines are concerned, except in the case of a country specific search.

If it's in reply to the post I multi-quoted, then I'll let what I said there stand.

 

[risoknop]

Domain extensions don't matter to search engines at all. That said, there are still good reasons why you should try to get .com domain first before other extensions.

The main reason is a psychological effect of .com domain. For instance, most of the time, when people search for something and the first search result is .info domain and 2nd and 3rd are .com domains, people will subconsciously click on second or third link - .com domains have been around for a long time and people are more familiar with them and tend to trust them more.

Secondly, .com domains are much more expensive - really good ones (one keyword domains) were sold even for millions $. And when a company is capable to pay such huge amount of money for a domain, they usually spend some terrific amounts of money on the website development, too. That means that websites on .com domains tend to be of higher quality and usually with better content. But there are exceptions of course.

 

[Hafsoh]

It doesn't affect search unless it's geographical. I think it depends most on your target audience. If your site is specifically there for residents of a particular country then a country specific domain name will be easier for them to remember.

 

[AHA7]

ccTLD's are taken into consideration for local/specific are searches, but generally the TLD does not have any big effect on rankings. :imho:

 

[LesFex]

Hello everyone..

Well!! domain name extension does not affects rankings and general impression..

 

[MrCat]

What matters is on how well you optimized your site. This in my opinion would have the greatest impact - whether you have a .info or .org extension.