"It is the single biggest mistake one can make on the Internet"

[IAmAllanShore]

According to Rick Schwartz, the "...single biggest mistake one can make on the Internet" would be registering and promoting a .net that you don't own the .com for also.

I know that many a 'folk here have .net's that they don't own the .com for, myself included.

<snip http://www.dnjournal.com/columns/cover020204.htm >
Still, Schwartz thinks the new extensions are a better bet than one old-timer, .net. “.org is the #2 extension because of its widespread use with charities and heavy TV and print advertising. .net is the orphan. It has no identity and loses massive amounts of traffic automatically to the .com counterpart. Not basing your business on a .net extension is the #1 piece of advice I would give anyone that asked. I would choose .whatever over ANY .net unless you own the .com version. If you promote .net, and don’t own the .com, you are likely working hard for someone else and wasting 15%-25% or more of your hard work and marketing efforts. It is the single biggest mistake one can make on the Internet.”

Schwartz recognizes that “it is statements like that where folks either totally agree with me or hate me for saying it. But it is FACT and the more the fact is shown the greater the hate grows. Having a .net to base your business on is like building a boat with a BIG gaping hole in it. What does it say about the boat owner/builder that gets angry when you point out that HUGE LEAK?”
</snip>

Can't help but think that this guy has made millions and millions doing this, so he must know what he's talking about... but at the same time it's depressing to think that 3 letter .net's might even be OVERvalued right now...

-Allan

 

[Midano]

(Type-in traffic aside)

My new analogy for developing any non .com space...

There are 7 streets in my neighborhood. There's a lot of different houses on each street. The first time people come over I give them a map; directions. After that, they know where to find me. All those other streets and houses don't seem to prevent them from arriving at my house party each weekend, right on time. They even drove right past the biggest house in the neighborhood, on the corner, where the Comstock family lives. They don't get confused or lost. They find me every time. I guess because I'm unique, because my home (while not the biggest on the block) is very nicely developed and designed, and whenever you come to my house I try to provide meaningful content and things worth noting. So you remember me.

My name is Mr. "Not A. Com" and it's a pleasure to meet you.

I know that Comstock guy. His wife's name is Dot. Yep, Dot Comstock.

Party analogy aside. Let's say you have some free time. So you decided to get rid of some junk and have a yard sale. You've prepared everything, took your time to make big colorful signs with arrows and nailed those signs to every electric pole in the neighbourhood.
Incidentally, the Comstock family is having their yard sale at the same day. And Ms. Dot Comstock is serving her famous lemonade on top of that. People follow YOUR signs just fine up until the point where they SEE Comstock's yard sale. And STOP. Nobody ever READS the signs, they just follow the arrows. Your yard sale flops. Your junk ends up where it belongs - in trash, while Comstocks make enough money for a week in Aruba thanks to your efforts.

 

[-db-]

That's a good argument Leo.

I would hope they would realize the difference, and that my arrow signs/directions (branding) and word of mouth feedback from my previous yard sales would make it obvious that there is another yard sale right around the corner. Perhaps an even better one!

No doubt though, it goes both ways.

Great discussion!

 

[mole]

You know, life is funny.

You should marry a pretty wife.
You should stay in the best part of the neighbourhood.
You should be tall and handsome.
You should have taken the Concorde to work every day.
You should get .COM

Yes, you should.

By the way, I can make that .COM dream happen for you. Just wire a very cheap and affordable $1.3m into my bank account and if I'm desperate and in a charitable mood, I might just sell you one of my better names. Otherwise, muahaahahahahaha, you useful have-nots. :bingo:

 

[Midano]

....You should marry a pretty wife....

By the way, I can make that .COM dream happen for you. Just wire a very cheap and affordable $1.3m into my bank account...

Throw in your pretty wife and we have a deal.

 

[dax]

According to Rick Schwartz, the "...single biggest mistake one can make on the Internet" would be registering and promoting a .net that you don't own the .com for also..."

Well, its not completely true. It depends on the situation. For example, in my country .net is pretty same as .com because .net sounds just like it writes, while .com sounds like "kom" (gramatically, we should not make "c" into "k" in our language, c is always like "tz" here).
So basically, if you have "something".net you are not in disadvantage comparing to .com owner of same name. However, i agree that it is good to secure .com version of the name if possible.
But for my English or international domains, i always use .com

 

[mole]

Throw in your pretty wife and we have a deal.

I'll pay you to take her :D

 

[Keynes]

Just wire a very cheap and affordable $1.3m into my bank account and if I'm desperate and in a charitable mood, I might just sell you one of my better names

Do you accept equivalent in NPs? :p

 

[armstrong]

As in Armstrong's example (php.net -VS- PHPpros.com or PHPsource.com)

Not mine. I just picked up on IdahoFarmer's post, where he offered the two .com's as preferable to php.net.

 

[-db-]

Armstrong, oh yes, I see now that it originated with him. I must have read them out of order, and it was actually your reply to his original examples - that I was agreeing with. I too would choose the alternate extension of the short generic before a made-up .com version.

PHP.info / PHP.us / PHP.net / PHP.org / PHP.biz - :tu:

PHPsource.com - :td:

:imho:

 

[danielr]

I believe that the .COM is THE best, BUT - I believe there are exceptions to EVERY RULE!. 2 of the 3 biggest money making poker domains I own are .NETS. These domains make $75 per day in Pay Per Clicks.

Dont believe me..... Just go look for a typo on PartyPoker.NET or PokerStars.NET (these are the 2 biggest poker sites and THEY DO NOT have a TRADEMARK) PokerStars has applied for thier TM , but since PartyPoker's TM was abondoned, they will only get a Logo TM like PartyPoker did. You are not going to find any .NET typos because the smart people (like myself) starting seeing TV commercials for PartyPoker.net and PokerStars.net on the TV. Why are they advertising the .NET instead of the .COM? Well it is a FREE site to play on the .NET (play money). It is a great tactic to lure your into this game of free poker and then when you think you are good, you deposit money and play on the .COM.

 

[equity78]

Great Point Daniel SCPoker.net has made me $30 this month.

 

[mole]

Personally, I think the biggest mistake one can make on the Internet is to drink while bidding at auctions.

 

[Mark]

Personally, I think the biggest mistake one can make on the Internet is to drink while bidding at auctions.

This is True .... :o

I've never Personally been a fan of the .Net Extension anyway - So this Statement really doesn't affect me as much. I can see some uses for it - But it is just not my thing ...

 

[Ray]

i usaully dont by .nets unless i have the .coms, i hate .nets, and always have... idk tho.

 

[barefoottech]

Depends on the Market .
But First Rule is Buy .com
Second Rule is Can't get .com ,try another Name ,then Get .com in New Name

 

[VURG]

Having a .net for a good brandable name can be a great way to have a good presence when the .com is taken by your competition or some investor who wants thousands of dollars. There is some truth in what is said but I don't think it is always the case.

Sometimes, companies in different countries have exactly the same business name and I think in that situation it can be good to take the .NET when somebody else has the same company name.

 

[ThreeD]

that's why I make sure when I develop a domain that I have .com/net/org/us/info/biz in my control

 

[RogueWriter]

- - - - -
Personally, I think the biggest mistake one can make on the Internet is to drink while bidding at auctions.
- - - - -


Maybe THAT explains all these stupid .bz domains that keep showing up in my account :lol:

 

[IdahoFarmer]

Actually, using the PHP example I partially agree. Given that we're talking a three letter .net I would agree that PHP.net is more valuable than PHPsource.com from a domain investment perspective.

However, from a use standpoint I would rather build a brand around PHPsource.com than PHP.net... simply because the brand building efforts would be so diluted by the loss to PHP.com.

I know many will disagree, but this is my two cents.

 

[IAmAllanShore]

I have to think that part of what Schwartz is taking for granted is that the best .net's are already gone.

PHP.net is unique and brandable enough that it can survive in .net without the traffic bleed.

It's the "names" that have the bleed.

For instance, if it was "NamePros.net" instead of .com, then when we talk online and say we're going to "NamePros", folks would certainly try the .com first. If someone established a competing product there, then they've captured traffic bleed. (OR not competing, but merely one taking advantage of similar interests. Like blow-up dolls.)

idotz is a perfect example. Every time I turn around, I have someone going to idotz.com to accept a domain transfer from me and not being able to figure out what to do. That's because we all call it "idotz", not "idotz.net" , the .net is just another stumbling block for folks to mis-remember.

So sure, php.net is solid, but you don't own it and neither do I

What people have a better chance of developing is their own business name in the .net namespace, and that is what I think he is more speaking to. Not a 3 letter or less name, but for instance "AllansPlace.net" (If I were to make such a site) would be horrible because it has no SEO value in keywords, and would lose traffic to whatever .com kept me from registering the choice name in the first place.

Just my .02

-Allan :gl: