What to choose when .com is taken?

[markfromslo]

I often run into the situation when I'm looking at a name and the .com is taken, but one, some or all of the following are available: .net, .org, .info, .us, .info.

I have trouble gauging which would be the best investment. I know it depends upon what the name is, but can I get some general opinions on this?

One particular example I'm looking at now would be the following (with a made up name, but similar idea): SolarKitcom. Assume that one is taken and all the others are available. Which would be best and why?

 

[netzilla]

I agree with everything except for ".net is worthless". Obvioulsy a .com is king but a .net is brandable and can be developed into a successful website if you have a strong idea behind it and can turn it into reality.

Examples:

Sourceforge.net
PHP.net
Freshmeat.net
Photo.net

 

[zouzas]

I agree with everything except for ".net is worthless". Obvioulsy a .com is king but a .net is brandable and can be developed into a successful website if you have a strong idea behind it and can turn it into reality.

Examples:

Sourceforge.net
PHP.net
Freshmeat.net
Photo.net

maybe not worthless but how does an extension thats been around since .com get half the sales price a .biz for the short time .biz has been out

find.net 6k find.biz almost double

 

[netzilla]

Good point and the answer is I don't know Its almost like .net has gotten a bad reputation or something.

 

[markfromslo]

It's interesting looking at these. Three of them "feel" like good fits for .net, but Freshmeat.net just does not feel right for some reason. Maybe I'm feeling like .net works best for something technology-related.

Of course, "feeling" means nothing...unless I'm not the only one--then it does.

I agree with everything except for ".net is worthless". Obvioulsy a .com is king but a .net is brandable and can be developed into a successful website if you have a strong idea behind it and can turn it into reality.

Examples:

Sourceforge.net
PHP.net
Freshmeat.net
Photo.net

 

[bilirkishi]

.net
.org
.biz

 

[markfromslo]

Well, just this morning this situation came up again. I was looking at MiniSolar.xxx and MicroSolar.xxx. The .com's were taken for both of them. I had pretty much my choice of the others. I chose .net for both. It just felt right. I guess I could have picked up the .us for both of these, but I think in this case the .net would be a higher choice.

Now, for a GREAT example of .us, I just missed getting MilitaryRecords.us. Now that is a perfect use for a .us.

 

[bluesman]

If you followed the industry in the past couple years you would be aware of the significant players and sales involved in some of the extensions you refer to. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but calling people "newbies" just because they support extensions outside the com-net-org arena is an insult, and highlights your own lack of knowledge on the topic.

Well, I can tell you that I've "followed" (and been in) the industry for 10 years. I'm also "aware" that every year or two some outfit comes along and starts plugging the "next big thing to wipe out the dot com." It's never happened and never will. The "next big thing" folks vanish, only to later be replaced by other such hawkers. (Over the years I've been told variously that .biz would soon rule all, then .info, and on and on.)

I'm sorry if "newbies" sounds like a gross insult term in your view. I didn't mean it as such, but was accurately describing those who (as you yourself admit) have cropped up in the last couple years. As to significant "sales" happening for awhile, that means very little - lots of people also bought Florida swampland in the 1920s.

It always amuses me to see those (unlike myself) who missed out in the dot com land rush era of the late '90s and early '00s, now frantically trying to pretend that their brand new .whatever ext will soon be better than a .com. Much like imagining a tiny apartment to be superior to a mansion.

"Lack of knowledge"? Hardly, sir. And no lack of key .coms, either.

(just out today)

Use of ".US" Domain Name Extension Rises Sharply

By Gene J. Koprowski
E-Commerce Times
11/23/05 5:00 AM PT

"Many organizations, especially those based overseas, are strengthening their identity in American markets with a .US domain," said Christian Zouzas...

And so this article appears on yet another thread. But nobody is reading it closely enough. It shows that investors are artificially making it look like there's a general .us bubble happening, when really it's just foreigners trying to make themselves look somehow associated with the United States.

Other nations are not significant in such areas, since they use a comparatively tiny percentage of the net than the US does, and it will always be so, due to our much stronger economic position. Meanwhile, the same article clearly says that in the US by far the top-ranking favorite ext is still, of course, the .com.

End of story. (Literally.)

 

[harkster]

bluesman, congratulations on your vision but

I don't think anyone is saying that .com is not the king and will likely to remain so for the forseeable future. It is entirely possible to have success using other extensions.

I think the subject is what is the best alternative when for whatever reason the .com is not an option.

 

[mole]

I'm also "aware" that every year or two some outfit comes along and starts plugging the "next big thing to wipe out the dot com." It's never happened and never will. The "next big thing" folks vanish, only to later be replaced by other such hawkers. (Over the years I've been told variously that .biz would soon rule all, then .info, and on and on.)

Post-2000, around five years after you first "entered" domaining, ICANN released .INFO and .BIZ (plus a couple of other extensions) into the Internet.

The first .INFO and .BIZ names first started hitting shore late 2001.

It's now late 2005, and the "next big thing" foks didn't vanish, they just ploughed on determinedly with nothing more than faith and a handle. Heckled, scorned, viled and tarred by the cynical .COM mob, that new namespace was crap and a waste of time.

But over those few years, things started happening to the little closet in which those little new namespace seeds were preciously stored. It started to bulge. Leaves started creeping out from the crevices. Google's index of .INFO and .BIZ sites, began filling up, slowly but surely.

For those who missed getting all those great names when .COM was released in 1985, some are determined that this stupid lack of vision and downright apathy during that time will never be repeated again.

For the rest, history will repeat itself.

 

[markfromslo]

Slightly OT, but not really. How bad is the .ws tld? If I see a dictionary name (a good noun) that is available in .ws (and not in any other main TLD), should I pick it up?

 

[JoshHendo]

Personally, I would go for the .net, then .org, then .info if the .com isn't avaliable UNLESS the website is based in 1 country, the I would get the country extension.

 

[Jakey]

1. Net
If .com and .net are taken - find a new .com

 

[-db-]

Well, I can tell you that I've "followed" (and been in) the industry for 10 years. I'm also "aware" that every year or two some outfit comes along and starts plugging the "next big thing to wipe out the dot com." It's never happened and never will. The "next big thing" folks vanish, only to later be replaced by other such hawkers. (Over the years I've been told variously that .biz would soon rule all, then .info, and on and on.)

I'm sorry if "newbies" sounds like a gross insult term in your view. I didn't mean it as such, but was accurately describing those who (as you yourself admit) have cropped up in the last couple years. As to significant "sales" happening for awhile, that means very little - lots of people also bought Florida swampland in the 1920s.

It always amuses me to see those (unlike myself) who missed out in the dot com land rush era of the late '90s and early '00s, now frantically trying to pretend that their brand new .whatever ext will soon be better than a .com. Much like imagining a tiny apartment to be superior to a mansion.

I don't ever see .US, .INFO, .BIZ, .DE, .TV (etc.) supporters claiming their extensions will be "better than a .com". What I do often see are .COM supporters trying to put down the value of these other extensions, and ignoring their significance and well deserved place on the web.

 

[omnia]

I tend to think matching the extension to the name is always a good idea especially when you are considering development. If the .com is taken, i'd probably go the .net, .biz, .org route and than possibly .us. It really depends on the use to which the domain is going to be put to. Could be that the .us is way more appropriate than any of these on occassions, and similar considerations could apply to any of the extensions.

 

[ThreeD]

I don't choose anything else if a .com is taken - I just try to find a different name that has the same meaning (unless I get to buy the .com from the owner that is).

The reasons as to why I'm doing this are many, .com popularity, traffic loss and SEO are amongst the main reasons. When I register a .com for development, I also get the .net/.org/.biz/.us/.info to secure and protect the domain interest

.com is still number one, trying to build and develop huge websites off something that's 2nd best, won't be successful - success is what it comes down to for me.

For general domaining though, if I only was to buy the domain, I would probably get .net!