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Are all domain extensions the same?

Are all domain extensions the same?

A brief history of .com

Your domain is similar to the license plate on your car. You must pay a fee and register it with a domain registrar such as the DMV. It identifies you as the owner and determines where you are in the world of cyberspace. It expires within a certain amount of time, and you have the option of putting it online or (parking) it somewhere with your preferred web host.

Even after 30 years, the .com is one of the most searched extensions. .com stands for commercial: initially intended for commercial organizations. .org was originally intended to represent non-profit organizations, .net (means network) was supposed to indicate operators of network technologies. The distinction (.com/.org/.net) has taken on a whole new meaning and its use is now more limitless than ever.

.com was one of the first top-level extensions on the Internet and was run and overseen by the US Department of Defense. However, it was maintained by SRI International (Stanford Research Institute), which created the Network Information Center. Its main purpose was to govern domain name assignments and provide a directory service. In 1993, the National Science Foundation took over and partnered with Network Solutions. They instituted the idea of ​​charging an annual fee to those who wanted to register a domain name. Mainly because .com sites were not used for defense purposes. Initially, the fee was $50 a year. 35.00 went to the National Science Foundation and 15.00 to the government. In 1997, the United States Department of Commerce assumed these responsibilities. Internet operations are currently being overseen by VeriSign (which was acquired by Network Solutions).

Differences in domain extensions

These days, .coms are the most established and recognized extension in the Internet world. It is no longer reserved for commercial sites, but for anyone (personal, organization, or business) looking to create a good website and gain some legitimacy. Even with the introduction of .biz in 2001 (which would only be used for business), the popularity of .com has not diminished. The first domain name registered on the Internet using .com was symbolic.com on March 15, 1985. His company helped develop computers. Second was BBN.com on April 24, 1985, followed by think.com on May 24, 1985. Today, the number of registered .coms exceeds 100 million. This makes it number one even among the largest top-level domains, beating .net, .org, and others. Domain names can be expensive, in fact insurance.com was valued at $35.6 million in 2010, vacationrentals.com was valued at $35 million in 2007 and PrivateJet.com had an impressive appraisal of $30.1 million in 2012 .

Nearly 52% of Google visitors use .com. But .com, .net, .org have no restrictions and are open to the public to use. However, some domain names are not open. For example, .gov must be a division of the federal, state, or local government, as well as Sovereign Native Nations. .edu is reserved for public 4-year universities or degree-granting educational institutions. .mil is restricted to divisions of the US Army.

Why domain names are so important

Domain names are how people find you; what people need to remember to find your site again, buy your services, products and read your articles. They are one of the most essential parts of marketing. For this reason, you can give legitimacy to what you are selling and instill trust and value. The domain name is an important part of your brand. The full name of your website is also taken into account in the Google ranking algorithm. The better you are ranked, the better your chances of people finding you.

The differences between domain names

That said, .com is more popular for a reason. Anyone can type the name of a website into a search engine and find it easily. Somehow, .com has become a kind of default in the system, and it’s just easier for people to remember a .com address. For other domain names, more branding is required to get people used to using it. If done correctly, it shouldn’t matter not using .com. .org and .net rank second and third in popularity after .com. One thing to keep in mind is that some registrars will charge extra for .org and .net. Using .net would be a great option for a technically related topic if it fits into your branding plan. It could also be an advantage if your company name ends with net. Please be careful when using .org as it was designed for non-profit use; if it is used for anything else, it can create mistrust among consumers. Although many people have deviated from the original design of .org; make sure it’s a good fit for you and your business. You want to build a solid foundation early on.

The most important thing to keep in mind: create a complete brand with honest and trustworthy content on your website. Finding something that is memorable and fits your brand image is the ultimate win-win. Something else to consider: There is not much difference between a domain name extension and a better SEO rating. We consumers, readers and visitors have become creatures of habit: we still see a .com as a business (for the most part) and a .org as an organization (mainly non-profit). After that, the next big difference is price. As someone who sells anything, public perception is paramount. One thing to consider is that .com, .org and .net are the most popular. People recognize them as more trustworthy than other extensions (like info or .biz). One strategy is to buy all available extensions to avoid problems with the trademark or the competition.

You’ve come a long way, baby

A lot has changed since 1985. From .com’s humble beginnings (of being one of the only games in town), there are now over 100 extension options. Experts in any field can opt for .guru or adventurers can grace the .ninja extension. There are also ways to distinguish your field of expertise, location or establishment with a premium .lawyer, .london or .club extension.

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