While most company websites still utilize the .com domain name extension, what domain name extensions are available? There are plenty of alternatives varying from .beer to .tv, making it simple to develop an innovative domain name that showcases your business. However, there are some important points you need to find out about regarding alternate domain name extensions if you want your domain to enhance web traffic to your company website.
The Advantages of Alternate Domain Name Extensions
Greater Variety
Most of the best .com domain names have been used since .com websites have been around for so long. You can include a hyphen in your domain name, but experts suggest against it because many people fail to remember the hyphen, thus, are unable to locate your website. Additionally, you could add your city name to help with local SEO, but what happens if you move your business? Alternate domain name extensions spare you from dealing with the above scenarios. The possibility of your business locating the perfect unclaimed domain name increases when using an alternate domain name extension.
Branding Opportunities
One more benefit of alternate domain name extensions is that they can quickly brand your business. For instance, if greatbeer.com is unavailable, try great.beer instead. You can also use a selection of extensions for various web pages to display what each one has to use plainly.
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- Greatrestaurant.food
- Greatrestaurant.wine
- Greatrestaurant.catering
- Greatrestaurant.events
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Great SEO
Google does not punish sites for using alternate domain name extensions. The internet search engine provides suggestions for existing websites to change to a domain name with a new extension without forfeiting its existing ranking.
The Advantages of Sticking with a .com Website
The primary benefit of sticking to a .com extension is that many people expect your business' website to end in .com. You will likely need to spend more money on marketing and also branding than you would with a .com website. And should one of your competitors possess the exact domain name but use .com, a new domain name extension would backfire. No matter just how much marketing you do, many individuals won't remember your alternate domain name extension, will find your competitor first, and may not continue looking for your business. Experts caution companies to stay clear of this situation.
Making use of an alternate domain name extension is also not suggested if your business targets older clients or clients who aren't tech-savvy. These customers might get confused and frustrated when they can't find you at greatrestaurant.com because you are at great.restaurant.
Discover more concerning the advantages of a short .com domain name here.
What About Other Common Alternate Domain Name Extensions?
There are a couple of common alternate domain name extensions. These are:
- .edu
- .gov
- .org
- .net
- .biz
- .info
The .edu and .gov extensions are reserved for official school and government websites, while the.org extension is usually for charities. Technology companies typically use the .net extension; however, it is not a great choice for other businesses. The .info extension, as the name implies, is utilized for internet sites that provide information rather than sell goods or services.
What Domain Name Extensions are Available Summary
While alternate domain name extensions can be innovative, create target webpages, and won't affect your Google ranking, they aren't always the best solution for every business. Sometimes sacrificing your preferred domain name for a .com extension is worth it. Plus, you might not have to spend extra on marketing like with an alternate extension.
Need help determining which domain name extension is best for your business? Our team is happy to assess your company model and alternate domain name options so you can determine the best domain name for your business now and in the future.
