using.com or versus .net

[annashon]

I am about to develop a new web site. Have done about 15 sites but sold the companys and the web sites. Getting a .com name under tea, spices, or spice tea for example are unavailable. A can get one of the names in .net but when I look at the key words on the search engines .net is rarely listed on the first page, most being .com This would be a sales/marketing site. Is there a disadvantage of using .net or any other extensions on the domain name other than .com ? Appreciate some input regarding Thanks

[Glenn Albert Bradley]

I've seen dot.nets on the web and they do very well, especially if they are brick and motar web sites, which usually have content. Ive actually seen .coms listed below .nets because either it was the usual get rich quick scheme of affiliate marketing (I'll be taking heat for that comment) or the content was just not enough for the search engine to munch on it.

Having said that, everyone thinks oh, Ill get it on a search engine and everyone will come, well no, I have seen the same .net proprietors, or webmasters have to correct a party by saying oh, no, its .net not .com. There are a ton of different extensions now, yet everybody still types .com after the domain name. Its a fact of life.

One other note, the dashes in between a domain name such as my-company-wares.com may get you in good standing with the search engines, but no one types dashes in the browser address bar.

[cspelts]

The search engines don't care if it's .com, .net, or .org - a site with unique content and more backlinks will generally rise to the top.

The only real drawback to .net domains is that people are very likely to type .com - so you'll lose that traffic. However, if your business model targets visitors who click on a link rather than type in your URL, the .net address won't hurt you at all.

[Faglork]

I use a variety of TLDs and they all fare well. I agree with cspelts.

Apart form that, maybe .biz would be an alternative since it evocates the idea of commerciality more than .net (IMHO).

Just my 2 cents,
Alex