Blue
Red
Gray
.Com Vs .Net
We all know .com is preferable to .net but how much so remains an arguing point. I think as a minimum baseline, .com holds at least a 75/25 edge over .net. After that, we can work our way down. In fact, some domainers think .net is worth 10% of a .com as a general rule of thumb. This is an extreme for the negative so you’re probably safe in thinking that for pure domain purposes, a .net holds between 10 to 25% of a .com’s value.
In practical function, .net performs better than stereotypes would have you believe. Quite simply, many people can remember a .net and .net websites have proven that they can be branded into a marketable property with or without the .com’s help. Obviously it would be beneficial to hold both extensions under your domain keywords, but several large online websites have done well soley under .net. Additionally, if you are buying for pure SEO purposes, .net works beautifully and allows your website to work under the same broad scale as a .com (while other extensions like .org and .mobi don’t.)
.Com domains will always be king but if the keywords are desirable enough and the price tag on the .com is out of your budget, there is no shame in taking a .net, especially because of the rapid registering of domain names.
If you are considering whether or not a .com is worth it, there are several key factors to consider. First, are you registering just the keyword? If so, then a .net is probably ok, but if you’re adding a prefix like my or the to a double keyword base, you’re stretching it. Next, is the .com developed? If the .com is developed, you may want to consider another domain but if it is parked, this is point in favor of .net as you might get some unsatisfied trickle down type-in. Third, how competitive is the niche? If you’re dropping down from a .com in a lightly competitive niche, it becomes less likely you would want to build a serious website on the .net. Last, how does the domain sound? This test is always a good tie breaker in your decision.
