which would be better for seo and branding purposes I have heard .info has got an bad reputation lately due to abusive use is it true .
well initially I was interested in keyword.info domain name but heard .info might not do well in seo even though it has an major keyword in it .
I need to choose from the above mention 3 options .
I have heard .info has got an bad reputation lately due to abusive use is it true.
Where did you hear that?
What about going with a .net? I've had a lot of success with it. To me it's just as good as a .com.
Because it harder to create a brandable two word domain than a one word domain. (unless its a much used phrase)
johnswidegts.com
fredswidget.com
janewidgets.com
whosewidgets.com
same applies to
bestwidgets.com
greatwidgets.com
nicewidgets.com
forgetablewidgets.com
the advantage of widgets.info is there is only one and even though .info is not as ubquitous as .com some of your branding is implicit for an increasing user group.
Common thinking especially amongst domainers is the 3rd option is disadvantaged because you have to explain the minus sign when giving out the address verbally.
Because it harder to create a brandable two word domain than a one word domain.
I think the opposite is true.
One-word keyword domains aren't really "brandable". They are generic. If it's something made-up, or is not directly related to the content, then it is a brand.
Two-word or more domain names are more easily brandable.
Use one word that isn't a directly-applicable keyword.
widgets.tld -> generic
WidgetHeaven.tld -> brand
BestWidgets.tld -> generic
Guess which one is likely to be available as a .com?
I think WidgetHeaven.tld. It's a twofer. You get a brand. And you get a .com.
I think the opposite is true.
One-word keyword domains aren't really "brandable".
hehe interesting :)
widgets.tld -> generic
spain is generic
spain.info is definitive
Surely spain.info is therefore a brand in its own right?
The advantage being the constituent parts of the branding are done for you [the country exists and learnt about in every [english speaking] school] and .info is a "known" webspace [less known than .com but more known than .mn .mr .ac etc]
There is also a logical relationship between the two parts
ie spain.us would not (normally) be logical
The problem with widgetheaven.com is you need to create a memorable relationship between widget and heaven to imprint it in your users mind.
As I said I'd personally go with the clean .info as I've had quite a bit of success with .info's
If you are going to use PPC and/or organic search then the domain makes no difference, go for keywords with dashes and any TLD you want. The keywords may even help you a bit with the SE's and with dashes between them you can rule over at MSN/Live...:)
If you are planning to promote the domain in print, visual or verbal; IE TV, radio, magazines, billboards, business cards, door hangers or whatever---GET A .COM THAT PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER!
thewidgetshop.com
thewidgetwarehouse.com
etc etc etc
The public is dumb (I apologize if anyone reading this is a member of the public), they do not remember .net, they do not remember dashes. They will hear you say widgets.info and type widgetinfo.com into Internet Explorer. It has been tested. It is a fact. If you do not believe me, test it yourself.
Find five friends who are internet users but not webmasters, show them a print-out with 3 domains on it, have them read them out loud to you.
www.green-widgets.com
www.fuzzybluewidgets.info
www.thewidgetstore.com
Ask them to remember all 3. Wait a week. Call them and ask them what the 3 domains were.
I have a domain that ends in .vi, we'll call it thewidget.vi, I had to procure thewidgetvi.com to catch all the email I was missing, type in traffic lost and BACKLINKS that I had traded for because I would tell people thewidget.vi and they would hear thewidgetvi and assume there should be a .com on the end.
Having said all this, I have some single and double dash domains that do very well, they just get no type in traffic and I do not try to promote them that way.
my 3 cents..
M
I have heard .info has got an bad reputation lately due to abusive use is it true
Every forum I own has a permanent ban on e-mail addresses from .info. Yes, there may be some legitimate e-mail generated from .info, but I have yet to get one (and now never will) and it was just easier to ban anything coming from .info so now even the legitimate ones won't get through . . . and I don't care.
so .info is as good as dead on all of my web properties.
it was just easier to ban anything coming from .info so now even the legitimate ones won't get through . . . and I don't care.
Wow! I doubt many companies would follow your lead, at worst I would guess they would set it to grey list so that the emails would be delayed for a while to see if a deluge occurs.
Most the spam we receive has a pretty random distribution of domains (Our sample size is quite large we peaked at around 9500 an hour! last month) The vast bulk of the spam has a faked from address and the spammers just cycle through 3 lists in the format mame@domain.tld [list1@list2.list3]
fred@widget.com
freda@newwidgets.org
george@gizmos.biz
georgia@gizmo.info
All coming from many different networks in different countries
You are right that spam comes from many sources and probably the .com spam outweighs the .info spam. However, my point is that I never seem to get legitimate e-mail (or forum sign ups or anything) from a .info address. Whereas, I do get a lot of legitimate mail, business, and activity from .coms, .orgs, .nets . . .So while I have to find other ways to filter the .com spam, it is easy enough to filter .info spam by simply banning it altogether.
Things may change, and I certainly will change with them, but presently, .info leaves a very foul taste in my mouth.
