Would you guys take a .net or .org for a domain that already has a registered .com (parked page).
Moreover, if the new site becomes popular on the .net or .org, can the .com owner setup a similar site?
UNLESS:
- you are truly a networking entity, use .NET
- you are truly an organization, use .ORG
...and then I'd still try to come up with a better domain name where I could secure the .COM
People, (especially in USA), think ".COM" -- and even remember domains as .COM when they know better.
I think a lot of companies are using those slogan type domain names like thinkaboutexample.com because they can't get the common single "money word" (or phrase) .COM domain.
You will lose traffic to the .COM site, and if the owner is a domainer, they may wait to see what you put up, and then put competitive content to further draw off your traffic.
Search engines will give the same love to a keyword.net as a keyword.com.
Let's assume you lose the type in traffic by going with a .net, you were going to lose that anyway by getting a lesser dot com. What you need to ask yourself if keyword.net going to be remembered more than somethingkeyword.com?
People telling you to always choose a dot com are doing so based on domaining valuations for resale.
AND you plan on developing the domain and using search engines as your primary method of driving traffic-cfx211
I'm glad you put the qualifying "AND" in there... My first read of your post made me think, "That's it -- there is no point in building websites except as search engine bait.
Lately the sites I see rocket to the top are the ones that are easy to refer someone else to. (Think "social"), easy to spell, easy to remember... all sites with .COM domain.
If it's not a .COM; if anyone tells anyone else about it they'll say, "You should check out BLUEWIDGETEXAMPLES.NET", and the person will mentally register it as "BLUEWIDGETEXAMPLESNET(.COM)"
Let's assume you lose the type in traffic by going with a .net, you were going to lose that anyway by getting a lesser dot com.-cfx211
Who says different is lesser... look at Google, YouTube, FaceBook, Yahoo...etc. None of those names stirred up a lot of mental images before they got known for what they are... and none of them got where they are on a .NET tld.
What you need to ask yourself if keyword.net going to be remembered more than somethingkeyword.com?
I believe people mentally remember "KEYWORD.NET" as "keywordnet(.com)"... and IF you are only shooting for traffic from the search engine, then why not use "KEYWORD2.COM", "KEYWORD3.COM" or other generic keyword combo where the suffix or prefix has little or no search value?
People telling you to always choose a dot com are doing so based on domaining valuations for resale.
That seems strange to say.
I am saying, "Always buy the .com over the .net where the domain is the same". No mater if you plan to hold, sell, or develop the name.
If you are making up a brandable name for your site, then yes I agree that you should always go for dot com.
I was coming from the point of view where your choice was keyword.net vs. lesserkeyword.com or keywordandstuff.com.
(hypothetical below...domain names used to show point, no idea if they are in use or regged)
Let's say you had a mortgage leads site and your choice of domains was between mortgage.net or something in a dot com that was available. Since there are so many mortgage dot coms already registered, the best you could come up with was mymortgagehub.com.
Now which is easier to remember and carries weight: mortgage.net or mymortgagehub.com?
If you are not going the brandable domain route, and it comes down to THE keyword for a vertical in a dot net or a lesser keyword in a dot com, then why not the dot net?
