Domain Selection Advice Needed .com vs .net

[MisterT]

I'm launching a new website and have a dilemma:

There is a .net domain available for sale (from someone who owns it currrently) that would be perfect. Basically it is KEYWORD.net for the target audience. The .com tld is not available.

Alternatively, I could get KEYWORD#*$!.com instead.

Any suggetions? Would you rather have the .net domain that targets the primary keyword for this niche perfectly, or a .com domain that is not so perfect?

[Top_ranker]

I too need some clarification in this field. does inclusion of many "-" symbols in the url affect the seo and search engine rankings.

[MisterT]

I would avoid more than 1 "-" symbol, none if you can help it

[maximillianos]

I think it depends on whether keyword.com is being used, and also is it a competitor?

If it is not being used (ie-parked) then I would be inclined to go for the .net and take advantage of the first to market theory.

You will suffer in word of mouth advertising, but you may make up for that in organic rank for such an exact match keyword name.

[MisterT]

The KEYWORD.com version is being used, but it is being used by a very small business and only has a couple of pages indexed in Google...I just don't like the idea of a .net website since so many people get confused with .com

[robho]

Offer the small business an appropriate amount for the KEYWORD.com.

Only you can decide what that amount should be, but it'll never be cheaper. Once the .net is sold it'll immediately add value to the .com, and building a good site on the .net would add more.