Is .com better than .net?

[crick]

My chosen domain is not avialable in .com but is in .net. I was wondering if .com is given preferential treatment as far as Google search is concerned. I know I can choose an alternative .com name, but this domain is perfect in terms of having both the keywords in the domain and also a memorable name for branding purposes. The actual .com domain was bought entirely for putting ads on.

[tedster]

No preferential treatment whatsoever.

[SuddenlySara]

if your name is taken as a .com i would go for another name as when your site gets going you will loose traffic to people typing .com version and confuse people.

example:
.net domains are great IF you have the .com as well.
free poker sites use the .nets so they can advertise on television and everywhere and they have the pay poker sites at their .com domain.

so make a .net free information site to help feed your ecommerce .com version.

[SEOPimp]

From my experience there is no proven difference between .com, .net, .org
Although many have argued that a .gov or a .edu may have a better advantage.
If this is so, it makes sense for these extensions are not open to the public.
But to answer your question you should be a fine with a .net

[coosblues]

I've had a .net site for 4 years. Not one bit of difference in the sector I'm trying to reach, and the domain also has one hypen. I'd say no advantage other than users are use to typing .com, but with good listings is doesn't matter is the least.

[Reid]

I use .net as well (because the .com version was taken) people say that you lose traffic due to visitors always typing .com by mistake becaquse yrs ago everything was .com (it seemed) but I think since the advent of the .biz .ca .au .uk .this .that people are much more aware now of the extensions so it is no longer a problem.

[workingNOMAD]

I have had equal success with dot org as well as dot com

[crick]

Thanks all. I think I'll take the .net domain then.

[gpmgroup]

[webmasterworld.com...]

Confirmation at #5

[simonmc]

You may well think there is no difference because if you don't have the .com you can't actually tell. You don't have access to the stats of the .com site.

I started with .net and managed to aquire the .com later on. I can confirm that even with an established site there is a certain percentage of type-ins that use the .com through habbit. The .com I have is not advertised anywhere and yet people still find me typing it in.

So it is always best to have the .com from a branding perspective at least.

[Reid]

what kind of pecentages are you experiencing simonmc?

[simonmc]

For me the percentage is pretty low but it does equate to around 800 visitors per month.

Thats 800 visitors that would end up somewhere else if I did not have the .com

Simon