One Way Links - gathering them

.org vs .com for your content site

[coburn]

So you've developed lots of quality content for your niche portal. If you're about to buy the domain, which gives you a greater chance of gathering one way links - .org or .com extension?

Conventional ww thinking says .com, however - many folk perceive .org as being non-commercial.

Which would you buy?

[martinibuster]

Both and use the .com because that's what people are used to typing in. I use .org's, but I don't think it's given me an advantage.

[mack]

I agree with martinibuster, You would be amazed at how many "average joe" users do not know .org even exists.

Mack.

[econman]

This depends somewhat on the subject area, and whether the site is truly non-commercial. If it is a non-commercial site, you might want to put it on .org and back it up with the same site name in the .com TLD. That way, people who accidentally type .com will be automatically directed to the site, which you've located on .org).

However, if it is a commercial site, use .com

If it is an information-providing site, you could also consider using .info.

In every case, buy the equivalent name in .com if it is available, thereby solving the problem of people accidentally typing in .com.

[sugarrae]

>>>If it is an information-providing site, you could also consider using .info

I wouldn't recommend that - this isn't perceived to be a "quality" domain to most semi experienced users and it is even less known that .org.

I don't think a .org will make anyone think you're something your not. That weight loss site using .org won't fool people and I know many non-profit sites running on .com's that people can tell are trustworthty sources.

Either way, if you care about this site name, I'd buy the .com, .net and .org - if you think .org may be more trustworthy, then use the .org and 301 the .com to the .org (the AHA uses this technique). 301 the .net as well.

However, keep in mind that as a surfer, I expect a .org to be an organization - and when I find a commercial-esque site on a .org, I tend to get turned off - weird, but true. :)

[justgowithit]

I recently launched an information site in a competitive niche where I expect half of my user base to be well web-versed and the other half to be pretty ignorant. I went with the .org domain because I felt it did more justice to the information I was offering and the overall angle that the site approached the subject.

However this was a concern of mine as well:

You would be amazed at how many "average joe" users do not know .org

I ended up registering both domains and I put the content on the .org and a redirect to it from the .com just as Sugarrae said. This approach has worked fine for me.

[coburn]

I think I'll follow your approaches Justgowithit & MB - .org for site with a 301 from the .com

Glad to have asked, thx guys and gals!