How bad are .info's?

[jankles]

Obviously, .com, .net, and .org are preferable, but how much are you shooting yourself in the foot with a .info?

If you are #1 for a keyword, does it matter that much if it's a .info?

Another question, if you are looking to optimize for a keyword, would you rather have: "exactmatch.info" or "exactmatch[plusanotherword].com"?

Thanks.

[JohnRoy]

exactmatch.info would most probably be taken if it's a good keyword. Therefore you would need to add another keyword.

[JohnRoy]

2 contradicting sentences?!

how much are you shooting yourself in the foot with a .info?

If you are #1 for a keyword, does it matter that much if it's a .info?

Does it matter?
- not really.

If you are #1 - you're on top.

It might be slightly better with a .com - but being on top is what really matters ;)

[jankles]

Those are not contradicting sentences. Everyone knows that .com is preferable. Everyone knows that you will have success if you are #1.

What I am asking, is how bad you feel the perception of .info's are. Will you be limited at #1 by a .info? Or will having a .info make it appreciably more difficult to reach that top ranking by hindering natural backlinking development?

Of course page 1 .info is better than page 2 .com. And of course, .com is better than .info, ceteris paribus.

I'm looking to evaluate HOW big that edge is and whether it is relevant AT ALL or still vaguely relevant at the top of the SERPS.

[jankles]

exactmatch.info would most probably be taken if it's a good keyword. Therefore you would need to add another keyword.

Not at all an answer to the question.

There are plenty of times that the desirable TLDs get snapped up first, leaving some exact matches in the less desirable TLDs.

But the question was, "would you rather have: "exactmatch.info" or "exactmatch[plusanotherword].com"?

[AnkitMaheshwari]

IMO if my money keyword is "blue widget" then I would go with bluewidget.info rather than blueblackwidget.info when .com are already taken.

[tangor]

Sorry all, info is not something the average Joe or Sally User will type in. None are a winner (to quote Charlie Sheen).

.com
.net
.org

are the money hits, everything else is ... every single thing else.

[JohnRoy]

info is not something the average Joe or Sally User will type in

"type in" vs. "click" -
Joe or Sally would not type in .info - correct.

But they would still "click" the top urls, no matter what .tld they have.

[JohnRoy]

>> Those are not contradicting sentences.
To me it appears so.

how much are you shooting yourself in the foot with a .info?

lesson = .info is BAD. Don't shoot.

If you are #1 for a keyword, does it matter that much if it's a .info?

lesson = .info is not so bad. It can even be #1

[jankles]

>> Those are not contradicting sentences.
To me it appears so.

how much are you shooting yourself in the foot with a .info?
lesson = .info is BAD. Don't shoot.

If you are #1 for a keyword, does it matter that much if it's a .info?
lesson = .info is not so bad. It can even be #1

I think the question has been made clear by now. I don't see much fruit in fighting over this.

[jankles]

"type in" vs. "click" -
Joe or Sally would not type in .info - correct.

But they would still "click" the top urls, no matter what .tld they have.

Yeah, that's the common knowledge. Don't you think clicks are reduced for .info's too, just not as much as type-ins?

In my anecdotal surveying, I'm told that people are less likely to click a .info.

Furthermore, while TLD does not directly influence search results, could the "type-in problem" come back around to hurt SEO b/c it is less likely to be naturally linked to.


Of course I understand the principles at work here. I'm looking to figure out HOW influential these factors are and how they should be weighed against each other.

[JohnRoy]

Don't you think clicks are reduced for .info's too, just not as much as type-ins?

If I'm looking for "good hosting" and
#5 is excellent-hoster.info [with good description]
#4 is dsriueij.com [bad description] -

I would click #5.

[JohnRoy]

In my anecdotal surveying, I'm told that people are less likely to click a .info.

Correct.
But it depends on too many additional factors to determine.

[JohnRoy]

Furthermore, while TLD does not directly influence search results, could the "type-in problem" come back around to hurt SEO b/c it is less likely to be naturally linked to.

If you find your way to the webmaster who wants or agrees to link to you -
he won't reject you because of the tld.

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

I've got top rankings with a .info, ahead of similar .com's, so they rank just fine. In fact one of my competitors is a .nl (awesome site) that ranks between 2 and 4 on Google.com consistently for a lot of keywords.

Exact match keyword domains don't seem to rank as well since Panda, I wouldn't be surprised if they are considered a possible spam flag because they are preferred by affiliates everywhere.