The best domain extension for most businesses is dot com. Most people type dot com first, so it is the one they remember. Choose another only when the dot com name is taken and no similar business uses it.
Why dot com wins for most businesses
A domain name is your website address. When a customer hears your name, they type dot com without thinking.
If you choose dot net, a visitor who types dot com by mistake may land on a different site. That can send your customer to someone else. We have seen dot net sites do well, but if you can get the dot com, take it.
How the other extensions compare
The dot org extension is for organizations, and most of them are non-profit. If you run a club or a charity, it fits well.
The dot info extension works, but use it like dot net. Pick it only when no similar name uses dot com.
For a company, dot com is still the safest first choice.
What a domain costs
A domain name costs $24.99 a year with us. With CMS hosting at $149 a year, a domain and hosting come to $173.99.
Our web hosting includes free SSL, daily backups and security monitoring.
A short example
Say you run a plumbing shop in Omaha and the dot com name is taken. You could add your city, or a word like plumbing, to the name.
Do not switch to dot net just to keep the same words. A customer who types dot com by habit would reach the other business.
Buy the name you pick for more than one year if you can. A name that expires can be taken by someone else, and your customers would find them instead.
What to do if the dot com is taken
First, check who owns it. If the site looks inactive, the owner may sell it, but the price can be high.
Second, change the name a little. Try a different order of words, or add your city. Keep it short and easy to say.
Third, if nothing works, a dot net or dot info name can still serve you. Tell customers your full address in every ad and email so they type it right.
How to pick a good name
A few quick checks save trouble later.
Keep it short
Short names are easier to type and easier to remember.
Make it easy to spell
Say it out loud to a friend. If they spell it wrong, choose another name.
Skip the hyphens
Hyphens confuse people when they hear your address by phone.
Add your city if you serve one area
For example, Omaha web design dot com and Omaha web hosting dot com tell people where you work.
Check for trademark problems
Search before you buy. If no other paperwork settles it, the business that started first usually keeps the name.
Need help choosing?
A common mistake is to buy a name in a hurry and fix it later. A name is hard to change once customers know it.
Not sure which domain name to pick? Call Websnoogie in Omaha at 402-813-4034 any day from 7 am to 10 pm. If you also need a site, see our web design service, which starts at $300.
Common questions
Is dot com really the best extension?
For most businesses, yes. People type dot com first, so it is easiest to remember.
When should I use dot org?
Use dot org for an organization, since most of them are non-profit.
How much does a domain name cost?
A domain costs $24.99 a year with us. With CMS hosting at $149 a year, the total is $173.99.
AboutRod and Tami Atwood
Rod and Tami Atwood and other Websnoogie contributors write the Websnoogie blog. Rod has built websites since 2004 and founded Websnoogie, LLC in Omaha in 2012. Tami is co-owner, content editor and billing expert. Call us at 402-813-4034 or write to staff@websnoogie.com.
