.com .net .info?

My simple rule of thumb is that if the .com is owned by someone else then I don't want the .net version.

I only buy the .net version when I also own the .com

Same here unless the domain is a keyword or dictionary word that would probably give me lot of traffic if optimized correctly.

Hi Dog-mad,

Search this forum using the search facility. There are loads of threads to do with domain names.

It depends upon what you want to do with regard to a domain name. Is it a brand or a keyword rich name you are trying to create.

Getting a great dot com isn't easy. But it can still be done with some imagination and research. It can take many hours to come up with something good.

Regarding the dot net, dot org and others, I do buy those sometimes, to help build traffic. Then move them over to another site which I control the dot com on.

Also, a lot of dot com names aren't being used. So far better to get something going with a dot net and make some money than not do this at all.

So dot net and dot org can be just as good.

If you are also targeting a particular country, such as .co.uk then definitely register that.

On country specific google searches, such as google.co.uk the .co.uk domain can often outrank a dot com, all other things being roughly equal. (Beyond the scope of this thread, but yes do buy .co.uk especially if you are in uk or targeting uk).

Hope this helps.

I would go for .com since it's the most popular top level domain

The .co.uk domains are very cheap.

Try ukreg.com

It works out at about £3 a year.

You don't have to limit yourself to just one or two domains.

If you get a reseller hosting account you could have dozens of domains.

If you think about it, even a small mini-website of just a few pages can potentially be a very low cost advertisement for whatever it is you are doing.

Read the stuff on the forum that interests you and get the ball rolling. Nothing happens until you start.

Good luck.

Definitely go with .com because that is what 98% of people are familiar with and will most of the time type it in unconsciously.

I would go with .net next. I personally am not familiar with any .info so I would shy away from it.

As for the not buying a .net without owning the .com, you could always do like the ProBlogger guys and purchase the .net then when you have enough money (or it becomes free) you can purchase the .com :-)

Good luck!

I go for .com first if its there. If not then I do some more keyword research until I find one .com I am happy with. If there is nothing at all then .net and then .info