When you think of the internet, the first thing that probably comes to your mind before anything is the .com. It is the initial thought when you decide to begin a blog, open an e-commerce store or create a company site and buy .com domain first. The reason is that the .com extension has become the standard for Internet presence.
Ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to small start-ups, companies all over the world would choose to have their name registered .com domain. It helps them earn some credibility and trust with the viewers. People don't even recall a brand name, but as they type the search desired, they automatically add a .com at the end of the search bar; it is so entrenched in internet culture.
However, what is.com? What is so valuable and what makes it tower above hundreds of other domain extensions? This blog will dissect the definition of the .com domain, its history, why it dominates the internet, and its pros and cons. We will also understand the role of Temok in .com domain registration to ensure your presence on the internet.
What Does .com Mean?
The most popular top-level domain (TLD) in the world is the .com domain. The term "TLD" refers to the extension at the end of a website address, like .org, .net, or .com. Above all, it is undoubtedly the leader among all of them, as over half of all registered websites use it.
In 1985, when the extension was initially introduced, it was mainly aimed at commercial organizations. It has become the preferred option over the years to anyone who wants to own a .com domain, whether an individual or a multinational company. Nowadays, when you want to buy or register .com domain, you become one of the millions of website owners who regard it as the ultimate certificate of professionalism and credibility.
No matter what you need, cheap .com domains extensions to start up a new business, or you want to invest in premium .com domains, the extension is recognized worldwide. It has since expanded greatly out of its initial commercial interpretation, as it has become the default of any type of business, or blog, portfolio and even non-profit.
What Does The "com" in .com Mean?
The com in .com is abbreviated as commercial. In the early internet days, the creation of domain names was done to group websites by objective. The example is that .org was set up to serve organizations, .edu to serve educational institutions, and .gov to serve government agencies.
On the same note, the domain names (.com) were intended to be used by companies that had commercial activity. But that did not last long. The extension of the name .com was so popular that it escaped the purpose for which it was used.
Nowadays, when you are operating a store, maintaining a personal blog, or starting an online technology company, you will most likely get a .com domain because it just sounds more comfortable when trust and authority are involved. It is also because of this shift that the .com domain price can be higher than other extensions at times, as it is in demand.
Indeed, as one performs a domain availability check, one will find that most of the short or catchy names are already occupied under the domain of .com.
Top Reasons Why .Com Domain Rules the Internet
Nowadays, there is a vast number of domain extensions offered, starting with such extensions as .net and .org, and the recent ones, such as online, tech, and even location-based extensions. However, some people remain rushing to acquire a .com extension when it comes to creating an earnest online presence.
But then why is it that the extension of the word com is yet to be overcome after decades on the internet?
Here are the top reasons:
Universal Recognition
The internet has been identified with the .com domain. Whenever a person thinks of a website, he is almost bound to instinctively assume that the site will be followed with a .com at the end. This universal acknowledgment renders it the best option to anyone willing to buy .com domain name and make enduring impressions.
Strong Market Share
The worldwide percentage of websites with the .com extension is more than 50. This supremacy causes it to be the first option that many businesses, startups, and even individuals first pick. When you want to be seen as a globally recognized brand, a .com domain puts you in the same digital field as the largest brands in the world.
Consumer Trust
You have to trust in online success. A user will be more inclined to click on the .com domain than on any other domain due to the credibility and professionalism that the .com domain will provide. The extension has a weight that cannot be matched by any new TLD, even when you get cheap .com domains.
SEO Advantages
Although on paper the search engines such as Google treat the extensions of domains as equals, that is not the case in the actual sense. Users tend to make more clicks on websites with a .com suffix, which increases the relevance and traffic of your site. Therefore, when you are looking to expand your business, a .com domain with the right SEO puts you at a better competitive advantage.
Investment Value
Premium .com domains, as opposed to other extensions, may be sold in thousands, or even millions, of dollars. Why? Businesses understand the importance of a good, strong, memorable address. The expired .com domains are also in the market, since they could have backlinks, authority and even branding potential.
Flexibility for All Purposes
The extension was originally intended to be used by business organizations, but now, it can be used by anyone, including store chains or bloggers and influencers. You can purchase a .com domain and get started without any limitations, whether you want to open an online store, develop a personal brand, or find a nonprofit project.
Easy Domain Transfer
This is another factor that has made it dominate; it is very easy to manage. In case you have to change providers, a domain name registration, the domain transfer .com process is simple and is readily utilized by virtually all hosting and domain platforms.
What Makes a .Com Domain Extension Your First Option?
There are so many domain extensions in the current world: .net, .org, .info, and even the most focused ones, such as .app or .store, that you would ask yourself: why do you have to register a .com domain as your first one?
Why do you want to use the .com extension to be first on your list of domain name extensions, and why?
Brand Authority and Recognition
You aren’t simply purchasing a web address when you purchase a .com domain; you are purchasing decades of trust. The extension of the business or personal brand immediately gives it a sense of authority, with the extension of the name being that of the .com. A domain ending in .com makes you look professional and legitimate, whether you are a startup or an established company.
Higher Trust Among Users
Research indicates that users of the internet will leave a much greater likelihood of trusting a site with a .com suffix as compared to the rest. Think about having a business whose domain name is a .biz or a .info, although both of these might work, the majority of customers will naturally gather to a domain that is a .com.
Easier to Remember
Simplicity wins online. Nobody can forget .com. This is very important in ensuring that you get your .com domain during domain name registration before another person gets it. A catchy name with a .com extension sticks in the customer's mind much more effectively than other alternatives.
Domain Availability Check Matters
Due to its popularity, lots of .com domains are occupied. This is why a domain availability check should be run early during the process of brainstorming brand names. When your perfect name is unavailable, you may have a chance to use expired .com domains and also have the possibility of investing in high-quality .com domains that match your objective.
Long-Term Value and Investment Potential
A com domain is not only a business asset, but it is a long-term investment. The extension of the name is also very solid, unlike newer extensions, which might become irrelevant. Although you might begin with low-cost .com domains, they have a high resale value in most cases compared to other TLDs. There are numerous businesses that purchase the domain names of .com, planning to resell them in the future at a profit.
Wide Support for Domain Transfer .com
Another important beneficial side of using .com is flexibility. Virtually all registrars and hosting companies offer easy domain transfer. com, so you do not feel committed to a single firm. You should never be locked into one domain registrar because you can always transfer to the best .com domain registrar when you find a better price or service.
Which Kind of Company Websites Make Use of .Com Domains?
The .com extension began as the business domain of commercial enterprises; however, now it reaches much further than corporations. From small local businesses to billion-dollar corporations, there is almost no kind of site that cannot use it to their advantage when registering a .com domain.
The following are the types of businesses and persons utilizing the use of .com domains as a way of enhancing their presence on the internet:
E-Commerce and Online Stores
You mention the idea of shopping online, and you have Amazon.com, eBay.com and Alibaba.com right away. No doubt, .com domains are essential to online retail giants since they are immediately trusted by everyone across the globe.
Corporate and Enterprise Businesses
Whether it is Microsoft.com or Apple.com, big companies ensure that the main digital presence is based on a .com suffix. The reason is that customers require its use by professional businesses.
Startups and Small Businesses
Credibility is all to startups. Think of trying to sell to investors or to get your first buyers with a domain name that ends in something obscure. A.com is a domain that provides your venture with quick legitimacy. Cheap .com domains can even go a long way when it comes to early trust.
Personal Brands and Blogs
Not only do companies use the extension of the .com, but bloggers, influencers, and freelancers also prefer it a lot. You may be trying to create a portfolio or a personal blog, or be a freelance worker, but you will look professional and accessible with a .com domain.
An example is NeilPatel.com, which is the top personal brand that operates under the .com extension.
Non-Profits and Community Projects
Although the domain of .org was originally aimed at organizations, several nonprofits are also purchasing .com domain names in order to gain visibility. As an example, Wikipedia has a .org level, but still, a vast number of community-based projects acquire a .com domain to embrace everything.
Tech Companies and SaaS Providers
Tech companies and SaaS providers such as Dropbox.com, Zoom.com, and more do well with domains ending in .com. A good tech startup will consider a good .com extension as a difference between being heard and being ignored within the competitive environment.
Benefits of Using a .Com Domain Extension
The extension of the web has been ruled by the .com that has not been without a reason. The decision to purchase the .com domain offers some benefits that have made it the top selection among businesses, bloggers, and even professionals.
Easily Identifiable
Whenever individuals contemplate the internet, they consider .com. It is the default belief whenever one enters a web address. When you refer to your friend about your site without attaching the extension, they are likely to type it with .com after the name.
This recognition at a glance gives you an advantage over other extensions. As an illustration, say your domain is bestcakes.net, there are some users who may visit bestcakes.com by mistake instead- that is, losing traffic. That is why intelligent enterprises conduct an availability check of the domain earlier and reserve their .com extension prior to opening.
No Particular Conditions
Certain extensions of domains are restricted. As an example, only educational institutions can have the .edu and government agencies only the .gov. The most attractive part of .com domains is that everyone can get one- be it a large corporation, a small business, or a personal blogger just beginning to write.
This facilitates domain name registration and, therefore, is available to all. Whether you are purchasing cheap .com domains to use in a side project or spending on premium .com domains, the registration process is easy without any special conditions.
Benefits of SEO
Although Google has claimed that all the domain extensions are equal in search ranking, practicalities tell a little bit more. Websites with the ending .com are more likely to be clicked on by the user, and this increases your organic traffic, as well as click-through rates.
Indicatively, when two sites containing the same content are displayed in search results, one of the sites has a .com and the other a less-known extension, users may tend to stick with the .com domain. In the long term, this will enhance your engagement metrics, which indirectly will help boost your SEO performance.
Also, expired .com domains already have backlinks and authority, which makes them a fantastic option for those businesses seeking a temporary SEO boost.
More Reliable
Reliability is a matter of perception, and in the online realm, perception is all. When the customers encounter a .com extension, they are automatically linked with stability and reliability. This is among the reasons why even startups who at first may be testing other extensions would eventually upgrade to purchase the domain of .com as soon as they can.
Trustworthiness
Do you feel better purchasing with HealthyFoods.com or HealthyFoods.biz? The first would be preferred by most people. It is so because the users have been used to trusting the use of .com domains in legitimate businesses and thus depend on them more than any other extensions.
This is an important factor of trust for e-commerce businesses in particular. Online shoppers who pay through the internet want to know that they are safe, and the extension .com provides them with this feeling of security. Although you may find cheap .com domains, they will have more weight than other domains simply due to this embedded trust.
Higher Value at Selling
When you finally decide to sell your domain, you are in a better position to do so should you have a .com extension. Millions of dollars have been spent on premium .com domains: such as the sale of Voice.com in 2019 of 30 million dollars.
A lot of expired .com domains can command a good price, provided that they have a good keyword, backlink, or brandability. The resale market of the extension is alive and flourishing, unlike other extensions, and as such, it is not only a branding choice but also a long-term investment.
What are the Disadvantages of a Com Domain?
Although the extension of .com is no doubt the most powerful and the most recognized domain, there are no challenges that it has.
You should learn the possible drawbacks before you hurry to purchase the .com domain.
High Competition and Scarcity
Since the domain name system is overly popular, i.e., there are too many people demanding the same names, short and catchy names are already occupied. When you carry out a domain availability check and you have to start a new business, it is probable that the specific domain you desire is not there.
Higher Domain Prices
The price of the domain name in .com is normally more expensive than the newer extensions. Although some registrars offer cheap .com domains, the most desirable names are frequently in the premium .com domains category and can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. This may be disheartening to small businesses or people with a limited budget.
Risk of Cybersquatting
Another reason why the .com extension is a good target for cybersquatters is that they are easily registered by individuals or businesses whose aim is to resell them to buyers at a higher rate. This may complicate getting the right domain for startups unless they are ready to pay additional fees or to negotiate a domain acquisition.
These negatives anyhow, companies and individuals continue to pursue registration of domains that have the .com prefix due to its perceived benefits that are usually more than the challenges.
Websouls: The Best .com Domain Registrar
The selection of a registrar is as vital as the selection of a domain when it comes to securing your online identity. This is the area where Websouls shines.
Why Websouls?
Low Cost: Websouls provides low-cost .com domains at no concealed expenses.
Instant Domain Availability Check: Search and instantly get your desired .com extension and/or browse through out-of-pocket .com domains.
Smooth Moving: Transferring domains, such as domain.com, is simple using the easy-to-use user interface of Websouls.
Businesses: Since it is considered among the best domain registrar plans in the country and the world in terms of reliability.
Expert Advice: 24/7 domain name registration, premium .com domains and renewal advisory.
Conclusion
.com is not only a web address but a symbol of trust, credibility and authority over the internet. Since its beginning as the so-called commercial extension, the most popular extension, the .com one, has demonstrated longevity.
We have answered what .com is, why it dominates the internet, why it is advantageous, and even the disadvantages, such as increased prices of the .com domains and competition. Nevertheless, regardless of the issues, companies and people still choose to acquire a .com domain as it offers unparalleled recognition, search engine benefits, and premiums.
And in the matter of finding the most suitable .com domain registrar, Websouls is an excellent choice. We provide low costs, a convenient domain checking system, and easy domain transfer .com services.
Thus, when you are ready to build your brand online, it is the moment to purchase a .com domain and begin to develop your future with certainty.