After .com, .org is the 2nd most popular domain extension on the internet. However, they are both top-level domains but used for different purposes. If you have planned to start your website, whether business, personal blog, portfolio, nonprofit, etc., you may be wondering which domain extension to choose or if there is any difference between domain extensions, let's say .org vs .com.
Choosing the right domain name as well as the extension is very important, as it has an impact on your business's reputation and credibility. In this article, we will share the difference between .com vs .org domain extensions.
What you will learn:What is a Domain Extension?
A domain extension is the last part of a domain name. For example, in the domain "WPMyWeb.com," "WPMyWeb" is the domain, and ".com" is the extension.
While registering a domain name, you need to choose an extension that suits the purpose of your website, for example, ".com" for commercial websites, ".net" for network-related websites, ".edu" for education-related websites.
Once selected, you need to register your domain along with an extension as soon as possible before someone else buys it.
There are over 1,000 extensions available, but we recommend you to go with popular TLDs such as .com, .net, .edu, .org, .co, .org, etc. You can also choose country-specific TLDs like .us - for United States, .co.uk - United Kingdom, .it - Italy, .jp - Japan, etc.
Now, let's compare the difference between .org vs .com to see which domain extension is better for your website.
Difference Between .Com and .Org Domain Extensions
.Com and .Org is the most popular domain name extensions on the internet.
Nearly 46.7% of the total websites are registered with the .com domain extension, where around 5.2% of the total websites are registered with the .org extension.
What does .com mean?
.com stands for "commercial" is the most popular top-level domain extension on the internet. It is primarily used for commercial websites like businesses, personal blogs, eCommerce stores, portfolios, or any kind of website that makes money.
What does .org mean?
.org stands for "organization" which is another top-level domain extension that is mostly used for non-profit organizations, such as Wikipedia.org.
However, nowadays, many businesses register both domain extensions to make sure nobody can hurt their brand name.
When Should You Choose a .Com Domain Extension?
.Com is the most popular domain extension on the internet. More than 47% of the total websites are powered by the .com domain name.
Due to the vast usage of the .com domain, it's easier to remember than any other extensions. More than that, it also helps to build and promote your brand.
Now, I will explain when you should choose a .com domain.
Websites that sell products or services: If you want to sell products online or provide paid services, then the .com extension will work best. The .com is a kind of extension that most people are friendly with.
The .com extension carries much weight than any other domain name. So, businesses having a .com extension are much likely to attract customers and seem legitimacy.
On the contrary, picking a cheap-domain extension such as info, biz, xyz, etc. for commercial websites will hurt your website's reputation, and they look like spam. As a result, you end up losing your customers.
Blog websites: Using a .com extension for your blog adds credibility and also helps to build your brand efficiently, whether it is a newspaper, personal blog, portfolio, photography, money-making blog, and almost anything in between.
When Should You Choose a .Org Domain Extension?
Around 5.2% of the total websites are using the .org extension. This number is very less if compared to the .com registered domains. That's why it's easier to get a domain with the .org extension.
For non-profit organizations: The .org domain extension is mainly used for non-profit organizations. However, there are scenarios where you can use the .org extension.
Free online Educational sites: Many online educational websites provide free courses for the sole purpose of educating people, use the .org extension.
However, not all educational websites use a .org domain name but a .com extension because they don't offer free courses, and of course, you need to pay to gain access to their content.
But, if your purpose is to educate people without making any money, then the .org extension is right for you, for example, KhanAcademy.org. Although, you can accept donations in order to run your website going.
Open-source software websites: Like non-profit organizations, many open-source software companies use a .org extension. Their goal is to provide open-source software which is free for public usage. For example, "WordPress.org" is a blogging platform that uses the .org extension.
.Org vs .Com - Which Domain Extension is Better for SEO?
Now, you may be wondering which domain extension is better for SEO or which one will boost your website's ranking?
If you are asking between .org vs .com, then choosing any of the extensions will not affect your SEO. That means search engines will treat both domain extensions in the same way.
In a website's address, the only thing that matters is the domain name, not the extension.
If you want to grow your site's traffic, then you need to follow the best SEO practices that include quality content, good site structure, link building, on-page SEO, and many more.
Here are some suggestions for choosing an SEO friendly domain name:- It would be better if you add at least one keyword in your domain name. This way, search engines like Google will understand what your website is about. For example, "thebestflowershop.com" will rank better than "thebestshop.com," because in here, you have added "flower and shop" keywords in your domain.
- If your business or store belongs in a particular area, try adding area names in your domain. For example, if your furniture business is located in Chicago, then a good domain name would be "furnituresinchicago.com."
- Make sure your domain name is easy to pronounce as well as easy to remember. Avoid hyphens and numbers in your domain name.
- Keep your domain name simple, and don't repeat any letters. Because it often makes users confused. For example, "thefloowershhop.com" is a bad name as it contains repeated letters.
Where is the Best Place to Buy .Org and .Com Domain?
There are two ways you can buy a domain name. Either you can register a domain along with web hosting, or you can only register a domain.
If you are just getting started, then you need both domain and web hosting to launch your website.
1. Get a Free Domain Name with - Bluehost
Bluehost is one of the top-rated web hosting company that offers both domain and hosting. They are WordPress recommended hosting and now powering over 2 million websites worldwide.
If you are buying a domain and hosting separately, then a domain will cost you $14 for a year and $11 per month for hosting, and it's quite extensive who are just getting started.
Luckily, Bluehost offers 60% on their hosting plans. Their web hosting package starts from $2.95/month, which includes a free domain for one year, free SSL certificate, top-notch security, marketing credits worth $200, and the best thing is that it takes only a minute to launch a website with their easy to use cPanel.
Click to Register a Free Domain Name with Bluehost
2. Register a Domain Name with -
If you don't want to create a website, then you can still register a domain. NameCheap is the best place to register a domain name.
They are currently powering over 10 million domains. The best thing about NameCheap is that they offer lifetime Whois guard privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions (.org vs .com):-
Is .com or .org better?
Both the domain extensions will perform identically. These extensions have a different purpose in serving your website.
For example, if you are running a commercial business or any kind of website that sells products or services, then you should definitely go with the .com domain.
On the other hand, if you are running a non-profit organization that primarily provides help or resources to a target audience with a specific need, then the .org extension would be a better option for the website.
However, if you are wondering which domain extension will perform better for SEO, then both the extensions will have the same impact on the search engine.
Can you use .org for my business?
Yes, you can use a .org domain for your business. However, I wouldn't recommend a .org extension for your business because:
- Most of the users will go to the .com website as they are familiar with the .com domain. In case this happens, you end up making zero profit out of your business.
- Users may presume your business is a non-profit organization.
.Org vs .Com - The Verdict
.Com and .Org are the most popular domain extensions on the web. They are used for different purposes.
Before registering a domain, you should know which domain extension suits your business, for example, .com vs .org. If you want to run a commercial business, then the .com is the right extension for your domain and for non-profit organizations, .org suits best.
In this article, we have shared the difference between .org vs .com domain name and also explained which one you should choose for your website.
Now, it's time to register your favorite domain before someone does.
Register a FREE domain with Bluehost
