A domain extension is the end part of your web site address: the .com, .net, etc. The extension choice might seem like a minor decision when planning your web site design but the reality is that choosing the right address for your site will increase web traffic.

Let’s look at the different domain extension choices and on what site they are typically used.

.com: This is the most common domain extension, has the best reputation, and has been around the longest. Not surprisingly, .com is best remembered by consumers as an internet address. If you are creating a site for your business, a .com extension is usually your best choice.

.net: The second most popular domain extension is .net. Often businesses will settle for the .net domain if the .com for the desired domain name has already been claimed. Occasionally, if a client wants exclusive use of a domain name for a business, they will register both the .com and the .net for the name, even though they might choose to use only one of the extensions.

.org: .org stands for organization. This extension is generally only used for non-profits and charities as well as primary and secondary schools.

.edu: This extension is used exclusively by colleges and universities. Registration of the .edu extension requires approval and registration from the site net.educause.edu. This requirement protects against fraudulent groups/organizations from trying to claim they are a postsecondary institution when the reality is they are not.

.biz: This is the least popular domain extension name. They have a reputation for being out of date in the digital world. The .biz extension is sometimes used by businesses for their corporate sites.

Planning the best website for your business requires attention to all the details. Picking out the right domain extension will help increase traffic to your site and ultimately help grow your business. For further questions about domain extensions or to discuss the right choice for your unique business situation, please give us a call at Boise based Simple CMS Design today!