This will probably be a controversial post as the topic has certainly been controversial. SearchMetrics.com published an article that took a look at the SEO benefits of .com vs every other extension. Now Google has always said there is no difference and Matt Cutts has debunked the new gtld crowd that said they would have a benefit. Matt wrote on his Google + in May 2012:
Matt Cutts
Shared publicly – Mar 14, 2012
lsauer.com wrote:
Technically, it is not sensible to a priori discredit certain domains based on their domain extension. So far no recent evidence exists, from any search-engine company to penalize either of .info, .biz, .com, .org, .net, .name domain extensions or weigh them differently.
Rand Fishkin wrote an article on MOZ.com and included the image below which looked at ranking elements.
Here is a community discussion on Moz.com where members disagree on whether or not extension matters.
Back to SearchMetrics.com
SearchMetrics.com wrote:
You should be aware that SEO encompasses many things including high quality content, organically placed keywords, link building, the speed of the website, and a host of other things. However, a .com—instead of other options—is also great SEO fodder. It helps with “brandability” because let’s face it: a .com looks more authoritative, is more common, and is more popular than any other option. It is memorable – our minds are wired to think “dot com”!
They also included an infographic:
Hi Raymond,
There are two known studies by Total Websites and Searchmetrics comparing .com with new top level domains regarding the SEO effect. Both had a small sample sizes, so should not be taken too seriously, but did show that new domain extensions were no worse off than a .com domain. I’m still waiting for that extensive case study that some SEO agency hopefully will publish.
Don’t you think, that is unfair to compare 30 years of tradition with something brand new!?
Tempora mutantur – but not today or tomorrow, however certainly there is now more choice now as it was in the past.
It is irreversible process IMHO. This comparison will be actual in year 2020 or something like that:)
All extensions should be treated fairly and with same ranking factors. This means that in SEO therms – contenct is king not a domain.
And I personally think, that after 10 or 15 years consumer will be equally happy to type invest.cool or investcool.com 🙂
Agreed. Although I don’t think it will take 10+ years. It just takes one big new brand to launch on a new gTLD then .COM will be known just as another TLD. Progress always wins in the end.
I think it will take a lot more than one, to make .com just another extension. It will only be the best new gtlds that market and brand themselves that succeed. If someone thinks the average worldwide Internet user is going to remember 700 extensions I think that is a bit naive.
They are not seeking by domains (I am speaking for average seeking) – you will have to create a brand – and that costs a lot of money. But ranking by keyword is irrelevant of domain – it should be because of content:)
So if user types into Google keyword “estate” – perhaps not only dot com domains will appear on top – but luxury dot estate perhaps too:)
What I am telling is ,that users will not need to know domain extensions at all.
Create a good site and you should be on top:) That is what owners of dot coms are doing all the time and others will do the same…
Absolutely what the new gtlds need is development, so that the chances of the public finding them a top the search results happens more frequently and they get to know them better.
SEO and “search quality team at Google” borders humour, science fiction and Rand Fishkinism of the MOZ.com kind. lol
Is there such thing as search quality in regards to most search engines?
Where is it??? Just about all search engines got caught in gimmickry.
You either advertise online or you don’t.
The TLD is sure relevant in certain techno bubble niches, which generally lack other substance.
Yeap, you spoke the magic word: advertising 🙂
Hello Ray,
The Big Picture everyone should be focusing on is whether Google will give search preference to their new gTLDs. (On the front of the stage Google will deny preference to their new gTLDs and on the back of the stage they will give preference to their New GOOGLE-TLDs in a very veiled way , bet on it.
( SCROOGLED AGAIN )
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
SEO Fun Fact: .CA domain names will rank higher than .COM domains when searching from Google.ca (Canada).
Hello Ray,
How can anyone know where their sites traffic winds up inside the Google Garden Maze of manipulated Digital code when they are contantly gaming everyone with Algo Changes that are announced publicly and Algo changes that are not announced publicly, for this area and that area and on and on, the possibilities are infinite. If this is not a ponzi game what is it? JAS 4/7/15
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
My .io domains outrank all my .com competitors 🙂 So no, .coms do not matter. The only way they possibly could be better is because they might be easier to remember. But if you rank for everything in SERPs even that becomes less important. People need to remember… it is a computer algorithm looking through your site to determine rankings. Content, domain authority, speed, social signals, etc… If you provide the best user experience and the best content, you can easily crush a .com. People should never be buying a domain based on the premise that the domain itself might help them in SERPs.
I believe .com matters as a brand a lot, no direct impact on SEO.
However there is a bitter site that if someone have your brand name with .com and you have something else…there are lot of chances that your repeat users would land next time on .com site as this is the first thing an average internet savvy person will relate..therefore if due to any reason you can’t get a .com, you should promote or brand yourself at all places with the extension that one remember you with the same
Hello Brian,
So what you are saying is that SEO Manipulation via Google is Gaming other .COM companies who are paying Google Billions to have their Brand lost in Googles Search Engine Maze ? You must be awfully proud of your contribution ???
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
What I am saying is if you put in the work, you will see the results. It’s that simple. No SEO manipulation needed. Companies are capable of creating great content just like everyone else. I work for several companies that have awesome content and that’s why we dominate SERPs. Is it a lot of work? Yes. Also paid traffic and organic traffic are two entirely different things.
I agree with all points. Domain is only first step into a lot of work to push your website in front of others in SERP.
Hello Brian,
You think you are pretty clever with your answer, which is nothing more than circular psycho babble, which avoids our question :
So what you are saying is that SEO Manipulation via Google is Gaming other .COM companies who are paying Google Billions to have their Brand lost in Googles Search Engine Maze ? You must be awfully proud of your contribution ???
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Jeff, unless I am misunderstanding your question, if you are paying Google (referring to your “paying Google Billions” reference), then you are using AdWords. AdWords doesn’t relate to SEO or even the rankings of organic SERPs. You can’t pay Google to rank you higher in SERPs. And if you are having trouble with your AdWords rankings then just get a better PPC company. I do agree that Google is all about money and it is stupid that we have to pay Google so much money to compete in the ad space… but that’s just how it is.
Hell0 Brian,
Once again you use circular psycho babble which all Digital code Manipulators like yourself excell at. SEO Manipulation runs rampant and costs our economy Billions, just so Google can collect 66 Billion in Extortion fees, and you are a part of the game and you know it.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Lol Jeff, well this has been quite entertaining… but I guess I need to get back to my SEO and digital code manipulating? Haha. wow. Oh wait… no actually I’m gonna go back to doing real work which produces real results. No manipulation needed. Good luck.
Hello Brian,
Thank You for being the vehicle for getting my points across.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Jeff, not everyone is trying to game or manipulate the system. In fact a lot of us do put in a lot of hard work to produce content that end users will enjoy (if that is what you mean by digital code manipulator lol, then I will take it as a compliment). And Google does in fact reward us for that by ranking us higher. It is really that simple. Don’t put in the hard work, you won’t see results. Am I a fan of Google? No. Am I a fan of constant algo changes? No. But do any of these stop me from producing results? No.
Hello Brian,
There is no secret that will constantly keep you high in Googles rankings. Our web site has been on the first page in rankings many times but utimately falls back down. Then we have to adjust S.E.O. recalibrations to regain the first page.
We as well as all online Business Owners are being contantly GAMED By Google. It is no secret to us that Google is constantly manipulating Algorithms. What they do on a regular basis is manipulate their Algorithms to cause constant S.E.O. countermoves that you are suckered to counter with more expensive SEO manipulation.
Talk about Gaming?? We feel this is nothing more than Corporate EXTORTION being perpetrated on all Online Business Owners who agree to their Game, where its patrons are required to spend their money continually updating their S.E.O. optimization, which in effect puts their biggest competitors on the same search page, ” One mouse Click Away To The Right ! ”
If this is not corporate extortion, then what is up with That ?
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
I have a great benefit of my website domain due to it’s TLD format. My website has a great rank in a short time just because of it .com availability, i have done a little SEO work, but getting large impressions. Top TLD is really a effective deal.
Great post…