Is There any Advantage in Owning .Org Domain Names?

In a world where “.com is king,” is there any inherent advantage in owning .org domain names? The short answer is, “Yes!”

Let’s face it, this is a world dominated by .com. There’s really no arguing the fact that, at least in so much as aftermarket value, .com domains rule. In February we saw the sale of Poker.org for $1 million, a record-breaking price for a .org name. Some have called this a turning point and a sign of things to come—perhaps, but believing that .org will ever sell at the same prices as .com is wishful thinking.

Assuming the right name is available to you, .com is also the domain you would always prefer to choose for use in an obviously and strictly commercial endeavor. Amazon.org? I don’t think so. Apple.org? Come on. Just to refresh our memories, .com is short for “commercial.”

As if this weren’t enough to make you swear-off other domains for life, .com is also the first, the recognized, the default—the most powerful case for .com is that .com is what people know and where they go. There’s no easy fight against perception, and that’s what every other domain extension has working against it.

In considering a .org domain name, though, realize that perception can also work for you. If approached in the right way, using a .org can make your online business look more trustworthy. There is an innate public trust in websites falling under the .org extension, and if you can offer a free service, create a perception of operating for public good, or create an image of your business as a kind of “quasi non-profit,” a .org could be a much better choice than a .com, or at least a good choice for another site complementary to, and feeding into, your primary site.

Think about it: If you could purchase a domain name that would cost $500,000 for the .com version, but pay just a few thousand dollars for the .org and then invest the remaining difference of $495,000 into marketing, which is the better deal. Granted, there are some names for which the long-term advantage falls to the .com; but, given the right project/business, .org comes out on top.

A big part of the differential in price between .com, .net, and .org names is that the biggest buyers/holders of domain names don’t necessarily have enough development talent at their disposal—or even the intent to develop the names they buy. These buyers are more concerned with the revenue potential of type-in traffic for their parked pages—.org names will not give them that.

Don’t write off .org domains so quickly—you’re doing yourself a disservice. Given the right intent for end use, .org can often be an equal, if not a far better choice than the .com.