Domain names are very much in demand in today's Internet world. Virtual real estate can be purchased very cheaply. You can get a good name directly from the registrar and can often be re-sold for a great profit. Unfortunately you will see that many of the best .com names are already taken and it would cost a small fortune to buy the exact .com name from the domain owner..

It's well known to the savvy domain buyer that .com names are the best to have because they are the ones that Internet users have become accustomed to. They get the most type-in traffic of any top level domains. But since memorable and keyword-rich .com names are in short supply it's time to start looking into other top-level domains (TLDs).

The second most recognizable TLD after .com is .net. It is one of the original top-level domains, and was originally created for use by network providers. But its registration was never officially restricted, so it has been used as an option to .com. Even though most of the shorter .net names have already been taken, there is a better chance of getting the domain name you want with a .net extension than a .com.

Acquiring domains that have relevant keywords in them is good for search engine rankings and the search engines don't really care about the TLD of the domain. So if the keyword-packed domain you want is unavailable in .com, getting it in .net can give you the same search engine benefits.

Just because the .com you want is unavailable is not the only reason for buying a .net domain, though. Here are some more situations in which you might want a .net:

* When registering a .com domain name, webmasters who wish to protect their brand often register the same name with a .net extension as well. This will prevent copycats or competitors from getting the .net version and exploiting it. You can set up a redirect so that any traffic from the .net goes to the .com address, or you could create a separate site for it.

* A .net extension can be utilized to come up with creative domain names. One good example that is already taken is fishing.net.

* A .net domain name would be a good fit for a social networking site, or for a firm that provides Internet-specific services such as search engine optimization or web hosting.

Even though .com has become the default TLD due to its widespread use, .net has a great deal of potential. It is often more recognizable than several of the newer TLDs, and it's easier to get the domain you want in a .net than a .com. For most webmasters, if the domain they want ending in .com is taken, .net is the automatic second choice. But in some cases, it makes a great first choice.

So when choosing a Domain name for your business do your research and be open to looking at other TLD's especially .net