Why I made the switch from .com to .inc
I recently made the switch from “Cynthialive.com” to “Cynthia.inc”
I have said this a million times before and I will say it again, in today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for people and businesses of all sizes. One important aspect of building a strong online presence is choosing the right domain name, and I am sure that in 1999 or even 2005 you could have easily purchased domains like “pizza.com” or “cynthiajohnson.com” but today, those premium domains are taken by those early adopters and of course…squatters. To summarize, while there are many different domain extensions to choose from, the most popular and well-known is the .com domain. However, in recent years, a new domain extension has emerged that is gaining popularity among businesses: .inc.
I like .inc for several reasons related to functionality, availability, and the benefits in marketing and branding. Even more importantly, .inc is a TLD or “Top Level Domain” - just like .com, .net, and others. As someone who recently switched from a .com to a .inc domain, I can attest to the many benefits of making this change. Here are some of the reasons why I made the switch:
Branding Opportunities
Another benefit of using a .inc domain is the branding opportunities it provides. The .inc extension is short and memorable, making it easier for customers to remember and find your website. Additionally, the exclusivity of the .inc extension can help your business stand out from competitors who use more common domain extensions like .com or .net, but likely don’t have the quality domain they are looking for. Plus, having a shorter and more memorable domain name increases branded search and branded search returns quality traffic. I have also laid out a few additional ways a .inc domain can set your brand apart:
Professionalism: Using a .inc domain can make your business appear more professional and established, which can help build trust and credibility with potential customers and clients.
Brand Recognition: The .inc extension can help your business get recognized as a legitimate and established corporation by investors, lenders, and other businesses.
Brand Differentiation: The exclusivity of the .inc extension can help your brand stand out from competitors.
Better Brand Alignment: The .inc domain extension can help align your online brand with your business services (like branding.inc), products sold (like pizza.inc), business structure or legal status as a corporation.
Better Social Media Profiles: Using .inc opens up the opportunity to use “inc” in your profile name. For me, I couldn’t get my original “go-to” name “cynthialive” on TikTok. Now that I use cynthia.inc, @cynthiainc is a natural and easy way to grab my brand on social.
You can check if the social media name you want is available here.
Better Brand Protection: Using a .inc domain can help protect your brand by preventing others from using a similar domain name to confuse or mislead your customers.
Better Marketing Opportunities: The exclusivity and credibility of the .inc extension can provide better marketing opportunities for your business, such as in press releases or on social media.
SEO Benefits
Using a .inc domain can also provide SEO benefits for your business. Because the .inc extension is relatively new and not as widely used as .com or .net, it can be easier to get a quality domain name and backlinks, and links help your domain rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can help drive more traffic to your website and increase your visibility online.
Many people are concerned that .inc will not be seen as equal to .com in the eyes of Google and other search engines, but that simply is not true. In fact, Search Engine Journal asked Google’s Senior Search Analyst, John Mueller, about this and here is how that conversation went…
SEJ:
Are .com domains better?
Mueller:
“Sure, go for it. The newer top-level domains (TLDs) are equivalent to other generic top-level domains like .com when it comes to SEO. Pick something you like, there are lots of options out there now.”
The rise of the premium TLDs is not only positive for branding but branding is great for SEO. Yes, you can drive direct traffic and branded search with a simple domain name. Also, .inc domains are restricted by geolocation. So, if you have a domain that ends in .us, .uk, etc., a .inc domain could really improve your performance in global search.
How are brands using .inc?
Brands are getting very creative with how they use .inc domains. There are five major uses that we have been seeing;
Investor relations
PayPal uses PayPal.inc as their investor relations hub.
eBay uses eBay.inc as their investor relations hub.
2. Brand redirects
A few of the brands who have claimed their .inc domains.
3. Brand protection
No brand wants to worry about having to buy back a premium domain from someone later. The bigger the brand is, the more concerning (see how much Facebook had to pay for FB.com for instance). So, here are some of the brands who are ahead of the curve on capturing their branded .inc domain.
4. Branding for newer brands
Simple URLs like “elevate.inc” can be powerful for branding in the B2B space and B2C.
B2B brand, elevate.inc, shows us how B2B businesses are using .inc domains for branding.
B2C brand, accept.inc, shows us how B2C businesses are using .inc domains for branding.
5. Personal Branding
People with common names. like your’s truly, have had a terrible time trying to capture their name online. With the help of .inc domains, we can both have our premium domain name and social profiles. After all, we are our own businesses!
Is a .inc Domain right for you?
In conclusion, there are many compelling reasons to consider switching from a .com to a .inc domain. From the added credibility and trustworthiness to the branding opportunities and SEO benefits, using a .inc domain can help your business establish a stronger online presence and stand out from competitors. If you're looking to take your brand or business to the next level, it may be worth considering making the switch to a .inc domain.
Claim 20% off your .inc Domain
.inc Domains is offering a unique discount code for you to get 20% your .inc domains.
Search for your .inc domain at get.inc/cynthia and be sure to use coupon code “CYNTHIA” at checkout.
Use code “CYNTHIA” at Namecheap to save 20% on first year registrations on all base tier domains.
