Domain Name Question

[Frank Benjamin]

I have been researching an idea of mine. The domain name that I am looking for is taken as a .com. The .info name is available and I was thinking about trying it out because the idea of the site is to be a repository of information for the internet gambler - casino, poker and sports.

Will having the .info hurt SEO or rankings? This is more of a side project and something to play around with. However, like any website, it would be nice to get visitors and rank in the high in search results.

Any thoughts?

[jctroy440]

Before you do, I would also take into consideration who has the .com site and what kind of competition you'll get from them.

I don't know how much weight (or lack of) a .info carries with father Google. I have all of my .com domains backed up with the .info ext. I am planning on adding a .info to my www.bestcasinoonlinenow.com and have the .info point to Europe ie: casinos that don't take US players. Before I do that I am going to do a bit more research myself.

Keep us posted

Thanks

[matted]

I personally stick to .com's...

[Frank Benjamin]

Funny thing is that I am actually the owner of the .com domain, lol. I completely forgot I bought it a couple months back for another project that was put on the side burner.

I ended up purchasing the .info domain as well. Since this is more or less an experiment, why not add another variable. How else do you learn, lol.

I am hoping to make this site collaborative at some point. So I will definitely keep all updated.

[jctroy440]

I would do your homework before casting the .info net. Father Google is like mother nature..screwing with either will get you F***ed. If you post a .info site and it looks like a mirror site then the big G may frown on you.

I may be way off base but I learned in Nam, 'tis better to walk around a mine field then tip toe thru one

[Frank Benjamin]

it won't be a mirror site. It will be its own unique site with unique informative content.

I understand that many believe that Google et al prefer that .com domains. Nonetheless, they also have the objective to index the best sites for those that use their search engine. With this in mind, why would Google or any other SE exclude a well built site with keyword rich unique content that is SEO'd? Will they do this because the site has a .info, .us or some other gTLD?

It is my hypothesis that a site can flourish with a .info domain. I am no expert and it is quite possible that I am wrong.

Since this is more of a project that I have been thinking about for a couple years and not a major money making venture, why not try it? Worst case scenario is that I am out the $1.99 it cost me for the domain and my time. Hell, I can also look at it as SEO practice as well. If I wasn't working on this site, I'd be wasting my time doing something esle. Seems like a win,-win to me. And because I have yet to hear a reasonable explanation why not to use a domain such as this, I do not believe that it will be in vain.

Time will tell....