Domain Selection

TLDR

  • Always prefer .com domains.
  • Avoid confusion; common misspellings, etc.
  • Research registry premium domains.
  • Research ccTLDs before registering one. All 2-letter extensions like .io and .ai are ccTLDs.
  • Research 3rd level domains before registering one.
  • Research aftermarket domains and consider using a broker if you want to obtain an aftermarket domain.
  • Perform online searches and trademark searches to make sure you are not going to be violating someone’s trademark(s).

Overview

There are many factors to consider when choosing a domain. This is guidance, not de facto rules. The primary goal is to highlight non-obvious risks that many domain registrants overlook.

Prefer .com

Choosing a TLD is an important step when choosing a domain. There is a saying in the domain industry that .com is king. There are two primary reasons for this.

  1. Most importantly, the .com TLD has significant mind share among consumers. Almost everyone understands what you mean if you tell them your website is www.example.com or that your email address is [email protected].
  2. The .com TLD has price protections that do not exist on any other gTLDs. See price protections.

Avoid Confusion

When choosing a domain, avoid these things as they tend to cause confusion.

  • Avoid words that are commonly misspelled or words that have differing regional spellings. For example, did you mean honor or honour?
  • Avoid homophones, which are words that sound the same but are spelled differently. For example, did you mean wear or where. Make an exception if context makes it obvious. For example, inthemiddleofnowhere.
  • Avoid double letters from differing words. For example, did you mean denimmend or denimend?
  • Hyphens are not used by many prominent websites, so the average person tends to think of the non-hyphenated version of a domain first. It is also easier to give a non-hyphenated spelling over the phone. For example, did you mean dash or -?
  • Consider ambiguous letters like a lowercase l vs. an uppercase I vs. the number 1. These can look identical depending on the font used. For example, l (l) vs. I (I).

This is easy to do by pretending you are telling someone about a domain you are considering. If you need to explain anything beyond simply saying the domain to them, you might want to consider something else.

Research Registry Premium Domains

Research registry premium domains. Many registries restrict domains that are short or have valuable keywords. These are classified as registry premium domains. These domains lack dependable price protections and the registration system for them makes it possible for registries to use price discovery and discrimination strategies that are not possible with standard, non-premium domains.

This makes registry premium domains a complex product, and they are described in more detail in the advanced section of this website. There may be cases where registry premium domains make sense, but make sure you understand what you are getting and what you are giving up before registering one.

See premium domains and price discrimination.

Research ccTLDs

Research country code TLDs (ccTLDs) before buying. All 2-letter extensions like .io and .ai are ccTLDs. They are governed by the assigned country. Registrant rights will vary significantly and all bets are off. Do not underestimate the risk of trying to solve a dispute if the process is conducted in a language you do not understand.

Some ccTLDs are well respected and have mind share similar to .com within their region. They can also include additional rights or restrictions that benefit citizens of their respective country. Canada’s ccTLD, .ca, is a good example of this.

Research 3rd Level Domains

Registrants typically register 2nd level domains like example.com, but it is also possible to register a 3rd level domain like hello.example.com.

An image of domain levels.

3rd Level gTLD Domains

ICANN does not list any 2nd level domains as official TLDs. This makes sense because they are 2nd level domains, not top level domains. Therefore, if you register a 3rd level domain under a gTLD, you will be subject to unique terms that depend on the registrant of that 2nd level domain. As an example, if you register the 3rd level domain hello.example.com, the registrant of example.com would technically control your 3rd level domain and their terms will apply. It is critical that you read and understand those terms before registering a 3rd level domain.

In addition to the unique terms of the 2nd level domain registrant, the 2nd level domain will be subjected to ICANN’s oversight.

3rd Level ccTLD Domains

Some 2nd level domains under ccTLDs are well established and managed by the ccTLD registry. In these cases, registering a 3rd level domain is no riskier than registering a 2nd level domain. For example, registering example.co.uk is very similar to registering example.uk. Nominet is the registry for both, and the risk of registering either is about equal even though .uk is the only one that appears on ICANN’s official list of TLDs.

You must understand who the registry is that is offering 3rd level domain registrations under a 2nd level ccTLD. It is simplest to stick to well-established options like co.uk.

Use A Broker

Some high-quality domains, especially .com domains, will be sold as aftermarket domains. Registrars often fail to distinguish between registry premium and aftermarket premium domains, so it can be difficult to determine which variant you are dealing with. Even if a domain is labeled as aftermarket it could still have registry premium renewal fees. This can be thought of as an aftermarket registry premium domain.

Due to the price controls for .com and .net, it is safe to assume domains under those TLDs will have standard renewal fees. Regardless, aftermarket domains are a complex product with complex pricing and negotiation. It is usually best to obtain the services of a domain broker if you wish to purchase an aftermarket domain, especially if you plan to spend several thousand dollars or if the seller is only accepting offers without a set price that allows for immediate purchase.

Trademark Searches

Make sure you are not accidentally choosing a name that infringes on existing trademarks. Existing trademark owners can file a UDRP complaint if you infringe on their trademark(s).