poll What should the length of a domain be ?

[doubleU]

What should the length of a domain be ?

Most of us refer to the length of a domain as the length of the second-level domain (SLD) 'example.com' = 7 character domain but if we include the third-level domain (TLD) (dot + 'com') it's becomes an 11 character domain.

Since some new gTLDs are much longer than older TLDs maybe we should rethink the whole idea of a domains length.

After all, short domains are credited for there shortness to read, to type and to remember.

e.co is a single character domain and is just 4 characters to type, the shortest possible domain name with or without the TLD.

Should e.co not be credited as being the shortest or has it the same length as e.photography which has 13 characters to type.

What do you think a domains length should be ?

 

[biggie]

as long as the domain makes money, i don't care how long it is

 

[Recons.Com]

For me, 3 letter is the max to the right of the dot, unless I need it as a hack for my two letter very valuable domain. For example, if I have a word+news dot com, I might be interested in word.news.

Long words to the right defy the purpose.

Think about it. We pay 30 to 70 times premium just to make it one charachter short (LLLL for $300, LLL for $21K), while nobody cares for extra character to the right?!

I still count total number of characters as one of the factors.

 

[Silentptnr]

On the street:

Extension = "something for taxes or hairstyle?"
Whois = "who is what?"
gTLD = "huh?"
rotd = "do you mean something about the military?"
LLL = "Laughing Like Lunatic?"
NNN = "Not now something?"
Estibot = "Esti what?"
Hundred Dollars = "Million Dollars"
Push = "huh?"

Just some examples of what average people think.

 

[Recons.Com]

I even have a preference now for domains that are not only short, but can be typed with only one hand (on traditional keyboard) I'm that lazy. : grin :

G/E.DE would be perfect for you

 

[Silentptnr]

G/E.DE would be perfect for you

I'm also a fan of short domains including both sides of the dot.

bf.al
ja.al
kp.al
kx.al
nb.al
rx.al
sz.al
xq.al
yu.al
jj.al
14.pm

All "5" character domains if you include the dot.

 

[Recons.Com]

I have about 40 LL and NN dot al.
One of my favorite extensions. Costs me about $10/year per name, European tld with no Libya .ly type of risks, suitable for great hacks like actu.al, initi.al etc., 3 million of own population and about $13BN GDP.

 

[urlurl]

shorter the better assuming it makes sense.

3 key factors

1 - Easy to remember
2 - Easy to Spell
3 - Short

 

[DOMAIN ILLUMINATI]

@kingof.top

Is e.photography a short domain ?

Is e.co not shorter ?

e.photography is a very short domain name, but a (relatively) long domain
e.co has the same length as domain name but of course it's a shorter domain

example.top = domain
example = domain name

example.top = 7 character domain name / 11 character domain
example.international = 7 character domain name / 21 character domain

So a long domain can include a shorter domain name than a short domain, for example:

top.international > short domain name, long TLD, 17 character domain
international.top > long domain name, short TLD, 17 character domain
They have different length as domain names but as domains they have the same length.

 

[DOMAIN ILLUMINATI]

I really like odd number TLDs (3L / 5L / 7L / 9L / ...) most and from those I like 3L TLDs most.
I don't prefer the straight number TLDs (4L / 6L / 8L / 10L / ...) because they are not so beautiful and according to 63.DOMAINS you cant 'play' with them perfect like with odd number TLDs.

 

[DOMAIN ILLUMINATI]

So what your saying is e.photography is NOT a short domain?

It's a very short (shorter not possible) domain name but not really a short domain.

 

[Silentptnr]

Being memorable, passing the radio test, are very important.

I think most people don't consider ROTD to be part of the domain name length.

 

[doubleU]

Being memorable, passing the radio test, are very important.

I think most people don't consider ROTD to be part of the domain name length.

It's interesting you ask this because I think if I took to the streets and asked people

which domain name is shorter ?

e.co or e.international

I think they would say e.co don't you ?

 

[Silentptnr]

It's interesting you ask this because I think if I took to the streets and asked people

which domain name is shorter ?

e.co or e.international

I think they would say e.co don't you ?

On the street, I don't think most would know what e.co or e.international even are. It amazes me how many average people really only know .com. Maybe .org they think is for charities. That's pretty much it.

 

[usernamex]

I think the new gTLDs have warranted a new definition. Before ngTLDs came along, info and mobi were the longest.

Short is right up my alley. I used to long for a 3C com/net/org, now I have that beat EASY with NN and LL ccTLDs.

My opinion is eventually it will make more sense to include all characters including multiple dots if 3rd level

I even have a preference now for domains that are not only short, but can be typed with only one hand (on traditional keyboard) I'm that lazy. : grin :

 

[usernamex]

LOL but the dot is on the RIGHT hand side, I never thought about that part. Then I can only get certain ccTLDs - io li pl mn hk ly mk - I'll actually look later that's off top of my head, pretty sure I only have mk that are right only. I have coms that are left only, then I use CTRL+Enter to complete but if I have to hand type like a form field, every keystroke counts.

After spending hours last week looking for an "easy to type" name I came to the conclusion I should just improve my typing skills.

@doubleU - I like that you put the option for keystroke total including dots

 

[Silentptnr]

So [email protected] is the shortest possible email address at 6 characters ?

Yep

 

[doubleU]

TLD = TOP LEVEL DOMAIN not THIRD LEVEL DOMAIN

The @kingof.top is right, thanks.

 

[DOMAIN ILLUMINATI]

According to all the new (short or long) TLDs I understand your considerations but 'the length of a domain should be the amount of the characters left side of the dot.
For example, 63.DOMAINS have 63 characters, equal how long the TLD itself is.

 

[doubleU]

@kingof.top

Is e.photography a short domain ?

Is e.co not shorter ?

 

[ivey]

This is purely based on individual preference... So your question or poll should put a a more varied amount of lengths and see which is most preferred. imo

 

[doubleU]

I often wondered how awkward .co.uk was to type when it first came out, having 6 characters to type but now we have much longer newer TLDs maybe it's time to rethink ?

The domain eeee.co is the same length as e.co.uk ?

The domain e.co is the same length as e.international ?

 

[DOMAIN ILLUMINATI]

The domain eeee.co is the same length as e.co.uk ?

Both domains have the same length while the domain names of those domains have not the same length.

So the answer is: Yes, the domain eeee.co is the same length as e.co.uk

 

[doubleU]

Both domains have the same length while the domain names of those domains have not the same length.

So the answer is: Yes, the domain eeee.co is the same length as e.co.uk

So what are 'short domains' ?

 

[DOMAIN ILLUMINATI]

So what are 'short domains' ?

It's relative, but as shorter the domain name and as shorter the TLD, the shorter is the domain at the end.