10 Most Popular Domain Hacks

Domain hacks are a great way to create an interesting and unique website address that stands out from the conventional URLs of .COM, .ORG, or .NET.

They’re ideal for when a .com just doesn’t cut it or the one you want is already taken — this is a common problem for new businesses since so many .COM URLs are in operation. By thinking about how different types of country code Top Level Domains (ccTLD) can be incorporated into domain names, you can get creative and come up with a truly unique way to make your website and brand stand out.

Got Ideas?

What Is a Domain Hack?

Let’s start by saying what a domain hack isn’t. It’s nothing illegal or insidious. The word “hack” is used here like in the expression “life hack”; it’s simply finding a creative way to solve a problem that will benefit your website by using what’s available to you to come up with an interesting URL.

A domain hack usually means splitting a word into two so you can find a great domain. It involves repurposing a domain ending and using it for something other than its originally intended purpose.

For instance, by making use of Libya’s ccTLD .LY, you could have easi.ly instead of easily.com as your website name.

This is NOT Domain Hijacking

Domain hijacking, or DNS hijacking, is sometimes referred to as domain hacking, but that’s a whole different kettle of fish. Domain hijacking is when attackers take control of a domain name by changing its registration and DNS record without your permission. It’s usually done by hackers to extort a ransom from the owner, steal information from unaware visitors to the site, or make the actual owner of the domain look bad.

The Pros and Cons of a Domain Hack

Clear? Great. Then let’s take a look at what a domain hack (the good kind) can mean for your website.

The Benefits

Firstly, it’s fun! Searching for anything online, you’ll commonly find .COM URLs for most of the results. Having something a little different gives your website pop and intrigue, especially if you can use it to create a clever play on words that relates to the name of your website or business.

Even if you already have a .com or other conventional domain name for your business, finding a domain hack solution that you can redirect to your primary URL can be a handy marketing tool. Some great examples of this are Flickr’s use of South Korea’s .KR ccTLD to create the shortened URL flic.kr and Netflix’s adoption of Spain’s .ES to domain hack movi.es — both of these simply redirect to their main sites.

If you hack a top-level domain, this could give you a slightly shorter domain name. As you can see from these examples, most ccTLDs are only (dot) two letters. This is great when you want to promote your website through social media or other platforms where you’re restricted in the character count. It could mean the difference between using your actual URL and having to use one of those awkward-looking URL shortener tools — which a lot of people are suspicious of and won’t click on, by the way.

You can also hack a second-level domain (SLD), which opens up more options for you to play around with clever wording. To do this, you use the same premise of piggybacking on a country code, but with another couple of letters before it. This becomes a bit more of an exercise in creativity because you need to factor in how the second and top levels work together. But here’s a random example of how it could work: The Spanish SLD .NOM.ES could be used to create gardeng.nom.es, if you happened to want to sell garden gnomes in Spain.

The (Possible) Disadvantages

Not all top-level domains are created equal, at least not in the eyes of the almighty Google. There are some ccTLDs that don’t perform as well in search results because of the nature of their geographical association. According to Google, “if you use a country-coded domain, you won’t be able to specify a geographic location.” Which could prove problematic if your target audience isn’t anywhere near the country whose top-level domain you’ve pinched. It’s definitely worth checking out which country codes are more acceptable and adaptable to Google before buying a URL that might not work for you.

Clarity can be a bit of an issue too. If you get too bogged down in finding a clever pun for your domain hack, you might end up with something that doesn’t actually represent your company or website.

Also, think about how your domain hack sounds when it’s said out loud. If you tell someone to check out “example.com” when you’re down the pub, they’re very likely to know what you’re on about, but “examp.le” isn’t quite so clear — especially after a few drinks.

How Do You Find a Good Domain Hack?

If you want to create an unconventional domain name with a domain hack, or you’re not sure what to do if your .COM is taken, a good place to start is looking at the ccTLD options available to you. This can take time because there are loads of them, but if you find a good one it’s well worth it.

Resorting to SLD options can provide an additional well of resources to take advantage of. These don’t need to be restricted to country codes, as there are plenty of global SLDs as well, but this is an even bigger list to wade through.

To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of ten of our favourite domains to hack.

.CO.IN

This is our new favourite.

.CO.IN may be the next big domain hack (for ‘coin’) as cryptocurrencies take center stage globally. Bitcoin and Dogecoin have become household names as everyone tries to get in on the action. .CO.IN is a good choice for a crypto trading app, a blog that educates readers about cryptocurrency, a platform for trading, or your corporate site if you’re ready to launch your own coin!

Originally from India, anyone can register a .CO.IN at an affordable price of $10.99 USD

.ME

.ME is amongst the most intuitive ccTLD options and is used by individuals and freelancers for personal and portfolio websites. Beyond a personal website, it also allows you to craft an interesting and actionable brand name like call.me, meet.me, or feed.me.

.ME is open to everyone and can be registered just like a .COM. We have Montenegro to thank for this sharp-looking domain name.

.CO

.CO is used for company, collaboration, and also short for .COM. It’s one of the most popular TLDs within the tech and startup community thanks to its extensive community-building efforts of the .CO registry. Some businesses go for .CO when the .com they want is already taken.

Originally the local ccTLD of Colombia, .CO can be registered by anyone around the globe.

.IT

Make.it, work.it, keep.it, love.it.

Here’s the formula to make a great domain hack with .IT:

A verb + .IT domain = Your new domain name!

As .IT is the local domain of Italy, the registrant needs to have an address in the European Union, or one of the following countries: – Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, the Vatican, the Republic of San Marino, or Switzerland.

OnlyDomains provides a trustee service that helps you meet these requirements and register a .IT domain without a hitch.

.GG

If this one had you scratching your head, maybe you aren’t an avid gamer. .GG is popular within the gaming community and stands for “good game.” The acronym gg is often used at the end of a game to appreciate your teammates or opponent.

With Amazon’s streaming platform Twitch gaining momentum, several companies within the gaming industry have taken to .GG. It is the ccTLD of Bailiwick of Guernsey (yes, that’s what they really call themselves) and is open to everyone.

.IO

We’ll be honest, this is a rather peculiar one. .IO took off within the technology/developer circle as IO often refers to Input/Output. It has been the choice of several tech startups for the last few years and the availability of quality names (often one-word domains) definitely helps brand an upcoming startup.

It’s an unrestricted domain and anyone can register a .IO domain name.

.IO is the local domain of a group of islands known as the British Indian Ocean Territory.

.AI

Artificial Intelligence is seeping into almost every aspect of our life, from voice search to using facial recognition to make a payment. The number of websites using a .ai domain is seeing a steady increase. Just like .IO, .AI is a favourite with the startup and tech community.

Heads up: all .AI domains have to be registered for a minimum of 2 years. This is a registry policy that all registrars have to abide by.

.AI is the ccTLD for the beautiful island of Anguilla in the Caribbean.

.VC

.VC is the new kid on the block and is seeing some interest from venture capital firms and businesses. It can be registered by anyone just like a .COM or .NET domain.

.VC is the local domain of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

.LY

You could add .LY to most adjectives and it would make a snappy domain. Think nice.ly, happi.ly, secret.ly, and curiousl.ly. Okay, you get the drift.

Originally from Libya, this domain is open to anyone around the world. 

.IN

Just like .IT, the Indian ccTLD is also useful when it follows a verb. .IN domains can make a memorable call to action, especially if you’re a business or an event and want people to join.in, sign.in, or walk.in.

.IN domains can be registered by anyone and have no special requirements.

.TV

Originating from the island of Tuvalu, .TV is fairly intuitive and popular within the media circuit. It’s gaining relevance with the increasing popularity of streaming platforms like Twitch and OTT platforms, like Netflix or Disney+. .TV domains are open to all.

That’s our top 10 favourite hacks. These next four options didn’t make it on the list but certainly deserve a quick runner-up mention:

• .TO
• .IS
• .AM
• .FM

These domains not only make for interesting brand and website names but could also be a valuable investment. Use our domain name search to find an alternative domain option that goes beyond the classic .COM.