What is a domain hack

[shursight]

Im new at this. what does domain hack mean? thanks.

 

[Greg]

Where the extension is part of the name, example Pla. net As a new domainer I would stay away from these names.

 

[chandan]

delicio.us dubl.in etc names will give an idea :gl:

 

[the_poet]

Nam.es would be another example

 

[ipodxpert]

Im new at this. what does domain hack mean? thanks.

Check the following thread for discussions on domain hack.

http://www.namepros.com/domain-name-discussion/299608-value-of-domain-hack.html

 

[Gerrit]

Usually such names aren't worth much although I must say sometimes you come across the odd original one, I believe on this very forum some person registered oba.ma but I am not sure if he managed to resell it.

del.icio.us and blo.gs are two examples of fairly popular sites using a domain hack.




I am not entirely sure but does a domain hack always mean the extention is part of the word? Can't it be a phrase as well?

Some URL redirection services offer domains such as i.am, go.to, this.is, surf.to, .... (obviously the user has to put a word behind the slash following the domain).
Aren't those considered domain hacks as well?

 

[shursight]

thanks for the info guys but how do you determine the value of them? And do you have to develope in order to sell?

 

[Sandtree]

A domain hack is an unconventional domain name that uses parts other than the SLD (second level domain) or third level domain to create the full title of the domain name.

 

[DomainTalker]

thanks for the info guys but how do you determine the value of them? And do you have to develope in order to sell?

Most domainers assess value on a number of criteria, including, say, natural traffic to the domain. Domain hacks rarely have any natural type-in traffic at all, because they are usually comprised of an unfamiliar letter/extension combination. So, many domainers regard hacks as of little value.


But, many hacks have fantastic potential as a brand....So, either an imaginative end user - or, a domainer that successfully developed & promoted a site - using a catchy hack - could build real value.


Eg, I own the hack, Ma.am, which gets little traffic parked, but, which has huge potential for a developed site & business.

.

 

[Peter]

Most domainers assess value on a number of criteria, including, say, natural traffic to the domain. Domain hacks rarely have any natural type-in traffic at all, because they are usually comprised of an unfamiliar letter/extension combination. So, many domainers regard hacks as of little value.


But, many hacks have fantastic potential as a brand....So, either an imaginative end user - or, a domainer that successfully developed & promoted a site - using a catchy hack - could build real value.

100% agreed. A domain hack's value is not properly realised until development has taken place.

 

[Domainate.com]

As pointed out, domain hacks either involve just SLD + TLD (i.e. doma.in which I own) or sub-domain + SLD + TLD (i.e. del.icio.us). Basically another way to try and get a generic term or a single-word brand name without forking over the massive $$$ to get it in .com, and in general most domain hacks are worthless unless developed. The only exception is usually strong generic single words or in case of .me, really strong brandable 2-word phrases involving "me" as a word i.e. Help.me.

 

[xman]

Solid domain hacks are going for $x,xxx without development.

My last sale of hack was swipe $2.5K and took me a while to let go that name for that price but I bought a nice name in return.

These were most recent offer I received from my 3 hacks.

Ro.am $1K
Sc.am $1K
Dra.ma 500 Euro

I rejected all offers.

Even if someone offer me $4K for sc.am I will reject it.

Development does add value and that's exactly what i should be doing.

 

[Domainate.com]

Solid domain hacks are going for $x,xxx without development.

My last sale of hack was swipe $2.5K and took me a while to let go that name for that price but I bought a nice name in return.

These were most recent offer I received from my 3 hacks.

Ro.am $1K
Sc.am $1K
Dra.ma 500 Euro

I rejected all offers.

Even if someone offer me $4K for sc.am I will reject it.

Development does add value and that's exactly what i should be doing.

Nice to hear and yea, hacks especially like Sc.am would be expected to get nice offers without development. That's a lot better than most of the domain hacks people have though.

I have development plans slated eventually for Doma.in...feel bad being IN this biz and having that domain with a dormant blog on it.

 

[tata668]

I want to know that for a while...

Do those two kind of domain hacks have a different name:

- help.me / join.us
vs
- blo.gs / del.icio.us

Like, when the extension is a word itself and is used as it, and when it's not? Something like a "pure hack" when it is? Do domainers have different names to distinguish both?

 

[xman]

Nice to hear and yea, hacks especially like Sc.am would be expected to get nice offers without development. That's a lot better than most of the domain hacks people have though.

I collected all my hacks few years ago when no one really pay attention with th.is ty.pe of doma.in but now all the good ones are gone.

I have development plans slated eventually for Doma.in...feel bad being IN this biz and having that domain with a dormant blog on it.

As long as you have a development plan for the name that's what counts. Look at my sc.am it's developed but a crappy one...lol....But all that will change soon.

I started to play around with WP and I didn't know how easy it is to develop a blog. I may lean toward blog for sc.am with some solid content.

In the future I might develop it for mobile device. The shorter the better when typing in a web address in mobile device IMHO.

 

[DnEbook]

i have worldne.ws which is on the front page of most google searches for unusual news , so its a hack and a .ws on the frontpage .......works for me

recycle.it went for about 5 grand from memory , some phrases work

 

[the_poet]

Another notable example is youtu.be

 

[tata668]

I want to know that for a while...

Do those two kind of domain hacks have a different name:

- help.me / join.us
vs
- blo.gs / del.icio.us

Like, when the extension is a word itself and is used as it, and when it's not? Something like a "pure hack" when it is? Do domainers have different names to distinguish both?

Come on, for a reputation point, nobody knows?

 

[Domainate.com]

I collected all my hacks few years ago when no one really pay attention with th.is ty.pe of doma.in but now all the good ones are gone.


As long as you have a development plan for the name that's what counts. Look at my sc.am it's developed but a crappy one...lol....But all that will change soon.

I started to play around with WP and I didn't know how easy it is to develop a blog. I may lean toward blog for sc.am with some solid content.

In the future I might develop it for mobile device. The shorter the better when typing in a web address in mobile device IMHO.

A blog is a great idea for a name like that. There's a blog saltydroid.info where the lone writer of it is anonymous but is absolutely POUNDING the fairly scammy internet marketing "guru" industry and his blog has been growing leaps and bounds in traffic from it. A name like sc.am with something like that would be a sure hit.

---------- Post added at 12:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:57 AM ----------

Come on, for a reputation point, nobody knows?

There isn't really different terms to distinguish those, but here's a thought:

Doma.in = Word hack
Help.us, Save.us etc. = Phrase hack
Del.icio.us = Sub hack (domain hack utilizing a subdomain), and of course also a word hack (so a word sub hack?)

A sub hack could also not necessarily be a true domain hack...i.e. Del.icious.com or 9.99Domains.com don't use the extension but use the subdomains. They aren't as popular as regular ones though.

 

[tata668]

There isn't really different terms to distinguish those, but here's a thought:

Doma.in = Word hack
Help.us, Save.us etc. = Phrase hack
Del.icio.us = Sub hack (domain hack utilizing a subdomain), and of course also a word hack (so a word sub hack?)

A sub hack could also not necessarily be a true domain hack...i.e. Del.icious.com or 9.99Domains.com don't use the extension but use the subdomains. They aren't as popular as regular ones though.

Thanks.

"Phrase hack" and "Word hack", that makes sense!