How long is a short domain name?

[MAllie]

I'd be glad to have informed opinions on this: how long is a short domain name? What I mean is, what's the maximum length a short domain name can be before it becomes long? Are there other factors than number of letters to be taken into account?

[tekz999]

To me, any letters/word with more than 8 is long.

[MAllie]

To me, any letters/word with more than 8 is long.

Thanks for that. I had actually heard that before, so the confirmation is valuable to me.

[Domain Jedi]

8 characters before the . or 8 characters total?

[Stian]

I think of 4 characters or less when I think of "short domain names".

[James Jean]

Short to me is 5 characters if .com If its a 2 letter ccTLD like .mx then 6 characters.

[tetrapak]

4 letters if meaningless, 7-8 if meaningful.

[MAllie]

Thanks, guys. That's most helpful.

[biggedon]

I'd be glad to have informed opinions on this: how long is a short domain name? What I mean is, what's the maximum length a short domain name can be before it becomes long? Are there other factors than number of letters to be taken into account?

the "shortness" of a domain is characterized by the subject or keywords of the domain.

in other words, for any subject where an internet user would "search" for a term or phrase, then the shortest word, group of letters or words would be any domain that returns the highest margin of directly navigated traffic.



that is.. if you acknowledge that "every domain that has the smallest number of characters in relation to any other domain with more characters, may not make it valuable in itself."

or... the shortness of a particular domain must be relevant or applicable to a market, to have value associated with it.

and the extension will be a factor as well.






imo..

[MAllie]

the "shortness" of a domain is characterized by the subject or keywords of the domain.

in other words, for any subject where an internet user would "search" for a term or phrase, then the shortest word, group of letters or words would be any domain that returns the highest margin of directly navigated traffic.



that is.. if you acknowledge that "every domain that has the smallest number of characters in relation to any other domain with more characters, may not make it valuable in itself."

or... the shortness of a particular domain must be relevant or applicable to a market, to have value associated with it.

and the extension will be a factor as well.



imo..

Hmmm, now this is a bit more complicated. But thanks for the input, Don. I kind of get what you mean. Are you saying that a short domain is only worthwhile if it contains a good keyword, and a slightly longer one with a better keyword is better? If I haven't missed the point, then what about those 4Ls that are really only possible acronyms, not keywords on their own? I've always understood those to be valuable.

[biggedon]

Hmmm, now this is a bit more complicated. But thanks for the input, Don. I kind of get what you mean. Are you saying that a short domain is only worthwhile if it contains a good keyword, and a slightly longer one with a better keyword is better? If I haven't missed the point, then what about those 4Ls that are really only possible acronyms, not keywords on their own? I've always understood those to be valuable.

i elaborated, because domains or the understanding of value as applied to domains, is rarely based on a single premise.

as for 4Ls, their value began to surge, as the pool of "available to register" began to shrink.

the exceptions were those 4Ls which are actual words and following that are 4Ls which can be made into words/names of actual/potential websites... aka "the pronouncebles"

acronyms and their value would fit somewhere between "actual words and made-up" words, depending on who owns the domain and their ability/resoucefulness to market to end-user

the last group would be those 4Ls that are not words and the acronym potential is not as obvious or potential acronym usage is too low for speculation.

again, to go back to the point about "direct navigation"...

if the acronym chosen, can be substituted and accepted by the masses, in place of a domain with more characters, then it will become the shortest domain for that subject.

my view is, that the best domain is always the one that brings the most traffic...regardless to the number of characters therein.

note: when i speak of traffic, i'm referring to "converting traffic"


imo...

[Acro]

Beware of domain shrinkage.

[MAllie]

note: when i speak of traffic, i'm referring to "converting traffic" imo...

That's all most interesting, Don, and I'm getting a glimmer of what you mean about one name taking over from another. But I'm not sure what 'converting traffic' is. I'm only just getting a handle on 'traffic' in the domaining sense of the word.

Is that a tease, Acro, or is there really such a thing as 'domain shrinkage'? Maybe you mean in value? I can't see how a domain would shrink otherwise.

[ok10]

In my book, short domain is LL, LLL, NN, NNN, 4-5-6 letters that is a common word, and LLLL that is a very high quality pronounceable.

[hugegrowth]

I'd say a short domain is under 10 characters, one or two words. If you can get two words in 10 characters or less that is short!

[MAllie]

Thanks, HG & OK.

[BobDiGiTaL]

To me, short domains are 4 characters or less. AAA.com 121.net A7C.org ARLN.info

The extension does not matter; not does the domain have to be a word.