I found a domain hack using my name with a .ooo extension that I really like for my portfolio. However, I've heard that some corporate firewalls and spam filters block uncommon top-level domains, and I'm worried a potential employer might not be able to access the site. Are there other drawbacks I should consider, such as renewal pricing or how professional the domain looks?
4 Answers
Email is probably the bigger issue. Uncommon extensions can be more likely to trigger corporate spam filters, so I wouldn’t rely on a .ooo address for job applications or important correspondence. Keeping a conventional domain for email would avoid that problem.
It’s not automatically a bad choice. Most people will click the portfolio link without paying much attention to the extension, especially if the site itself looks legitimate. You can always use a more conventional domain later and point it to the same hosting service.
The firewall concern is real, though it probably won’t affect everyone. Some companies block unusual or newly registered domains as a scam-prevention measure, so register it well before you need it and test it from a few different networks. Put a backup link to the same work on a more familiar service as well.
Before committing, check the renewal price rather than just the introductory rate. Some less common extensions become surprisingly expensive after the first year. Also think about having to say the address out loud—an unusual extension can be harder to communicate and remember—but a genuinely good domain hack can still be worth using if you provide a backup link.
I hadn’t considered newly registered domains being blocked. I’ll make sure to set it up early and include a backup link.