FIELD GUIDE | 2018
FIELD GUIDE .ink has attracted a creative and diverse group of individuals and businesses. The domain itself is niche, while still being generic enough to inspire creativity. On the niche side, it appeals to industries and artists that use actual ink in their work. It is generic in that it appeals to anyone that may be looking for something artistic, evocative, and different. In this way, the .ink domain competes with .art and .blog, but where those domains are very literal, the .ink domain is sophisticated and inspirational. It is further proof of the individual’s free spirit.
VISUAL ART
The fact that .ink can be both niche and generic, and
Print Art
that it remains somewhat obscure, means that the
Digital Art
registrants that have adopted it use it with a passion. Renewal rates tend to be higher than industry norms; we believe this is because those that take the extra
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Street Art Tattoo Art Traditional Art
time to find .ink and create a great site are invested
MEDIA 6
even more than the average domain owner.
Magazines
This Field Guide covers some target market trends
News
so that we can all understand and better convert
WRITING
potential .ink registrants. We are excited to work with
Bloggers
you to build our creative community online.
Publishing
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Authors PRINTING
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Cartridge Print Shops SPECIALIZED INDUSTRY Apps Domain Hacks Creative Agencies
IF YOU H AV E A N Y QUE S TIONS A B OU T THE CONTENT IN THIS B OOK PLE A SE CONTAC T SUMMER FA NG | SUMMER@TOPLE V EL .D E SIGN
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TATTOO ART tibetantattoo.ink
ILLUSTRATOR torianne.ink
PRINT ART | DIGITAL ART | STREET ART | TATTOO ART | TRADITIONAL ART
ARTIST kaju.ink
VISUAL ART The connection between .ink and visual art is obvious. Ink itself makes up a part of many artists’ process, and for tattooists and some graphic artists it is their entire medium. Ink is also readily synonymous with graffiti and street art. Of course, ink as a medium has roots that go back to more traditional art forms as well. So, we have seen artists of all types and styles gravitate towards .ink. An artist on .ink may be making a literal connection or they may be using it as a romantic and artistic connection to the artistic process and its many forms.
MAGAZINES | NEWS
We believe in the power of adventure. We’ve transformed a historic
magazine into a club that provides access to incredible experiences and the chance to document your quests as one of our globe-trotting correspondents.” TRUE.INK Magazine
MEDIA As more publications go online, the connection to the original printed page is increasingly interesting. Take for example the story of true.ink; True was a magazine targeted at men, published between 1937 - 1974. Within the past few years, an entrepreneurial journalist bought the rights to the True Magazine name and took-up its focus on travel, self-reliance, and unique products and experiences. It was relaunched as true.ink. They chose the .ink name to tie its work back to the original written page, as an evocative and poignant nod to the origins of journalism and written media. Phrases like news being “hot off the press” or so new that the “ink has yet to dry” further explain why we will continue to use “ink” as a synonym for generations to come.
FIELD GUIDE
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BLOGGING | PUBLISHING | AUTHORS
WRITING While news and media outlets may use ink to refer to the (formerly) printed page, bloggers and writers are using .ink to refer to their personal journals and professional writings. We were surprised and thrilled to see the amount of writers that naturally gravitated to .ink. Once again it is often being used in a romantic and evocative way, such as allowing a freelance copywriter to refer to the written page that is no longer the final product but still a part of the process. These writers could be writing fiction or nonfiction for themselves or making their talents available to write others’ stories and copy.
AUTHOR laurievarga.ink
FIELD GUIDE
Words are the
currency of our lives. We read thousands every day, and life’s simply too short for wading through waffle. However valuable your message, if your copy is dull or inaccurate or lacking in sparkle, it’s unlikely to get read. But sometimes words can sing. Pick the right words, put them in the right order and they have power to make really good things happen.” NIGHTINGALE.INK Writer & Editor 9
CARTRIDGE | PRINT SHOPS
PRINTING The most literal application of the .ink domain is for printing and ink businesses. These may be custom printers for all mediums and styles or those that specialize in apparel, paper, large format or other unique printing processes such as 3D printing. The .ink domain is able to represent this broad sector regardless of the printer’s specialization. Ink, after all, is synonymous with printing.
STENCIL PRINTER demaart.ink
FIELD GUIDE
URL SHORTENER bl.ink
DESIGN STUDIO nué.ink
SPECIALIZED INDUSTRY The fact that .ink is a three character, new
So, while we’ve clearly covered how .ink can
TLD means that it has many short, brandable
attract a broad cross-section of individuals and
domains readily available. It also is great for
businesses looking to wINK at their creative
domain hacks, because if you thINK about it,
process, it also attracts unique businesses that
there are all sorts of dictionary words ending in
are looking for something different, brandable,
ink, most notably, “link.” Thus, there are a whole
and maybe even a fun domain hack!
sector of URL shortening services that use .ink, to hack the word “link.”
APPS | DOMAIN HACKS | CREATIVE AGENCIES 11