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What Is a .CC Domain? And Should You Use It?

When it comes to picking a domain name, shorter domains are more memorable and brandable. But If your chosen domain name is not available with the regular .COM, .NET, .BIZ, or .ORG top-level domains, you may opt for a shorter .CC domain name extension.

What is a .cc domain? A .CC domain is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Cocos Islands or Keeling Islands, an Australian territory found in the Indian Ocean. It is commonly used as the top-level domain for groups, companies, or brands that can be abbreviated with double Cs. A few examples include church clubs, cycling clubs, catering companies, crypto currency, etc.

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Is .CC a Good Domain Extention?

CC domain names work just like other types of top-level domains or extensions. They act as the address that people type in a browser’s search bar in order to go to that specific website or page. A .CC domain name is a good domain name especially if you want an easy-to-remember URL.

What Country Is a CC Domain?

A CC domain name is the two-letter country identifier for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. These islands are part of Australian and are located in the Indian Ocean.

Is a .CC Domain Free?

No, a .CC domain is not free. Just like other domain names, you must purchase a .CC extension through a verified domain name registrar. VeriSign is its primary backend or registry provider. Domain name registration costs as low as $5.99 per year and can be renewable between 1 to 10 years.

Are .CC Domains Safe?

Yes, .CC domains are safe. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers authorizes sales of all .CC domains through VeriSign, a US-based network infrastructure company.

What Are the Requirements when Getting a .CC Domain?

Anyone can buy or register a .CC domain. But here are a few guidelines that users must follow to ensure that you choose a good domain name:

  1. Your chosen domain name must be between 3 to 63 characters.
  2. Your chosen domain name must include letters, numerals, or a combination thereof.
  3. Your chosen domain name must not use a hyphen at the start or end of the domain.
  4. Your chosen domain name must not use any special characters.

What Is the Difference between .CC and .CO.CC?

.CC is a primary domain name extension while .CO.CC is a secondary level domain name. CO.CC used to be managed by a company that provided free co.cc subdomains and bulk paid co.cc subdomains. As of July 2011, Google has delisted these sites from its index due multiple spam and abuse issues conducted over co.cc subdomains.

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of a .CC Domain?

The main advantage of a .CC domain is its price. It costs a lot less than regular top-level domains.

On the other hand, the main disadvantage of a .CC domain lies in its classification as a country-code top-level domain. This means that the domain extension is the designated two-letter identifier for a specific country (Cocos or Keeling Islands, in this case). If the Cocos Islands’ government decided to limit the TLD’s use to its residents, then you will no longer be able to use the domain.

Another disadvantage is the TLD’s reputation as a spam-filled subdomain due to multiple phishing and abuse issues with co.cc. But note that this is only a lingering reputation and does not affect your site’s future linkability and indexability in the eyes of Google and other search engines.

Use this knowledge of the top-level domain’s pros and cons to make a more informed choice for your website.

How to Choose a Good .CC Domain Name

Before deciding on what top-level domain or country-code top-level domain to use, you first need to have a domain name. And, you need a good name because this will help your customers, fans, or users remember your website URL easily.

Below, we have written a few actionable tips that you can follow to ensure that you select a good domain for personal or business websites.

1. Look at Your Brand or Business Name

The first thing to look into when deciding on a website domain name is your current brand, company, or business name. Chances are, your customers or clients already know your business name so they can easily associate a website with your business name if you use it as a domain name.

On the other hand, if you feel that your current business name sounds too formal or opposite with the branding identity you have in mind, feel free to choose a more suitable domain name. Always remember to use your current company name as a guide on what direction to choose for your website’s name and branding.

2. Use a Domain Name Generator

Another efficient way to search for a good domain name is by using a domain name generator. With our free online name generation tool, you can type your chosen URLs of domain names and a list of available domain names with matching top-level domains is provided.

A domain name generator also allows you to see how your chosen domain name looks with different top-level domain names. After all, a regular mywebsite.com often does not look and sound as unique as a mywebsite.cc domain name.

3. Choose a Short Domain

A hallmark of a good domain name is its length. That is why you need your .CC website to use a short domain name. Ideally, you must go for a domain name that is between two to three short words or between 7 and 12 characters.

When you have a shorter domain name, customers and clients are more likely able to remember the URL. Shorter domains can also be helpful in making your brand more memorable.

4. Avoid Typos

Unless having an intentionally misspelled domain name is part of a marketing stunt for launching your website, make sure that your chosen domain name is spelled correctly. Typos and spelling errors only make your domain name look unprofessional.

Before finalizing your domain name registration, make sure to double-check your domain’s spelling. Also, avoid textspeak or non-standard ways of shortening words and phrases as this makes your domain name appear informal.

5. Keep It Simple

Too often, business owners and website creators are bogged down with the details of picking a domain name. Instead, choose a simple domain name. The one that is most related to your brand or business. Do not be afraid to test out the domain name. You can always use a different domain name if the previous one did not generate as much buzz or if you find issues with it.

The point of deciding on a domain name is to get started on your website. Follow the steps above and you will have an easier time choosing a website domain. And after that, you can breeze through the rest of the steps in starting your own business or personal website.

Related Questions

Are CC websites safe?

CC websites are generally safe. They often get a bad rep due to co.cc subdomain websites generating spam links and offering fake antivirus software a few years ago. But worry not, these offending sites have been reported and delisted from Google’s index since 2011.

If you still have doubts about a CC website, verify if the site uses an SSL or contains an https in its URL as these are signs that the website is trustworthy. Or, you may research the site’s name and read reviews before purchasing or clicking a link on a CC website.

Where are the Cocos Islands located?

The Cocos or Keeling Islands is located in the Indian Ocean. This group of 27 islands in 2 atolls is considered Australian territory.

What happened to co.cc?

Prior to 2011, co.cc was owned by a Korean company that sold free co.cc subdomains and premium bulk subdomains. But as of last July 2011, Google removed more than 11 million co.cc websites from its database as they hosted thousands of phishing and spam subdomains. Today, the co.cc domain name has been purchased by another company that uses the domain as a landing page for a browser image capture site.