.ink

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Status:	Active
country:	International
Manager:	GoDaddy Registry
Type:	Generic
Category:	Industry

.ink is an active gTLD that was proposed ICANN's New gTLD Program. Top Level Design was the original Registry Operator for the string and was the only applicant; it was acquired by GoDaddy Registry in 2023.

The proposed application succeeded and was delegated to the Root Zone on 11 March 2014.

Application Details

The following is excerpted from the applicant's response to question #18

"Top Level Design, LLCʹs goal for the .ink gTLD is to create a designated Internet space for the tattoo industry, and other industries that rely on ink, such as the printing and publishing industries. We recognize the various applications of a .ink TLD, and while we are specifically targeting the quickly growing and trendy tattoo industry, the TLD, and our approach to it, will be open to these other uses. This TLD will clearly identify tattoo artists, enthusiasts, and suppliers from among the billions of other web pages populating the Internet, and allow Internet users to easily find these websites that are relevant to their interests. Tattoos, found as early as 2000 BC on the bodies of Egyptian mummies, are a universal form of expression, a major aspect of many cultures worldwide, and a notable, growing subculture in Western society. .Ink itself is a fresh and exciting take on the tattoo industry, as it is a term that is associated with the progressive, urban aspects of contemporary tattooing. Although the TLD’s intended purpose may not be readily apparent to all people on first glance, we at Top Level Design, LLC, believe that .ink is a more innovative and exciting addition to the root zone than a .tattoo or older alternatives. It is three characters long, like many other current TLDs, and a powerful single syllable with strong connotations. Presented in conjunction with its content, a domain name under the .ink TLD will be easily understood. It is our goal at Top Level Design, LLC to push TLDs beyond their current role as necessary naming mechanisms into engaging identifiers that comment on how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Furthermore, we want to innovate at the root, and get beyond abbreviating commonly accepted terms and begin to use fresh, developing takes on language in the top-level. We believe that .ink will become a model example of how innovative ICANN’s New gTLD Program is and how expansion of the root zone will enrich the Internet and human interaction as a whole.

The .ink TLD will be an open TLD, with wholesale pricing higher than currently available gTLDs. The TLD will be targeted at individual tattoo artists, tattoo parlors, tattoo product manufacturers, and tattoo enthusiasts; in addition, we also plan to leave room for innovation within the TLD and for any related industries or individuals that are involved with ink. This could include typographers, printers and publishers, and ink manufacturers. We believe that our niche pricing strategy will help encourage the productive development of the domain space, and encourage those individuals that wish to create malicious content, parked pages, or other irrelevant websites to use cheaper, more generic TLD offerings to host their content.

It is Top Level Design, LLC’s goal to make the .ink TLD a viable and profitable business. We believe this to be the most likely scenario, and the projections and financial analysis included in this application demonstrate such. We hope to grow at a rate that allows us to continually improve our registry offerings and increase benefits for both our customers and employees. However, our commitments and projections at this time are focused on conservatively estimating our revenue in order to best prepare for a TLD market with the possibility of many more TLDs. .. .Ink will have an open registration policy targeted at members of the tattoo industry and tattoo enthusiasts. It will be available to any interested individuals, parlor, and company; websites will range from an individual tattoo artistʹs resume and gallery of their work, to a local tattoo parlor, to ink and tattoo gun manufacturers and suppliers. This will become an even more dynamic space when other ink industries and technologies are considered, and thus, it will become a creative hub for those involved in writing, drawing, and publishing."

Contract Signed

On December 5, 2013 Top Level Design received a Registry Agreement signed by ICANN for .ink after passing all the required processes needed to become a Registry Operator for the string.

Delegation and Availability

.ink was delegated to the Root Zone of the DNS on 11 March, 2014, completing the successful application for the string.