Ask HN: Any ideas on testing misspelled domain names?

[zaidf]

I own the domain blnik.com. I have an idea for a service that I want to launch, possibly on that domain.

However, while I like the name, I am also unsure about how much impact the misspelled domain will have. Looking at history, it seems that for some sites it works for others it doesn't. And that it is hard to get an idea about how much the name contributed to a site's success or failure.

So is there any way to get some idea if a misspelled name like blnik will be a hindrance for a service targeted at college students?

[_5csa]

Sit down into a comfy chair, grab a keyboard, try to type the domain name 100 times, without paying much attention.

How many times did you type blink.com? If it's more than ~30%, then it will be a hindrance.

blnik is awkward to type, and while one can bookmark it, it's still an issue.

Misspelled domains might work when the mispelling either makes sense, is a common mispelling, and isn't awkward to type.

[cpr]

I have a much simpler problem, a domain name that begins with merry and ends in a simple 4-letter phrase that most people would get right. So I simply bought merry, merri, mary, and marry domains. I suppose I should cover meri and mari as well, but those seem less likely...

[vaksel]

99% of people would go to blink.com