Business Model Typosquatting - speculating with typo domains

Small deviations in the internet address, such as a forgotten hyphen, a letter or number mix-up, or an incorrect domain ending, are enough to be redirected to a wrong website. Therefore, popular websites are often besieged by so-called typosquatters. Those who operate a typo domain speculate on the spelling mistakes of internet users when entering long URL names. Misdirected internet users are then greeted with a website that may contain advertisements, phishing pages, or malicious software, causing concern. But how can you protect your own online project from typosquatting?

What does Typosquatting actually mean?

Typosquatting is a variation of cybersquatting, where domains with incorrect descriptions, taken from popular internet presences, are registered and filled with often unscrupulous content. In this case, we are talking about typo domains, which are taken over as part of domain grabbing. Especially when domain names are manually entered into the browser search bar, typos often occur. Typosquatters use alternative spellings to present the internet user with a website containing their own content.

Basis for the Success of Typo Domains

Naturally, the operators of typo websites rely a bit on luck. After all, they need to count on user input errors. The URLs are tailored to common input mistakes such as typos in numbers or letters, spelling errors, or equipped with name additions or alternative extensions. Essentially, it's a lucrative business model because typos direct users to landing pages that are optimised for advertising and equipped with lucrative content. This allows operators to generate higher revenue. However, many of these websites are already pushing legal boundaries. Unwitting visitors may, in the worst case scenario, fall for fake websites designed solely to collect personal data.

A Nuisance for Many Business Owners

Every internet user who lands on a typo domain could potentially be lost as a customer for the intended provider. Therefore, it is advisable for business owners to keep an eye on possible misspellings of their own web address. In case of emergency, such typo domains should be registered for the company. But what misspellings should be considered?

What Business Owners with Lucrative Websites Should Pay Attention To

• Internet addresses are often misspelled because the correct spelling of the company name is not known. Some users may write a company name that should be spelled with a "double-D" with just one "D". Savvy business owners ensure that these typo domains are secured for the company and users who land there are automatically redirected to the actual company domain.


• Users in a hurry often make typos when entering the URL in the address bar. Especially users who rely on autocorrect programs are susceptible to visiting typo domains. Letter reversals, number mix-ups, forgotten or added letters and characters often lead these people astray. Large companies therefore register the relevant typo domains for their own company.


• Companies should also consider alternative spellings of their common services and product names. Anyone looking to establish an online photo shop should also register the corresponding domain for Online Photo Shop to avoid losing this domain to typosquatting.


• Domains with hyphens are extremely vulnerable to typosquatting. A good example is the online presence of the former Chancellor at www.angela-merkel.de during the 2013 election campaign. If the hyphen was forgotten, a website of the opposing party SPD appeared temporarily. However, hyphens are also deliberately used by typosquatters to mimic common brand domains.


• In today's world, it is often easy for typosquatters to generate a domain with the name of an established brand. This is because there are now many new domain extensions. If the brand name is combined with one of the various extensions that a company has not registered, many internet users can be led astray. When launching an online presence under .de, companies should also register top-level domains such as .com, .web, .shop, or .eu to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. The Colombian top-level domain .co proves particularly interesting for typosquatters as a ambiguous domain ending, as users often forget the "m" in the .com top-level domain when typing in haste.

How can business owners best protect themselves against typosquatting?

Preventive measures against typosquatters can help avoid future problems:

Secure typo domains in advance

The best way to protect against typosquatting is to have a sophisticated domain strategy. It is important to consider all possible typing and spelling errors. Registering all variants as own domains protects them from typosquatters and competitors. Registered error variants can then be redirected to the actual online offering, ensuring that all visitors arrive at the right place.

Use SSL certificates for security

In addition to the preventive measure of comprehensive domain registration, website operators should ensure that users can verify that they are on an original website. SSL certificates provide the appropriate solution. These certificates not only protect during data transmissions but also indicate which operator the certificate was issued for.

Monitoring service for even more security

The monitoring system ICANN offers a good way to combat both typosquatting and cybersquatting. The Trademark Clearinghouse automatically informs the trademark owner about the use of their brand names. However, the legal situation is such that this service is only available for nationally or internationally registered brands.

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