5 Things to Consider When Picking Your Business Name

5 Things to Consider When Picking Your Business Name

The name you choose for your business has always been important, but in an age when your customers need only type the words into their phones to find you and buy from you, language choices have never been more critical. You have to consider the entire digital sphere when settling on a name, not to mention the associations people make with it as a matter of course. To get the most out of a business name, consider these five things before you settle on one.

1. It’s your domain name, too.

You can vary things a little, but the name of your business should be as close as possible to the website domain name you end up settling on. After all, you want your customers to find you, and the best way to do that is give them the most intuitive way to do it. So before settling on the business name, make sure you can get a domain name that’s either identical or very closely related. You can check out the options at GoDaddy, which allows you to research and lock down your domain name.

2.Is it unique enough to give you traction?

Even if you’re able to secure the domain of your choice, a name that doesn’t stand out could fade into the background in the digital sphere. It’s best to choose something distinctive that will catch people’s eye. This is also extremely useful when you advertise or use branded social media. A name that grabs people’s attention will give you a leg up from the get-go.

3.What could it be confused with online?

When people look up your name, it’s best if they find you and only you. You might have a great name, but if it’s the same as many others, your customers will get confused and probably lose interest. If there are many names out there just like yours, it can only end up compromising your brand’s penetration.

4.What could it be confused with offline?

You may intend the name a certain way, but you should think about how others may interpret it without an immediate frame of reference. For example, ‘Gentlemen Callers’ could be a polite telemarketing service, but they might end up fielding a lot of inquiries from bachelorette party organizers.

5.Does it represent the brand?

Of course the most critical part of all will be making sure your name truly represents your business, both in its current form and as it evolves. Set your sights on a name that’s ambitious enough to evoke all that you’re trying to accomplish. It shouldn’t just describe your company; it should describe the idea of your company.