02/11/2015
Choosing an online business name? Here's how
So, you’ve got the big idea and you’ve decided to go ahead and set up and e-commerce business. But there’s just one thing, you’re stuck on the name! Naming your business, and website, is one of the most important stages to your business plan as it is what customers will remember. Here are a few top tips to try and make the process a little easier.
Don’t make your name too long or people might struggle to remember it. Your name should be short and simple, both to say and spell. It’s worth bearing in mind that most single-word domains will now be taken you might want to be creative at blending two words into one. FaceBook, YouTube etc, or using suffixes such as in the case of Shopify.
If you have a marketing plan that includes paid search and display activity, you may lean towards creating a brand name that people will remember. However, if your marketing budget is limited and you will be heavily reliant on natural search you might want to go fo something more specific to your site such as ‘BargainTVs’.
It’s one of the unspoken rules, but you must ensure your domain name is original both for legal reason as you don’t want to violate a trademark, but also to stand out from the crowd and allow customers to know what your company stands for.
- Avoid numbers and characters
You don’t want to confuse and of your customers, and you ultimately want them to be able to find your e-commerce site, so excluding numbers and characters one way to make this easier. The only exception to the rule is if you have a plural or apostrophe in your brand name, however do not include these in your domain name for ease of use.
Is there more than one possible way of spelling your brand name - for example John and Jon? If so, you might want to have a re-think as many spelling alternatives may lead them to not find you in their search.
You need to run your name by a few people, if possible ask a variety of genders and age groups to get a good mix of opinion. Saying it out loud might help you to realise a confusion in spelling, or even better – they might come up with another option that you prefer.
Don’t worry if you’re struggling to come up with a name, overthinking is the killer of creativity. Just bear with it and keep trying to come up with ideas as you get your business plan and website in order – you will find the perfect name.
If you have any questions about e-commerce, buying and selling online, building effective websites and other online services, get in touch with Studioworx either via email (
[email protected]), telephone (+44 (0)1603 274285) or the website (https://www.studioworx.co.uk).