How to create a business name and URL for your online shop
Are you ready to make your business idea a lucrative money-making venture?
First, you will need a business name.
Many business leaders believe that it is easy to choose the right title. Many business leaders believe that they can choose the perfect name in an instant after creating their website or products. Naming a company is not always that easy.
Many business owners have trouble coming up with names that make sense for their company.
How do you start?
First, you need to realize that choosing a business name is not something you can do quickly or in a hurry. Your company’s name is vital to its future. Your name will be the first thing your audience sees about you for many years. Imagine if Google had not chosen its amazing title or Amazon had called itself “The Book Marketplace”.
You will need to spend time, money, and effort to find a new name for your brand.
You will be able to increase your chances of success by understanding the importance of choosing a name for your online business and a URL.
Why is it important to choose a business name?
Let’s get it simple Why should you care about choosing the right business name?
Your audience’s first impression of your company is your company name. Your URL or name will be the first thing people see when they visit your website. Your customer could abandon your brand if you choose the wrong title or make it confusing.
Your business name and URL can be thought of as a physical address for your store or business. Your address will be a key indicator of your personality in the real world. They will be able to tell if you are in a good area, where you live, and what other businesses you are close to.
Your business name and URL online will tell your customers how much money you have invested in your brand and how hard you work to make sure they find you. Your URL and name are the foundations of your company’s brand. If you get your name wrong, even the most well-designed website, product and marketing campaign, people won’t fall in love.
Even business names can be emotionally charged. Take Coca Cola as an example. Coca Cola isn’t the only similar drink on the market. It’s not because of its branding that it is the most popular. Names are a key part of coke’s branding. They convey the company’s unique flavors and personalities to the world. The right name
- This is the first impression your audience will make. Your name will be the most memorable thing about you to your customers. Your name will be remembered long before your logo grabs attention or your customer sees your website.
- Keeps your audience’s attention: A good name will help keep your brand in their minds. It will make it easier for them remember you and to associate you with a solution for a specific problem.
- Stays consistent: Your brand’s name is one of few constants. It is more durable and useful than any other investment you can make in your business. Your name will always remain the same, even though the products or services you sell may change.
- Attracts the Right Audience: Different names may appeal to different types of audiences. Your customers will be able to identify the type of business you have and what they can expect from you when they purchase from you by what title they choose.
- Makes it easier to find. By choosing the right name and URL for you business online, you can increase your chances of users finding you first when they are looking to purchase an item.
What is a great business name?
Before you can pick a URL for your company you will need to know the name of the URL. How do you choose the right name for your brand?
There is no one-size fits all approach. Sometimes, a new company will brainstorm with their entire team and seek out a name that is memorable with a group creative colleagues. Others prefer to hire a professional to create a unique name for them or a list of names.
It is also important to note that there are many styles of great business names.
Google is one of the companies that has had great success in coming up with unique names. These one-word business names are great for attracting the attention of their target audience. Companies like Body Shop excelled at using descriptive names that allow their customers to easily understand what they do and how they sell it.
There is no single way to choose the right business name. However, there are some things that must be considered. All business names must be:
- Original The last thing you want for your customers is to associate your company with another brand. It is not a good idea to try and duplicate the success of another company’s name. It is more common than not to confuse your target audience and make it difficult to create a memorable brand. You also run the risk of being sued for copyright or trademark violations if your name is similar to another title in the marketplace. Many companies have trademarks and copyrights to protect their name against copycats. This could land you in serious trouble.
- Meaningful:Business owners today have to choose a name that is both meaningful and descriptive. Your future growth could be limited if your name is too descriptive, such as “Top Shoes Canada”. What if you wanted to sell other clothes than shoes or expand your brand internationally? A name that isn’t meaningful is also not helpful. Use descriptive titles to give meaning to your name, instead of descriptive ones. The name “Amazon”, for example, is a descriptive title that makes it easy to imagine a vast and exotic location. This makes it perfect for an online marketplace.
- Simple:In an age where so many business names are already trademarked and claimed by other companies, it’s easy to make your name more complicated in order to stand out. If your title is difficult to spell, or to pronounce, it will increase the likelihood that your audience won’t remember you. A complicated name can be more difficult to share with others which will reduce your chances of word-of-mouth marketing. To ensure you don’t choose something too complicated, you should run your name ideas by your team before investing.
- Visually Appealing Names:Visual appeal should not be the first thing companies consider when choosing a name. It’s important to remember that many of your customers can find your brand online or via apps in today’s digital age. You should consider how your name will look in logo format or written down. It might be helpful to think about how your name will appear when it is used to describe a smartphone application.
- Memorable A simple name will make your moniker memorable. There are many other things you can do to increase the likelihood of your name being remembered by your customers. Think about the emotional impact your name can have on your customers. Your audience will remember your title if it makes them feel something.
- Personality To have an emotional impact on your brand, your name must reflect the image you want to project. Take Innocent Smoothies as an example. Their name conveys purity, which is a great choice for a drink made with all-natural ingredients. Consider what vibes would work best with your name or brand.
- Availability You must have the name you choose to represent your brand. You should have the right to trademark or copy the title. You should also check if you are able to get the name of any social media sites you sign up for.
What are the most popular styles of business names?
There are many styles available for business names. Some names are clear and highlight the purpose or function of the company. Others are more imaginative and can be used to stimulate your imagination.
Most of the business names you will come up with when you brainstorm with your team are simple. Many companies choose their names based on the type of business they are running or the products they plan to sell. But, choosing the right business name is not always easy.
Simple business names may not be memorable enough to make a lasting impression on customers. However, it can be difficult to find a unique name for your online company when you want to conduct a trademark search or get ownership.
Companies don’t stick with the first business name they think of. Many brands explore their brand identity and come up with new names.
These are the top options and examples of styles that are in fashion, to inspire you.
Descriptive business names
Descriptive names or “Obvious” names are titles that help you to understand the purpose or function of a business before you visit their website. PC World, for example, is a descriptive name that explains exactly what you can expect from the brand. These names can make it easier for customers to understand your organization’s values, but they can also be difficult to own. It’s possible that another company has already bought the name. Even if the name is memorable, it might not be very appealing to your customers.
Names of Founders
Sometimes, a company may have difficulty coming up with a name for itself. In these cases, the founder’s name is used instead. This is a great option for those who want to merge the growth of their company with their personal brand. This has been proven to work for companies like JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, and Walt Disney.
There is a possibility that someone with the same title as you has already started a business with their name as the name. If they don’t already know much about you, your founder’s name may not tell them much about your business. These titles are more personal and creative than traditional “descriptive” names.
Creative Business Names
You can do something truly unique with your brand if you want to go beyond descriptive titles and founder names. Google is one example of a company that used a creative name to make their organization stand apart from the rest. Sometimes, a creative name can be built on an existing word. For example, Google is a typo of Gogol. You might choose to design your name from letters or sounds you like. The founder of Kodak, for example, chose the name because he loved K.
Keep in mind that creative names may not tell your audience much about the business. They can also be difficult to remember. They are however more easily brandable than any other type name.
Abbreviations & Acronyms
If the name they are proposing is too long, some companies prefer to use abbreviations and initials as their primary title. It is easier to remember a few letters than a large number of words. Abbreviations can also have complications.
When your audience searches for you online, it is possible for them to not know which AT&T or AT and T order letters to use. This can also be a problem for customers who are still familiar with your name. These names don’t have much emotional or symbolic meaning. Until they get to know you, these names won’t mean much to customers.
Compound Business Names
You might want to be creative with your name but can’t think of a new word. You might consider a blend or compound name. This is when two words are combined to create a new name. For example, take Microsoft and Facebook as examples.
It is easier to create compound names and they have a more immediate meaning than creative ones. They can also look a bit unprofessional. It might take your audience longer to remember your compound name than a simple Google title.
Beautiful names
An evocative term is a great way to give customers a sense of your business and be creative with your name. This means you choose a word with meaning and then use it to describe your company. Amazon, for example, is not a name that refers to selling large quantities of products or services. It does however draw attention to the idea of vast spaces and exotic concepts.
Another example of a evocative name is Apple. Although it doesn’t say much at first about technology, it is likely to lead you to think about innovation (Isaac Newton) and growth. It’s a great way to give meaning to your company without being too obvious. They can be difficult to trademark. You also run the risk of your name being misunderstood by your target audience.
Many business names can be based on this strategy. The name Nike, which was used for the clothing and sports company, actually came from a foreign word that refers to the Goddess of victory. It is often easier to come up with great names by using words already in use than it is to create a new name for your business.
Prefixed and suprafixed names
The prefixed or suffixed type of name is a simple but effective option. You simply add letters to an existing word. You could use Shopify or Foundr as an example. These names are easy to remember and spell easily, but they may not be as inspiring as some of the creative naming options available to companies today.
It’s important to note that names with suffixes or prefixes can seem unusual and abstract if not thought through.
How to Brainstorm Name Ideas
You now have a good idea of what types of business names are available. Now you can start thinking up some amazing ideas.
Before you start brainstorming, there are some important things you should consider.
- Your products and services
- Your target audience
- Your company’s value proposition or identity
Talk to your team members and consider what message you want to send with your name. Are you trying to make people understand your products and services from the first time they see you name? Or do you just want to give them a sense of the type of company you are. Also, think about who you are trying to reach and what emotions they want to experience when they read your name out loud. For example, the name “YouTube”, for example, has a different feeling than “HSBC Bank”.
Many companies brainstorm multiple times using different combinations of people to create a longer list to inspire them. These names can be used to search for trademarks and domain availability. This will allow them to see if they are suitable for small businesses.
These steps will be followed once you are ready:
Your Brand Naming Guidelines
Although it might be tempting to immediately start brainstorming, it is a good idea not to. It’s better to think about the goals you want to achieve with your new name. It’s easy for people to lose sight of the goal and drift off-track if they don’t have any guidelines. To keep your company on track, think about the name you want. Ask yourself these questions:
- What message do I want with this name?
- Is it difficult to remember my name?
- What impact should this name have?
- What words and sounds should I avoid?
The Brainstorming Session is launched
Now that you have your guidelines, it’s time to get creative and start brainstorming. You should think carefully about your brand’s ethos, the products and services you will offer, and your personality. When you are ready, create three lists.
- The first list will include all keywords you can think of that are relevant to your company and brand. Consider any technical terms, phrases, or words that resonate with you and your audience.
- The names of your rivals and businesses you admire will be on the second list. Find out what you like or dislike about these names. Use your responses to help you find the right name for your business.
- This third list will include names you likely created while making previous lists. These are the most useful lists for generating ideas for your next name. When creating this list, keep in mind your selling proposition.
Take a step back and then go back to the list
It’s important that you take time to relax once your names are finalized. You might end up choosing the wrong name for your company if you focus too much on the search. It is important to take a step back and allow yourself to be able to think about your audience.
After you have taken some time off from your naming process you can return to the list. Consider whether any names stuck with you during the break. Did you have a particular title that you couldn’t get rid of? This could be the title you were looking for.
Unique names have a remarkable ability to stay in the minds of those who hear them. It’s worth looking through your list to determine if any names are sticky before you visit a domain registrar such as GoDaddy.
Do a basic availability check
Once you have a list of names you are most interested in using, it is time to move on to the next step – checking for availability. It is relatively easy to check the availability of potential titles at first. You can search for the name using a search engine such as Google to find companies with a similar title.
You can also run your name through an online trademark database. The US patent and trademarks system is known as TESS (Trademark Electronic Search System). This can be used to determine if a name is already taken. After you have confirmed that your name is not being taken by another person, you need to make sure you can get the URL and domain you desire. You should aim for a URL ending with.com.
There are many domain options available, but.com has more history and value than any other. A.com URL will demonstrate to your customers that your company is serious about your brand. You should also check the availability of your name in other online places. You will need to ensure that your chosen business name can be used on social media platforms and forums.
Check your Names
You now have a good idea of which top names are available.
This can be done in many ways. You can ask your customers or colleagues to create a sample group and assess your names. Ask them to rate the names on memorability and meaning. Another option is to give your customers a list with the names you like, and ask them to vote for their favourite. You could also give the same list to your team members and ask them to vote for their favorite. After a few weeks, you will find out which names they are most fond of.
Your name is an expensive investment. Spending some time testing your URL and title before you pay will help reduce the risk of making a mistake. You should also make sure you check any foreign words in your name list to avoid any misunderstandings. In the past, there have been many instances where companies chose a unique name and then discovered that it was not what they intended.
Register Your Name
Once you have decided on the name that you would like to use, you can register it. After you have done all of the testing, you can register your name to ensure that no one else has your title. This will allow you to build your brand around your name.
Even if you’re not sure what name you want, it may be worth registering the names you like, and then buying them in case you need them. It is usually not expensive to purchase a few domain names. This will also give you more time for making an informed decision.
Consider purchasing more versions of your name when you register your domain name. You might buy the.net or.org domain extensions along with.com to ensure that no one else can steal them. Once you have decided on the name you want to use, you can trademark your name.
Choose a brand name template: How to choose a business name for a clothing company
Need help selecting the right brand name?
We have created this template to help you choose a name for your clothing business. The clothing and fashion industry is one of the most difficult to distinguish in today’s market.
It is crucial to choose a brand that customers love in the clothing industry. Your clients will not only be looking at your brand name when they form an affinity with you business, but they will also be wearing it every day. It can be helpful to name your new company based on the type of business you are planning or your business plan.
How can you ensure that your name is relevant to your target audience?
Brainstorming
We have already mentioned that brainstorming is the first step in any naming process. This is where you gather the right people from your team to brainstorm about what title you should create in order to create a unique identity for your company. These are just a few things to consider when looking for a name within the fashion industry.
- What you plan to sell: Some companies create a brand around the particular fashion they will sell. Accessorize is a UK company. This can be dangerous in certain cases as you may not be able sell other products or branch out.
- You can make your business name memorable. Your business name should be short and easy so customers will remember you easily. Fashion industry professionals prefer a short, simple name that is easy to spell and easy to pronounce. This also makes it more likely that your logo will look appealing when printed on clothing.
- Aesthetics: The clothing industry is the most important. You need to be very careful about how your name will look written down. It’s important that your business name is memorable when spoken out loud. However, it should look great printed on a tee-shirt, bag or pair of shoes.
Transforming the business’s value
Before you start narrowing down your options for a business name that is compelling, think about how your name will communicate the company’s value. What tone are you trying to create with the content you have created so far for your website? What kind of personality would you like your brand to project?
Take a look at the personas of your customers to ensure that your brand has the right “soul”. Your fashion brand will not appeal to teenagers and younger people if it isn’t creating maternity clothing.
Changing your outlook to be the type of company customers want is one of the best ways you can attract loyal fans to your organization. It’s not enough to have a unique name that looks good on WordPress. Your unique name should reflect your brand and online business.
You must ensure that it is unique
Names for any industry are important to make your company stand out. It’s especially important in the fashion industry where customers will wear your logo everywhere they go.
Do not underestimate the power of a unique logo or identity for your company. You can get ideas from your competitors but that should not be used to influence the name you choose. Avoid using names that are too similar to those of your competitors.
Ralph Lauren is a prime example of the dangers associated with using similar names to your competitors. Ralph Lauren filed a lawsuit against U.S Polo ASSN in 1984 for using a identical logo that included the word “polo” in its design. Before you decide on the name of your company, do a trademark search.
Your Name is on the Test
Companies often neglect this step of branding, which is why they have difficulty choosing a URL and name. It’s easy to rush through the process of selecting a name when a business leader is keen to launch their venture, and make money.
It is dangerous to choose a name in a hurry, especially in the fashion industry. It is important not to rush the process as you may end up ruining your brand by choosing the wrong name. You can test your name by having it run through potential customers or coworkers. Ask them to share their thoughts and feelings when they hear or see your moniker written down.
Select your name
You’ll finally be able to choose the name that will remain with your company for many years. Take your time and evaluate all information before you choose your name.
Before you make a commitment to the title, it’s a smart idea to do some research. You should ensure that the name you choose doesn’t have any repercussions in other markets in the future. Also, make sure to look up the name you plan on using and ensure that it is available in a.com URL and as various social media handles.
