How to choose a name for your online shop

A successful shop name will help your brand be recognizable and gain more loyal customers.  According to Tony Hale, 55% of visitors to a website will leave after 15 seconds. The only thing they will have time to read is the name, so it needs to be memorable and, at the same time, associated with something positive.

A successful shop name will help your brand be recognizable and gain more loyal customers. Customer Thermometer research shows that 65% of consumers have an emotional connection with brands, and the subconscious perception of a particular brand is the deciding factor. According to Tony Hale, 55% of visitors to a website will leave after 15 seconds. The only thing they will have time to read is the name, so it needs to be memorable and, at the same time, associated with something positive.

How to make up a name for your online shop

Original name

Examples: Amazon, Asos, Allegro.

Online shop names like these have nothing to do with the products you sell. They are focused on creating a brand identity. The advantages of such titles are that they are unique, related solely to you and do not create problems with domain selection or business pages in social networks. The disadvantage is that the Unique name needs more time to be remembered by people. In addition, it is unclear to customers from the first impression what the business does.

A name that corresponds to a niche product

Examples: Urban Outfitters, FootLocker, HomeGoods.

In this case, the name coincides with the main keyword for your business. This technique is mainly used when SEO is a priority for the online shop. Such a name is simple and straightforward, but this can have the opposite effect - there is a risk that the title will be too primitive. If something exciting and concise is already taken, you should look for a more original name using other techniques.

Combination of the two

Examples: MobiKing, Uniqlo, U-buy.

The business keyword in the name is combined with other words to form an acronym. It is possible to modify the keyword, but in such a way that the root is clear to users. This method allows you to take advantage of an SEO-oriented name while at the same time creating a unique name.

How to create a name for an online shop: tips

Keep it short and straightforward

A short name is quickly remembered, easily pronounced and fits easily into the header of your online shop's homepage. But coming up with one can be tricky. New brands launch every day. Therefore, names you like are sure to appeal to someone else as well.

• Try different combinations of short words. Rhyming or repetitive words like boohoo or Be-Be are good to remember.

• Make up a new word or change an existing one slightly. The names of technology brand like Google, eBay and Skype are familiar and recognizable, even though they are not actual words.

• Use words with a personal meaning. It could be a pseudonym for your significant other, a pet name, or your last name. Using a private name makes it easier to identify your shop on a personal level. An example is John Lewis, Marks & Spencer.

Take care of the domain

Technically, there is no difference in what domain zone to register the name for your online store. But you should consider the division into international zones - .com, .org, .net, .info, and regional, which are the zones of countries. Before naming an online store, find out whether domains are available for registration. It may be complicated to find .com since it is the most popular TLD and has been around for a long time. If .com is unavailable for the name you want, you can use other TLDs.

If your online store targets a particular market, and you have a trademark, it is better to register a domain in a regional area, for example, pl. All other things being equal, when ranking on the regional query, it will receive an advantage in prominence, as opposed to a similar site in the international zone. It is also essential to ensure that you are legally allowed to use the name you invented. The only 100% way to find out is to consult a lawyer.

Check the reputation of the name

In a Google search, you should check which pages come up with the potential name of your company. It will help avoid situations where this is the name of an underhanded company with bad reviews and dissatisfied customers. You should also check Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. It will help avoid reputational losses in the future.

Conclusions

Choosing a name for an online store is a full-fledged part of the work, which will later produce noticeable results. To successfully choose an online store name, you should choose the right type of name, take care of a free domain, make sure that the title has a good reputation, etc.