It’s inevitable, really, but these days the internet is jam-packed full of things that all sound the same, and the brands just tend to blend into each other, especially when you’ve got websites that all promise the same things and products using similar but complicated names because all the good ones were taken ages ago (or so it seems). It’s like the online world has hit a saturation point, and that’s an issue when you want to stand out.
So that’s why naming is so important because it’s not not a label – when it’s done right, it can tell the customer everything they need to know about you, and it’ll help them remember you much better. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more about why naming things matters again.
A Name Can Get You Attention
People scroll through the internet or social media really fast, hardly actually taking anything in – they’ll just skim without thinking, and they’ll rely on their instinct or the algorithm before they’ll stop and really look at something. But if you’ve got a good name, that’s going to be noticed much more, and it literally gives them something to latch on to. And the opposite is true too – a boring or forgettable name just blends into everything else and becomes a bit of a blur.
So when someone sees a brand name that actually means something, they’re much more likely to stop and pay some attention, and even if that’s only for a moment, that could be enough, especially if a lot of people do it. You don’t need to be wild and bold, but you do need to be clear and different, and there has to be some thought put into your name as well.
The Internet Has Trained Us
Something that probably no one thought would happen but that’s happened nonetheless is that people can sense when something’s been done in a rush online, and they’ll know when something was done without any care put into it – they might not consciously think about it, but they’ll still just instinctively know it. That’s probably because there’s so much out there that after a while, we get to know what feels right and what’s just been done for the sake of it.
The names that work are the ones that people feel happy with because they give off the idea that they’ve been considered and contemplated. That suggests the business behind them knows who it is and isn’t trying to pretend or hide behind anything, and of course, you don’t have to explain absolutely everything, but it’s good to get people interested enough for them to want to know more.
The Digital Clutter Problem Made Naming Even Harder
As more people and businesses came online, the number of simple but powerful names reduced drastically, and suddenly there were numbers everywhere or words were spelled strangely all for the sake of securing the .com. You’d lose vowels, random letters appeared, and words got smashed together, but although you might have ended up with a website and a logo that didn’t copy anyone else, you also ended up with a name that didn’t mean anything and no one understood.
It’s true that creativity is a big part of choosing a name, but creativity isn’t the same as confusion, which is definitely something you should avoid. People want to be able to search for you online, spell your name properly, and, crucially, they need to be able to remember it. So that’s why naming has gone back to being simple because the best names are the ones that feel natural and readable.
Domains Became Identity Markers Not Just URLs
It’s quite funny how something as technical as a domain name became something so personal, but the fact is that choosing a domain used to be more of a small logistical task, but now it’s so much more because it means so much more, and it’s a way in – literally – to your business.
The fact is, businesses use their domain as a sign of legitimacy, and creators use it as proof that they’re able to do more than ‘just’ post on social media. Then there’s community groups, hobbyists, educators, and more – everyone wants some space online they can call home.
And because so many names are taken, people rely on tools that can help them explore all kinds of variations nice and quickly. One of those tools is a bulk domain search tool that can find what’s available, but also help you with other ideas you might not have thought of so you can be one hundred percent happy with your final choice. After all, once it’s in place and people start visiting, it’s tricky to change it without disrupting everything you’re building.
When You’re Naming, You Have To Be Honest
One unexpected benefit of the internet’s identity crisis is that it made businesses think a lot more deeply about who they are. When naming was easy, people just grabbed the first idea they liked and built their business around it, but now, because options are more limited, you’ve got to really know what your business is about and how it’s going to help people before you can choose the right name.
If you take a look at some newer brands, you might notice their names feel quite a lot more personal and perhaps more emotional than older ones, and that’s because the owners have had to think more about what their business does, how it does it, and how that makes people feel. Since emotions stick with you even if you can’t remember specifics, that’s actually a smart idea.
Final Thoughts
We’re almost at a point when a lot of the internet is essentially resetting itself and that’s because people are looking for the real deal – they want human brands, real creators, and, in the end, they want to work with businesses that have names that mean something and can be remembered. A simple name can say so much, and it’s worth spending the time to do it right.
