debate Is passing the Radio test mandatory?

[ivey]

While writing my last post, I was inspired to bring this forward. My last post was about brandables, and particularly those that switch a letter from the real word or doubles a letter but keeping the sounding the same. Example: Lift to lyft.

1. IMO, passing the radio test is a huge plus but it is in no way a end it all... If someone gave me Kuba.com right now, I would be following the bandwagon by saying, well it doesn't start with "C" so I'll pass. Or I'll have to explain it starts with a "K'?? Really people. Just say Kuba with a K. That actually makesit sound cooler and more memorable to them. 99% of sites I visit were not from hearing it over the radio. And I know, it's not literally just over a radio alone. Yes, word of mouth too. Someone once told me to go to fiverr and even spelling it fiver, that didn't stop me from finding it through google in 5 seconds. Even if someone said go to lyft.com. It takes one percent common sense to figure out the spelling. Even if I first skipped google and enter lift in the url.. I would realize something is off and do a 5 second search and boom. obviously the word has to be related to a car service which would be known from the word of mouth. And lyft even becomes more memorable.
2. Also, Logos(branding) and marketing plays a huge role! The moment I see a logo, or ad, I naturally relate whatever the spelling is to the service offered. Houzz.com is a horriffic spelling but they are doing fine and honestly i saw it once in some article and haven't forgotten it since. Actually i havent forgotten it because it is spelled so bad!!!! I probably would have forgotten housemaking.com, not because it isnt a clear and good name, but its not very memorable. Please I'm not saying brandables are better.. than a real word like Cuba. But I am saying we have to stop with that radio test thing being the Sheriff..
3. That leads me to service/product: If you really offer something people want, or need or love,, they will find your website even it is fiverr, or obadaga(free to reg) or skool.com. The service offered is understood and people will connect it in a simple search... if I can make screenshots and paste it at Snag.gy.. ohh you better believe I'll remember that name...I'll remember it over takescreenshots.com.
4. Now, the only situation left is meeting someone new on the go and you want to quickly share the name of your website business. Honesty in my experience, I forget real names easier than made up names. If your name is Jeff I'll forget it 30 seconds after you tell me. Be honest here people???? If your name is bananahead, i'll remember you. That's why i remember everyone on namepros.

A real word will always rule like a .com, and this is not an argument preferring a brandable over real word but rather a argument to say we can't count out all brandables because they don't pass a radio test. Sometimes the easy sounding, general name is boring and easier to forget. 99% of my investments are in twoword brandables, but I do support made up words. Some are crap but some works excellently in IMO. LYFT just seem cooler than lift.... and you better believe that the way you make people feel matters. Sometimes that's all that matters.

what's your opinion? Do your think passing the radio test is a must?

 

[HotKey]

Nope, not a must. Dot-com and hacks exempted from this. They are ubiquitous, and easily branded. Almost anything flows with dot-com. But with nGTLD's, it is more strict. The right-of-the-dot is too specific to the overall name to allow twists from the left.

 

[aramyus]

There may be a few exceptions for short names (up to 4l) but I'd also say it's mandatory.

It poses many problems to run a business with a non intuitive name. There's no need to add such a risk when you start a new business.

 

[Kate]

Q: Is passing the Radio test mandatory ?
A: Not really, unless of course you will be advertising the name on the radio !

 

[ivey]

There may be a few exceptions for short names (up to 4l) but I'd also say it's mandatory.

It poses many problems to run a business with a non intuitive name. There's no need to add such a risk when you start a new business.

Risk is a word that can be a double edged sword. It can be more risky to use plain non brandable words at times over creative ones. It's playing it safe, but people don't always remember words that play it safe. I don't even remember people's name after they tell me unless it stands out.
And you say especially when starting a new business? I think that's a doubled edge. Because a business name is not something you just change like clothes...if you start and establish a name that's common.. And realize it doesn't stand out in the future...then rebranding is no joke.

Companies are realizing that people remember easier and long term not based on how easy a name is to spell but on how it makes people feel and how fresh and shocking the name sounds while keeping it true to the brand.

I don't even think I ever visited travel.com, but I sure remember Expedia or travelocity and others...

 

[WatchDogue]

No, for most of my domain name purposes passing the radio test is icing on the cake but not mandatory!

I domain in the shallow end of the pool - niche marketplace with EMDs or common use
niche term combos.

I appear to fall under Section 3 - people manage to find the site " on their own " or by word-of-mouth.

Were I to try and launch a major/big time site or product launch I would place more emphasis on the radio test.

 

[doubleU]

....
I'm thinking the 'Radio Test' will become even more important when 'Voice Command' becomes the norm !
....
With the advent of VR and related technologies 'Voice Command' will be in much greater demand.
Passing the 'Radio Test' may become a crucial factor for success to some in these environments.

 

[Nappy Bunch]

I think that in the future it will be more important as voice search will be the way people search for things rather than with text.

 

[Sulabh Sharma]

I don't think so it's mandatory to pass a radio test. But not passing it might create problems like loosing visitors.

 

[AEProgram]

Facebook is acquiring Kustomer.com (the company not just the name). Kustomer is a product for businesses not for the end consumer and for those I think the radio test is less important.

Misspells are also tempting for the buyer because usually the price difference is extreme so you have that anchoring effect in a way. Imagine you just saw Homes.com listed (its not) for 5 million and then you see Homez.com (not mine) for a small fraction of that you might feel its a great deal.

The other thing to consider is what is happening with the right spelling? Is it a dead site or is it your competition? In the Homez.com example the domain homes.com is developed, if you plan on doing something like the correct spelling it would be a bad idea.

People like to compare lyft to all mispells. Lift.com has nothing to do with what lyft offers and who knows if we ever would have heard of lyft if they didn't raise a few hundred million dollars (later on they raised even more).

 

[karmaco]

Facebook is acquiring Kustomer.com (the company not just the name). Kustomer is a product for businesses not for the end consumer and for those I think the radio test is less important.

Misspells are also tempting for the buyer because usually the price difference is extreme so you have that anchoring effect in a way. Imagine you just saw Homes.com listed (its not) for 5 million and then you see Homez.com (not mine) for a small fraction of that you might feel its a great deal.

The other thing to consider is what is happening with the right spelling? Is it a dead site or is it your competition? In the Homez.com example the domain homes.com is developed, if you plan on doing something like the correct spelling it would be a bad idea.

People like to compare lyft to all mispells. Lift.com has nothing to do with what lyft offers and who knows if we ever would have heard of lyft if they didn't raise a few hundred million dollars (later on they raised even more).

Lyft does have to do with lift. Never heard the phrase let me give you a lift? Lift means to pick something up so yes it does apply.

I agree mispellings can be lucrative. Only one entity can own the dictionary word correct spelling and very few have inclination or budget to buy that name if its even available.

I think lately we are seeing a trend towards dictionary word in other extensions and mispellings are taking a slight dip.

Just watched a commercial for Shipt. There is no accounting for taste so there is always a chance even in the worst spellings.