discuss What makes for a good brandable domain ? Showcase your brandables here

[oldtimer]

With thousands of startups needing a name for their new company and many more existing businesses also branching out all the time and needing names for their new line of products and services it seems that brandable domains is one of the areas that could be very beneficial to domainers both old and new and deserves to be explored further.

Below are a few points of discussion to get this thread started, if I have left something important out please let me know so that it can be added to them. If you have any tips or advice about brandable domains please feel free to share them with the rest of us.


1-What is a brandable domain.

2-How many different types of brandable domains are there and is one type better than the others.

3-What makes a brandable domain stand out amongst thousands of others.

4-What is the optimum length for a brandable domain, how long can a brandable domain be and still qualify as being a good choice.

5-What types of brandable domains are most desired by startups and existing businesses.

6-What is the best way to find brandable domains.

7-What is the best way to sell brandable domains.


Attention Newbies: It's probably best to first hear what some of the more experienced domainers have to say about this subject before you consider getting any domains, and even then it's probably best to experiment with just a few domains at a time. You should be able to sell one domain and then use the proceeds from that sale to get more domains, if you cannot even sell one domain then you are doing something wrong and need to adjust your strategy. IMO

 

[Mystiko]

Lovelogo is garbage. Namerific has some gems, but a lot of crap as well...plus a terrible name which erodes their credibility. BrandBucket is the only truly high quality brandable marketplace.

 

[equity78]

I thought this was an interesting infographic about brandables, I don't agree with the EMD being no longer effective, its how they are used.

 

[DEFLECTED]

Lovelogo is garbage. Namerific has some gems, but a lot of crap as well...plus a terrible name which erodes their credibility. BrandBucket is the only truly high quality brandable marketplace.

I think you're wrong: I think Lovelogo has some gems for the price range and their logos are much better, Namerific have some high quality names but pricey and Brandbucket have some good names but a load of questionable hand registered names and the logos are basic

 

[RaiderGirl]

Most of my sales are brandable names and I must say it's very rewarding to see these names developed into productive web sites.

My advice to any domainer considering brand domains, Think of business names that you would use if it was your business, If you were a Veterinarian, what would you name your business?, creativity goes a long way in domaining.

And if you get into brand domains, Do NOT expect sales to be rolling in, Brand domains are very SLOW moving, but when one hits, it really hits... Profit can be good, I picked a Pool drop for $160 beating out Saggydimes and Iater sold it for 8K, which is just one of many.

When a business invests in a name and they want the dot com, they open their wallets.. It's the start-ups that sometimes don't, going with a alternative name.

 

[oldtimer]

Most of my sales are brandable names

Hey RaiderGirl, what sales venues have you had the most success with or did you deal with the buyers directly. Also what type of brandables were those. (as far as 4L to 6L or made up words or other types).

I thought this was an interesting infographic about brandables,

Thanks for the infographic, just picked up Short Brandables ,com

 

[oldtimer]

Here are some great tips from Margot the CEO of BrandBucket (from the BrandBucket experience thread)

http://www.namepros.com/793278-brandbucket-experience-7.html#post4506678

 

[biggie]

Hi biggie, have you sold any brandable domains to any startups, if so what type of domains do you think they are more interested in, a multi keyword brandable or a single made up word brandable.

:talk:
I have sold brandables to buyers, but I wasn't concerned with the length of their existence prior to purchase

enough to get accepted at a place like BrandBucket. IMO

There are many different views of what makes a brandable domain but I think a good measuring stick is to look at what is listed on brandable marketplaces like LOVELOGO , NAMERIFIC & BRANDBUCKET

:talk:

I think you guys should be cautious of putting these sites and/or their spokespersons on pedestals, and using their content as measuring sticks or guidelines for picking "brandable" domain names.


after all, brandables existed before they did, because some of them used a brandable to label themselves.

what they "choose" to list from your list, does not make what was not chosen..... not what you thought it was....unless you let it.


yall feeling me...

 

[urlurl]

I agree with biggie. Just because those sites accept or reject a name doesn't make it more or less valuable - its just the type of name they are looking for or fits into their niche's.

I've had names rejected there before and ended up selling them privately for up to mid $x,xxx.

I've also seen some names that make me scratch my head and wonder how they got accepted.

you just need to use your gut feeling on names...and with time you will develop more experience and can tell yourself what is and is not a good name.

 

[Ms Domainer]

*

FWIW, if I were to be considering some brandable domains for a sales site, I would look for these domain characteristics:

--It would have to be pronounceable--no acronyms (unless they are very well known and not TM). Tongue twisters need not apply.

--The "word" would need to generally carry a positive connotation, suggesting trustworthiness and desirability. Some exceptions might include something like killz for a bug extermination company.

--Sound of word: Masculine sounds/words for a male type business and feminine sounds/words for female business. Yes, stereotypical, but, unfortunately, we still live in a stereotypical world, even in 2013.

--The term must "pop" at first glance and offer a hint of what kind of business the term suggests. I have been doing an extensive search on GoDaddy auctions, and I would have to say that, perhaps, 1% fall in that category. If I have to dither and question, then it may not be a good choice.

--For longer brandables, perhaps even a generic word could be a part of the term. For long brandables, the term should generally be no more than 10 letters and 3 syllables (always exceptions, of course). In any case, the term must be instantly memorable and create an earworm.

--The exact term must not infringe on an existing TM--particularly true of a made-up word and a well-known TM (such as Verizon). Some lesser known terms may be used in different non-competing businesses, but even here, one must tread carefully.

--It must be .com, at least for my site. Trying to brand any other TLD tends to be a fool's mission, as some major companies have discovered. A company may already have its ccTLD, but for a global presence, a .com would be a must.

--No hyphens or numbers, though I would consider "pairs" sold as one unit, such as Brand1 and BrandOne and Brand-x and Brandx.

--Preferably, the term should pass the radio test, but not doing so would not be a deal killer, especially if the term itself had visual/curb appeal.​

Here's an example of a great brandable that I saw on a sign here in Macedonia (which seems to have Roman alphabet signage almost as much as Cyrillic):

UNIQA​

Evidently, the company, which seems to be limited to Macedonia, does not own the .com (owned by a Tokyo software company), but operates via .mk.

That term just popped out for me, despite the so-called "bad" "Q."

What is your take on what constitutes a "good" brandable?

*

 

[Kate]

...
--The "word" would need to generally carry a positive connotation, suggesting trustworthiness and desirability. Some exceptions might include something like killz for a bug extermination company.

You nailed it, in fact a good brandable does more than carry a positive connotation, it conveys emotions.
For example, when I hear 'Expedia' my planned trip becomes an exciting adventure - yet I'm not planning anything close to a safari :wave:

Also another worthy comment from Margot that touches on linguistic considerations (very important)

...

In MONDOVO, the "vo" follows a vowel. In TAPVO, it follows a "p". "PV" is not a common sound combination, in any language. This makes it not only hard to say, but also hard to understand over the phone or in a crowded place

If you are going to build a global brand, you need to do in-depth market analysis, for instance letters like q w y are not part of the alphabet in several European languages (but still used for foreign words).

 

[biggie]

If you are going to build a global brand, you need to do in-depth market analysis, for instance letters like q w y are not part of the alphabet in several European languages (but still used for foreign words).

:talk:


here is some contrasting info, relating to so-called "non-premium letters" and their usage in brands.

http://neurocritic.blogspot.com/2010/12/why-are-letters-z-and-x-so-popular-in.html

imo...

 

[oldtimer]

Ms Domainer, These are very good points, thanks for sharing

Although on couple of them I might have a slightly different view:

“--The term must "pop" at first glance and offer a hint of what kind of business the term suggests.”

Although you might be able to find the right buyer for such terms eventually, but it might be better if the term is not limited to only a certain type of business, that way greater number of people might consider buying it. If you are choosing a name for your own business then I agree with you, but for resale the broader names are probably better to own.

"--For longer brandables, perhaps even a generic word could be a part of the term."

This is true, I just want to add that it doesn’t have to be the whole word, a partial generic word might actually work better by making the domain shorter, provided that it can still convey the same meaning.

IMO

*

FWIW, if I were to be considering some brandable domains for a sales site, I would look for these domain characteristics:

--It would have to be pronounceable--no acronyms (unless they are very well known and not TM). Tongue twisters need not apply.

--The "word" would need to generally carry a positive connotation, suggesting trustworthiness and desirability. Some exceptions might include something like killz for a bug extermination company.

--Sound of word: Masculine sounds/words for a male type business and feminine sounds/words for female business. Yes, stereotypical, but, unfortunately, we still live in a stereotypical world, even in 2013.

--The term must "pop" at first glance and offer a hint of what kind of business the term suggests. I have been doing an extensive search on GoDaddy auctions, and I would have to say that, perhaps, 1% fall in that category. If I have to dither and question, then it may not be a good choice.

--For longer brandables, perhaps even a generic word could be a part of the term. For long brandables, the term should generally be no more than 10 letters and 3 syllables (always exceptions, of course). In any case, the term must be instantly memorable and create an earworm.

--The exact term must not infringe on an existing TM--particularly true of a made-up word and a well-known TM (such as Verizon). Some lesser known terms may be used in different non-competing businesses, but even here, one must tread carefully.

--It must be .com, at least for my site. Trying to brand any other TLD tends to be a fool's mission, as some major companies have discovered. A company may already have its ccTLD, but for a global presence, a .com would be a must.

--No hyphens or numbers, though I would consider "pairs" sold as one unit, such as Brand1 and BrandOne and Brand-x and Brandx.

--Preferably, the term should pass the radio test, but not doing so would not be a deal killer, especially if the term itself had visual/curb appeal.​

Here's an example of a great brandable that I saw on a sign here in Macedonia (which seems to have Roman alphabet signage almost as much as Cyrillic):

UNIQA​

Evidently, the company, which seems to be limited to Macedonia, does not own the .com (owned by a Tokyo software company), but operates via .mk.

That term just popped out for me, despite the so-called "bad" "Q."

What is your take on what constitutes a "good" brandable?

*

"Why are the letters "z" and "x" so popular in drug names?"

Nice article Biggie,

I believe that the reason that Z and X have been used in many new drug names is simply the fact that there were more choices available with these two than other letters in alphabet. And also Z and X give a scientific (and in this case potent) feeling to the name. On top of that the fact that when you are sick you are part of a captive audience and if the doctor says you have to take Zeloxine (just an example that I made up) I guess you don’t care if the name sounds good or not as long as it makes you feel better. In a way the stranger the name is the more potent it makes it look, it’s kind of like the more bitter a drug tastes the more effective you might believe that it is. But this analogy doesn’t apply to other areas of branding since you don’t have a captive audience there and so the names have to be attractive and easy to say and remember (even if it starts with Z or X).

IMO

:talk:


here is some contrasting info, relating to so-called "non-premium letters" and their usage in brands.

http://neurocritic.blogspot.com/2010/12/why-are-letters-z-and-x-so-popular-in.html

imo...

 

[The Domain Wizard]

I tried to come up with some domain names after reading comments from Margot at BB, here on NP.

I submitted these names and see if Margot likes them.

DROPHOLD
VOICEVIA
GROUPICO

Margot mentioned that there is more demand for brandables with root names.

 

[Bootsy Collins]

Cool names, I like VOICEVIA and GROUPICO

Hope they are accepted for you pal

 

[oldtimer]

I tried to come up with some domain names after reading comments from Margot at BB, here on NP.

I submitted these names and see if Margot likes them.

DROPHOLD
VOICEVIA
GROUPICO

Margot mentioned that there is more demand for brandables with root names.

Those look interesting,

Maybe Margot can come here and prequalify our names before we submit them.

 

[hookbox]

*

FWIW, if I were to be considering some brandable domains for a sales site, I would look for these domain characteristics:

--It would have to be pronounceable--no acronyms (unless they are very well known and not TM). Tongue twisters need not apply.

--The "word" would need to generally carry a positive connotation, suggesting trustworthiness and desirability. Some exceptions might include something like killz for a bug extermination company.

--Sound of word: Masculine sounds/words for a male type business and feminine sounds/words for female business. Yes, stereotypical, but, unfortunately, we still live in a stereotypical world, even in 2013.

--The term must "pop" at first glance and offer a hint of what kind of business the term suggests. I have been doing an extensive search on GoDaddy auctions, and I would have to say that, perhaps, 1% fall in that category. If I have to dither and question, then it may not be a good choice.

--For longer brandables, perhaps even a generic word could be a part of the term. For long brandables, the term should generally be no more than 10 letters and 3 syllables (always exceptions, of course). In any case, the term must be instantly memorable and create an earworm.

--The exact term must not infringe on an existing TM--particularly true of a made-up word and a well-known TM (such as Verizon). Some lesser known terms may be used in different non-competing businesses, but even here, one must tread carefully.

--It must be .com, at least for my site. Trying to brand any other TLD tends to be a fool's mission, as some major companies have discovered. A company may already have its ccTLD, but for a global presence, a .com would be a must.

--No hyphens or numbers, though I would consider "pairs" sold as one unit, such as Brand1 and BrandOne and Brand-x and Brandx.

--Preferably, the term should pass the radio test, but not doing so would not be a deal killer, especially if the term itself had visual/curb appeal.​

Here's an example of a great brandable that I saw on a sign here in Macedonia (which seems to have Roman alphabet signage almost as much as Cyrillic):

UNIQA​

Evidently, the company, which seems to be limited to Macedonia, does not own the .com (owned by a Tokyo software company), but operates via .mk.

That term just popped out for me, despite the so-called "bad" "Q."

What is your take on what constitutes a "good" brandable?

*

I like UNIQA Ms domainer. People get bent out of shape with the letter Q but I like it.

 

[tradingdavid]

I thought this was an interesting infographic about brandables, I don't agree with the EMD being no longer effective, its how they are used.

Thanks! I assume the infographic service was in india which made communication difficult.

---------- Post added at 11:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:25 AM ----------

Lovelogo is garbage. Namerific has some gems, but a lot of crap as well...plus a terrible name which erodes their credibility. BrandBucket is the only truly high quality brandable marketplace.

I really like namerific's responsiveness, but they've been really helped in terms of quality by taking outside submissions.

 

[equity78]

Namerific put out a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dy0PIXQT6Qg

 

[biggie]

Those look interesting,

Maybe Margot can come here and prequalify our names before we submit them.

:talk:

dude, you should quit hype'n up folks

if she did come here and saw how you clowns (lovingly said) were regging crap off the top of your heads, just to submit a frickin list to bb.....i'd ban all y'all for spamming and justify it as....attempts to potentially sabotage the bb site and brand



don't you see how this practice will hurt the true quality and any standard, that others may perceive that they have.

geeez, some of y'all know how to fuck up good shit and run it into the ground, with the quickness


imo....

 

[oldtimer]

talk:

dude, you should quit hype'n up folks

if she did come here and saw how you clowns (lovingly said) were regging crap off the top of your heads, just to submit a frickin list to bb.....i'd ban all y'all for spamming and justify it as....attempts to potentially sabotage the bb site and brand



don't you see how this practice will hurt the true quality and any standard, that others may perceive that they have.

geeez, some of y'all know how to fuck up good shit and run it into the ground, with the quickness


imo....

Don’t get bent out of shape biggie, didn’t you see the smiley face at the end of my comment, I didn’t actually expect her to come here and evaluate our names, they have an easy system for submitting names to them at BrandBucket.

Your wording makes it look like as if you are waiting to sabotage this thread

Well the cat is out of the bag and everyone already knows about brandable domains.

IMO

 

[biggie]

Don’t get bent out of shape biggie, didn’t you see the smiley face at the end of my comment, I didn’t actually expect her to come here and evaluate our names, they have an easy system for submitting names to them at BrandBucket.

Your wording makes it look like as if you are waiting to sabotage this thread

Well the cat is out of the bag and everyone already knows about brandable domains.

IMO

:talk:

bulllll-shiiiit!!

if, she agreed to do it, you'd be first in line


as for me throwing a wrench is this lovefest, don't forget....I was asked to post in this thread and share my knowledge


and that's what i'm doing, sharing "both sides" of the kiz-zoin, from my perspective


i have to call it like i see it....

 

[oldtimer]

:talk:

bulllll-shiiiit!!

if, she agreed to do it, you'd be first in line


as for me throwing a wrench is this lovefest, don't forget....I was asked to post in this thread and share my knowledge


and that's what i'm doing, sharing "both sides" of the kiz-zoin, from my perspective


i have to call it like i see it....

Thanks for sharing your thoughts biggie,

So what do you want us to do now, stop posting in this thread, well that's fine with me since I am too bussy looking for more brandable domains.

 

[biggie]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts biggie,

So what do you want us to do now, stop posting in this thread, well that's fine with me since I am too bussy looking for more brandable domains.

:talk:

nope


keep doing what you been doing, cosigning new reggs and giving words of encouragement

folks like folks like that, cuz that makes them feel good inside about their decisions

me, i can't mislead or give false hope


we just different

imo..

 

[oldtimer]

:talk:

nope


keep doing what you been doing, cosigning new reggs and giving words of encouragement

folks like folks like that, cuz that makes them feel good inside about their decisions

me, i can't mislead or give false hope


we just different

imo..

Biggie, it's okay to be different, your opinion is valuable even if it's contradictory to others as long as things are kept civil.

 

[Arief WN]

Local Brandables

How about local brandables?
Do you have some names that popular in your country as brands?

For examples, just look at these popular brands in my country:
indosiar, indomaret, indofood, indomie, indovision, indosat, indocafe, indotrading, indomilk, indopharma, etc...

So, the pattern 'indo + keyword/product/service name' is considered a popular and familiar brand in Indonesia. :bingo:


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Btw, let me summarizes some good points on this niche. :gl:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Marketplaces:

- Namerific.com
- LoveLogo.com
- BrandBucket.com
- NamePerfection.com
- etc...

Some :kickass: Tips from the Founder of BB:

...
One thing we've noticed on types of names that I should point out, however, is that
names with a dictionary word root, or two-word combination names, seem to sell a little better than completely made up words.

We have fewer of these because our decision criteria makes it harder to find a good one,
but it seems customers are drawn to them more often because they connect emotionally to the word(s) in the name.

Examples:
- Root word name: Cloudico
- Two-word, same first letter/sound: BrandBucket
- Two-word, same vowel sound: DropBox
- Two-word, same vowel sound (stretching it): BrownSparrow
- Two-word, same last sound: PortSuite
- Two-word, semi-generic but industry relevant: HyperPixel
- Two-word, common phrase: YeahBoy

These types of names _usually_, but not always, are priced higher than the made-up/vessel names on our site.

Some Nice Tips from a :great::

This is such a subjective market and risky.
...
Usually there is no parking revenue so holding 100's of these names could get expensive.

Here are some things to look for when buying brandables:

- Does it make sense, is there a partial word or meaning in it, like a bido, fiverr, digg, etc.

- 'Radio test' some buyers want to be able to say the name without spelling it.

- Shorter the better.

- Pronounceable is a must.

- Random 5 and 6 letter combinations don't constitute a brandable name.

- There is no expert in this game as the only expert is the end user who likes your name.

- Best acid test; before buying a name, think to yourself "Would I personally use this name myself to build a site?".

- Trying to hand reg a few letter combinations thinking they would make a good brandable name will leave you poor.
...