Finding a brand name is the first step in starting a business
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 10:51 am
The decision to choose a brand name is strategic in nature, but is often made for tactical reasons, especially in digitally oriented companies. A mistake, as explained in the following article.
Table of contents [ Hide ]
1
2 Tasks and functions of the brand name
3 Start-Ups & New Founders Should Choose Brand Names Strategically
4 The problem of a tactically chosen brand name using the example of the SEO industry
5 Rebranding as a way out of the dead end is possible
6 Make the selection of the brand name strategic, not tactical
Tasks and functions of the brand name
The brand name , in conjunction with the logo, is the recognizable feature of a brand and is therefore the most important element of a brand strategy. The logo and the brand name are the battery for brand messages, emotions, reputation and everything I do around a company. It represents the company and is therefore not simply interchangeable in a sustainable strategy.
The brand name is initially a blank slate and only has an impact through its tone. The more marketing , branding and activities are carried out under the brand name, the more the external perception of the brand name as a representative can change for the better or for the worse.
The brand name's primary task is not to represent the thematic field of activity of a company . Especially at the start, it makes sense to provide the brand name itself with theme-related attributes, claims, etc., such as Aufgesang Inbound Marketing . The brand name is Aufgesang. The attribute is Inbound Online Marketing .
This is important because, especially in the first few years, you need this self-assigned thematic allocation in order to position yourself thematically on the market. As already mentioned, you are a blank slate at the beginning and in most cases the market cannot immediately make a connection between brand and topic. In the long term, you should repeatedly place your brand name in the right thematic context using PR and marketing measures. For example, brands such as Coca Cola, Mercedes, CeBIT, Apple or Google no longer have to communicate their brand name in combination with other information in order to place the brand in a thematic context. The brand names are so contextually charged that the market knows what these brands do and what they stand for. Achieving this state is the goal of all strategic branding.
This doesn't just apply to big brands or corporations, but to any company that wants to establish and maintain a permanent position in one or more subject areas. Only the dimensions are different. Popularity on a broad social basis, such as that achieved by Nike , Mercedes or Google, is usually not the focus for medium-sized and small companies. The goal should be to establish yourself in your market or target group in the respective thematic context.
This also makes sense from a ranking point of view, as you can assign an attribute to the brand as an entity, with which it will appear again and again in connection. In the long term, you should link the brand with other attributes through SEO, marketing and PR. (More on this: Semantic optimization on Google: From the entity to the brand ).
But many companies from the "first digital" generation, such as Autoscout and Immobilienscout, chose their brand names according to a specific tactical pattern. Thematic proximity and keywords were the most important criteria for choosing a brand name. To understand this better, a brief look back at the pioneering economic days of the online economy gambling data romaniabetween 2000 and 2010 is enough. This period can also be described as the "Golden Affiliate Age". Keyword domains were very popular because Google made it relatively easy to rank for high-volume search terms . The first generation of SEOs also emerged from this time. They acted primarily tactically and strategic thinking was not required. Nobody thought about whether the offer or market conditions might change in 5-10 years.
That is why many digital companies have chosen a topic- or keyword-related brand name during this period.
Imagine if Zalando had chosen the brand name Schuhshop24.de. The company would only be associated with shoes for the rest of its life and would be limited in its strategic direction. Zalando, on the other hand, did it right and chose a neutral brand name, and is thus able to adapt the business model to the market situation without having to change the brand name. Zalando started out as a shoe shop and is now the largest German shop for fashion, jewelry, etc.
The companies in the Scout Group did not do it that way. I have no insight into their strategic corporate planning at the time, but I suspect that if they had known how broad their range of products would eventually become, they would have opted for a neutral brand name. Then they would have been able to cover the entire range of products in the Scout Group using one and the same brand name.
Especially in today's fast-moving world and for the digital economy, a neutral, topic-independent brand name is a must, as you have to be flexible.
Table of contents [ Hide ]
1
2 Tasks and functions of the brand name
3 Start-Ups & New Founders Should Choose Brand Names Strategically
4 The problem of a tactically chosen brand name using the example of the SEO industry
5 Rebranding as a way out of the dead end is possible
6 Make the selection of the brand name strategic, not tactical
Tasks and functions of the brand name
The brand name , in conjunction with the logo, is the recognizable feature of a brand and is therefore the most important element of a brand strategy. The logo and the brand name are the battery for brand messages, emotions, reputation and everything I do around a company. It represents the company and is therefore not simply interchangeable in a sustainable strategy.
The brand name is initially a blank slate and only has an impact through its tone. The more marketing , branding and activities are carried out under the brand name, the more the external perception of the brand name as a representative can change for the better or for the worse.
The brand name's primary task is not to represent the thematic field of activity of a company . Especially at the start, it makes sense to provide the brand name itself with theme-related attributes, claims, etc., such as Aufgesang Inbound Marketing . The brand name is Aufgesang. The attribute is Inbound Online Marketing .
This is important because, especially in the first few years, you need this self-assigned thematic allocation in order to position yourself thematically on the market. As already mentioned, you are a blank slate at the beginning and in most cases the market cannot immediately make a connection between brand and topic. In the long term, you should repeatedly place your brand name in the right thematic context using PR and marketing measures. For example, brands such as Coca Cola, Mercedes, CeBIT, Apple or Google no longer have to communicate their brand name in combination with other information in order to place the brand in a thematic context. The brand names are so contextually charged that the market knows what these brands do and what they stand for. Achieving this state is the goal of all strategic branding.
This doesn't just apply to big brands or corporations, but to any company that wants to establish and maintain a permanent position in one or more subject areas. Only the dimensions are different. Popularity on a broad social basis, such as that achieved by Nike , Mercedes or Google, is usually not the focus for medium-sized and small companies. The goal should be to establish yourself in your market or target group in the respective thematic context.
This also makes sense from a ranking point of view, as you can assign an attribute to the brand as an entity, with which it will appear again and again in connection. In the long term, you should link the brand with other attributes through SEO, marketing and PR. (More on this: Semantic optimization on Google: From the entity to the brand ).
But many companies from the "first digital" generation, such as Autoscout and Immobilienscout, chose their brand names according to a specific tactical pattern. Thematic proximity and keywords were the most important criteria for choosing a brand name. To understand this better, a brief look back at the pioneering economic days of the online economy gambling data romaniabetween 2000 and 2010 is enough. This period can also be described as the "Golden Affiliate Age". Keyword domains were very popular because Google made it relatively easy to rank for high-volume search terms . The first generation of SEOs also emerged from this time. They acted primarily tactically and strategic thinking was not required. Nobody thought about whether the offer or market conditions might change in 5-10 years.
That is why many digital companies have chosen a topic- or keyword-related brand name during this period.
Imagine if Zalando had chosen the brand name Schuhshop24.de. The company would only be associated with shoes for the rest of its life and would be limited in its strategic direction. Zalando, on the other hand, did it right and chose a neutral brand name, and is thus able to adapt the business model to the market situation without having to change the brand name. Zalando started out as a shoe shop and is now the largest German shop for fashion, jewelry, etc.
The companies in the Scout Group did not do it that way. I have no insight into their strategic corporate planning at the time, but I suspect that if they had known how broad their range of products would eventually become, they would have opted for a neutral brand name. Then they would have been able to cover the entire range of products in the Scout Group using one and the same brand name.
Especially in today's fast-moving world and for the digital economy, a neutral, topic-independent brand name is a must, as you have to be flexible.