Articles

Can a Company’s Name Hurt or Help SEO?

date posted

11/08/22

read time

7 Mins

branding ideas for company name seo

When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), choosing the wrong company name is one mistake you don’t want to make. Or else you could lose potential customers who trust google’s first page results. You sure don’t want to undermine your efforts by letting your competitors rank first!

Your company’s name is not just a tool for effective branding; it can also help generate the right leads if well-optimized. With the right keywords that your target customers would likely search out, you could easily be at the top of search results. 

If these keywords are absent, then you’ll likely be pages away from being seen. Additionally, poor business names are often due to a branding issue, even more than an SEO problem. Hence, a good company name must be:

  • Distinctive
  • Memorable
  • SEO-friendly

While the first two qualities are clearly on the branding side, the last one greatly contributes to your online campaign; via search engine optimization. Reading through this guide, you’ll learn proven tips to pick a company name that dominates search engine result pages. 

How Your Company’s Name Influences SEO

Statistics show that 53% of shoppers research a product or a company before buying. And for these consumers to find you, you must have an active presence on search engines.

One way around this is to list your business online by creating a Google Business Profile. Another way is to create a website with an online address known as a domain name. Either way, your business name influences and contributes to the following:

  • The domain name of your website
  • The hints search engines would pick up about your business to match searches
  • How people interpret your brand’s message and your services

Basically, your company name influences how search engines rank your site as a relevant match to searches. And although this involves several other parameters, the first step to an effective SEO strategy is picking a good name for your company.

google my business company name list

Five Do’s for SEO-Friendly Company Names

As you get busy coining up words and swirling your creative juices around, you should also know what works and doesn’t. So let’s look at the dos and don’ts of SEO-friendly names.

1. Use Keywords That Describe Your Services

The first rule is that your company name should describe its services. For instance, as a roofing contractor, using the word “roof” or “roofing” can greatly help your SEO. Because when people search for services around roofing, there are greater chances your company ranks higher. That’s better compared to when you don’t use such keywords at all.

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roofing company name tips

2. Choose Keywords With High Search Volume

Several keywords could effectively describe what your company does. But the last thing you want to do is pick a keyword no one is searching out; because low search volume means low traffic from potential leads. 

Before finalizing a name, do a little keyword research using tools like Google Keyword Planner. Ideally, the right keyword should be competitive and have a moderate to high search volume. So that when people search for that term, your company’s name will show up.

3. Pick a Distinctive and Unique Name

A unique name usually ranks with less competition. The more distinctive and original the name is, the more it stands out on search result pages. Make it short, punchy, and ideally, an item or emotion that is easy for someone to imagine. You should also confirm that no one already uses the name — using a business name checker.

4. Choose an Easily Memorable Name

Ideally, your company’s name should stick to your customers’ minds easily. It would be best if you didn’t use a name that people would struggle to pronounce, spell or even remember when searching for you on the net.

Avoid weird names at all costs or names that are difficult to spell. Below are some tips to help you make your brand name more memorable: 

Three Tips for Memorable Names

  • Easy to Spell

Names that sound just like they’re pronounced leave a more lasting impression on the reader’s mind. Think “Amazon,” “Uber,” “Facebook,” “Hook!”

  • Fewer Syllables

Names with fewer syllables are punchy and easier to remember than long names. There’s a direct link between shorter domain names and better rankings. Two, three, or four syllables is good enough. In this case, shorter is almost always better.

  • Explore Alliterations

Names like Paypal, Best Buy, and Range Rover that have two words starting with the same sound are called alliterations. If you’re wondering about another tried and true way to coin a memorable brand name, you should consider this.

Best Buy company name store front

5. Include your Primary Location in Your Business Name

It’s also awesome if your company’s name tells where you’re located. Especially if you offer services specific to a particular area, it would help notify google of your location.

On the other hand, you can also improve your rankings in local searches in other ways. For instance, adding your city or state location to your URL or inputting your local address in your Google My Business page.

Four Things to Avoid for an SEO-friendly Company Name

1. Don’t Be a Copycat!

One big mistake you want to avoid is using a company name that five other companies already use. Doing this creates not only unnecessary competition but also creates a lot of confusion for your customers. And the last thing you want is for your customers to mistake someone else’s business page for yours. 

If you’ve set your mind on a name someone else has already used, you could make yours unique by adding a modifier. For instance, if the name you want to use is “Hummingbird Roofing”, you can make your own name, “Blue Hummingbird Roofing.” That way, it’s more distinct.

2. Avoid Misleading Names

Names like “Stone Corporation” or one-word names like “apron” or “brush” may sound punchy and catchy, but they can be misleading if used for businesses they are not directly associated with. A name like the brush is mostly associated with painting or cleaning. Using “brush” for a roofing company would be quite unclear. 

3. Avoid Hyphens and Other Punctuation

Working with hyphens can be complicated. Most people may forget to add them, which can lead to typos and difficulty in locating your brand online.

4. Avoid Using Variations of your Business Name

The last naming trap you could fall into is using variations of the same name across different media accounts. For instance, using a name like “Everything Roofing Tiles” for your website page and social media account but “Everything Roofing” for your Google My Business profile.

It might be difficult for Google and potential clients to link both names as the same company. So ensure consistency in your naming plan.

Conclusion

As a business owner, you must realize quickly that your company name can either make or break your SEO strategy. So if you dream of being on the first page of specialized Google searches, you need to optimize your brand name. 

With a distinct, keyword-focused, memorable brand name, you are on a good start to ranking above your competitors, gaining more traffic to your site, and, ultimately, having more leads. If you already have a name you’re happy with, reach out to us to learn other ways you can improve your SEO strategy for 2024.

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