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Read Time: 13 minutes

Table of Contents

1. Can You Patent Your Business Idea?
2. How To Patent Your Business Idea?
3. Know Your Idea Well
4. Conduct a Thorough Research on Your Idea
5. Use the Patents Carefully and Where Necessary
6. Draft the Patent Application
7. Wait For the Response
8. Limitations of Using Patent as a Way of Protecting a Business Idea
9. What Should I Do To Protect My Business Idea Without a Patent?
10. How Should I Legally Trademark an Idea?
11. Benefits of Trademarking a Business Idea

Do you have an existing business idea that you would like to protect? Coming up with a business idea can be so tough. It is even tougher when you want to protect it. However tough it may be, it’s very crucial to ensure your business idea is protected. There are many reasons as to why you should protect your business idea as you will learn later on. The importance of this topic depends largely on your business concept.

While you prepare to learn a bunch of stuff regarding the protection, remember that unprotected business idea is always running a very huge risk.

Can You Patent Your Business Idea?

Before asking yourself this question, you need to understand that a business idea can be your invention and sometimes it may not be. This brings us to a point where we need to know what can and what cannot be panted.

Take a look at the section below where examples are also included to ensure you grasp the content better.

Finding if you can patent your business idea.

Inventions cannot be intriguing ideas. It takes a lot for an invention to be regarded as an invention by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. For example, you may discover a certain product from a whale that can cure the human brain function. You further theorize that the product can act as an anti-depressant when mixed with other products at a certain concentration. This sounds more of an invention. However, you will be required to go the extra mile and produce the cure for Alzheimer’s brain disease and the anti-depressant. The curing product shall then be tested to confirm that it works. Thereafter, your idea won’t be an intriguing one instead, it will be a real invention. Hence, patentable.

Natural discoveries cannot be patented since they aren’t inventions. You may be out there hunting and you come across a certain tree that you haven’t seen in your life. After carrying out research, you realize that the plant hasn’t been discovered yet. Automatically, the idea of that discovery being an invention will creep on your mind and you would like to patent it. According to USPTO, such an invention cannot be patented. To be patented, you will have to modify the plant or even assimilate it as part of bigger inventions.

Inventions should be practical. For an invention to be patentable, it needs to have ideas that can be applicable in real life and trigger results. For example, if you discover a formula, it should be connected to a certain process that when followed, people would have access to a solution or something helpful.

As of now, you should have a clue of where your business idea lies and the next thing you would like to know is how you can patent it.

How To Patent Your Business Idea?

There are legal procedures that you need to undertake as required by the USPTO.

Under US law, there are three patents.

These are; Utility patents, design patents, and plant patents. The utility patent is the common one but it’s important to understand both of them.

Make sure to understand that trademarking a slogan or a tagline is different than trademarking your company name

Below is a comprehensive explanation for each type of patent. There is also provisional patent but we’ll focus on the three main types.

Understanding and starting to patent your business idea.

1. Utility Patent

Novelty ideas often fall under one of these five categories of Utility Patent; Manufacture, the composition of matter, process, machine or improving an idea that already exists. However, some inventions fall under more than one of these categories. Utility patent operates differently in the sense that your business idea will be categorized only in one category even if it falls in multiple categories.

Business ideas and inventions that mostly fall under utility Patents are those from computer hardware, chemical formulas & software, etc.

A utility patent is important for your business since you will have up to 20 years from the date you filed. Under this span, no one will be able to use, sell or import your idea. Therefore, you get a good chance to expand and develop your business.

2. Design Patent

A design patent is filed on product designs. This limitation defines why design patent isn’t common in the U.S compared to other patents. The design, in this case, is supposed to be aesthetic and not functioning.

When you acquire a design patent, it lasts for up to 14 years.

It is in this period where you can put restrictions from importing or using the design hence, getting a chance to extensively grow your business.

3. Plant Patent

Here comes the last and the least applied patent. Plant patent, as the name suggests, the patent mainly focusses on different inventions on plants.

For this reason, plant patent is mostly used by agricultural experts and other related people.

A plant patent can be active up to 20 years from the date of filing. Now, you need to critically understand the process of patenting your business idea. Proceed to the section below to find a comprehensive discussion.

Know Your Idea Well

This is the first step that you need to take – critically understanding your idea. Here, you should be able to ask yourself some questions such as what aspects of your business idea makes it useful and unique. Thereafter, consider the setting of your idea. The setting of your business idea may include what other things could be done to make the idea more unique or more useful.

For example, let’s say you invented the cooking machine that uses oxygen to operate. Talking of the setting, in this case, it may include the products that can be used as alternatives instead of oxygen. In short, your idea needs to very useful to different users. Ensure it doesn’t limit them.

You must sure of your idea and ready to explain in detail.

You can also move on and determine whether your idea can be used in different ways rather than the main one. For example, can the cooking machine be modified in different ways and be used in different areas apart from cooking? If the idea can be modified in different ways then, it becomes more useful and unique. In turn, you will access a wide range of strategic options and your patent will be more valuable.

Conduct a Thorough Research on Your Idea

Making sure if your idea is exclusively new or it already exists.

It has been aforementioned that patents come along with limitations. The first thing that you need to understand is that your idea should be new.

According to the USPTO, one of the biggest reasons to patent an idea is to guarantee the inventor to teach different benefits regarding the idea.

The only assumption that can be drawn in this case is that the idea should be completely new. If it’s not then you have no rights to the idea since the patent wouldn’t be of any benefit. So, carrying thorough research enables you to determine whether the idea is exclusively new or it already exists.

Remember a patent that has been issued can be disqualified when the USPTO realizes that your ideas are somewhat plagiarized.

Use the Patents Carefully and Where Necessary

Let’s use our example of the cooking machine. Maybe the machine looks great but some adjustments can be done to make it more useful. You may want to equip the machine with pressure sensitive tools. In this case, you can consider filing a provisional patent.

The provisional patent will act as proof that you are the inventor of the idea till the date you will file the patent.

The provisional patent can take up to a year. Thereafter, you can consider filing the utility patent.

Multiple patents can make your idea more valuable, both the design and the idea.

Under the period covered by the provisional patent, you can perfect the idea in different ways. If the machine has a distinctive appearance, you may consider filing a design patent. From the explanation above, you can file two different patents for your cooking machine. That is a design patent and utility patent. Design patent will cover its general appearance while the utility patent will protect the usage and functionality. Multiple patents make your idea more valuable. Note, the cooking machine has been used as an example.

Draft the Patent Application

This is the most involving and perhaps tricky.

Applying for a patent includes a wide range of information which may require you to hire an expert to avoid erroneous filing.

Check everything multiple times to make sure that there is no mistake in your application.

You should understand that filing the wrong information can lead to rejection. The good thing is that there is a manual that contains all the procedures to be taken.

While filing, you need to be very keen and triple check the entries before applying.

Some errors may just draw you in a small punishment where you will pay some money. Bigger mistakes, on the other hand, would result in rejection.

This explains why most people higher attorneys to make the application. Remember that drafting the application is a special skill that very few can perform perfectly.

Wait For the Response

Congratulations! You are almost done. After doing everything including the submission of your application, you now have to wait for the formal response. It will only cost you patience.

Expect the response after a year or longer.

It takes this long since a lot of research to determine eligibility would be conducted. Besides, the application will be checked whether it meets all requirements and that it doesn’t transgress the laws.

The ideas will only be patentable if you successfully pass your patentability test.

You shouldn’t have too much confidence thinking that the application was perfect and the response would automatically be positive. The contrary may happen. If the examiner responds by telling you that the idea doesn’t possess originality hence, unfit for a patent, you will have to draft a response. The response may see your idea being reconsidered. Therefore, you will need an expert to craft the response.

However, your idea will be patentable only if it passes the patentability test.

The test examines the following aspects;

Utility test: this test is conducted mainly to determine whether the idea would have a positive impact on the world. Would it help people in solving problems? Would it be useful in different ways?

Non-obviousness test: Here, the idea undergoes a comparison with the previous ideas to determine obviousness through the differences found. If the idea is found to be obvious, it’ll be disregarded since it’s not patentable.

Novelty Test: This test is conducted to determine the originality of the idea. A comparison with similar ideas will be conducted. Pure original ideas are the only ones that can be patented.

Limitations of Using Patent as a Way of Protecting a Business Idea

From the ongoing, you should have noticed that there are a good number of limitations that someone may encounter.

Let’s see some of the possible limitations.

The limitations apply – and it’s not a great option for small businesses.

Patenting is expensive. Among all methods of protecting a business idea, patenting is the most expensive one. Depending on the type of patent that you need to protect your idea, you will be required to use thousands of dollars to be granted a patent.

It takes time. We’ve seen earlier that after you file a patent, you will have to wait for a year or longer before approval. This period is relatively higher compared to other methods.

Defending your patent. You don’t file a patent and directly getting approved. USPTO examiners will ask you different questions on the same just to determine eligibility. In case you provide poor reasoning or fail to defend some aspects of the idea, you are in jeopardy of losing the patent.

These limitations define why patenting a business idea sounds very hard for many people. It’s not even ideal for small businesses.

What Should I Do To Protect My Business Idea Without a Patent?

So, you have the business idea and you are sure it’s very unique hence worth protection. Well, patenting business ideas is one of the major ways of protecting them. However, the process of patenting a business idea is very expensive and takes a couple of years.

Very few people patent their business ideas.

The big figure left opts for other options. So, how to copyright your business concept without a patent is a crucial topic that all businesspeople can’t afford to miss. Now that you are here and want to know the alternatives that can be used to protect business ideas, consider the following:

Making sure that you do all the agreements.

1. Sign a Confidentiality Agreement

A confidentiality agreement is a legal contract that involves two or more parties. The parties agree on confidential outlines such as knowledge, information or even material. The parties agree on sharing the confidential outlines but restrict third parties to have access to the information, knowledge or material. This is a way of protecting your business idea since the public doesn’t have access to it hence, making the utmost investment. You should also note that there are different types of confidentiality agreements. They include; attorney-client privilege, bank – client confidentiality, priest-penitent privilege, and doctor-patient confidentiality.

2. Covenant not to Compete Agreement

This is a type of clause or agreement where one party agrees with another not to enter into a certain business idea. Here, one of the parties gets restricted hence, leaving one to venture into the idea. However, this agreement is set for a specified span. It is not commonly used among people but it’s still an option for protecting your business idea.

3. Retainer Agreement

This is a contractual provision based on the performance of different services. This agreement involves a client getting paid to come up with business ideas under the copyright of the one who pays the client. Therefore, someone else invents an idea for you in return for a payment. Since this agreement is known, you will be required to mention the person or group of people who invented it. They will be considered as co-inventors and won’t own the rights of the idea.

If you have been careful, you should have realized that these methods are all agreements. It can, therefore, be deduced that protecting your business idea may hugely require the help of other people. These methods are different from patenting in the sense that, with patenting you don’t necessarily need help from other people while these methods it’s a must.

How Should I Legally Trademark an Idea?

How do I trademark an idea? This question should have been creeping on your mind if you have a new business idea. Well, different ways can be used to legally trademark your idea. The first thing that you will be required to do is registering the trademark. Trademarks are important in the sense that you can protect your idea where other people and companies won’t be able to use it or sell for their benefits. Follow the following steps for a successful trademarking.

Search for the idea to confirm that it’s a novelty. This is the first step that you need to take. By searching, you will be able to figure out whether your idea is new or it already exists. You should terminate the process if you find out that the idea already exists since the USPTO would disregard it.

Present a physical mark. Since the trademark is an intellectual property that is made of recognizable marks, signs, designs or expressions, USPTO requires you to submit a physical mark – it can be in the form of a drawing. USPTO examiners will use the mark to determine whether it represents a new idea or it’s similar to an already existing trademark. If it gets approved, the trademark becomes part of the USPTO database. When other people search for your trademark, it would appear hence, forbidding them from using it.

Define the filing grounds of your application. A trademark may fall into two major conditions. First, you may have already been using the trademark for your established business. Secondly, you may not have started using it but you are waiting to file it first. USPTO will require you to provide this information.

Apply. Today, the internet has triggered a lot of applications to be done online and so does the trademark application process. The online application replaces the need to use hard copies while applying since it’s a waste of time and energy. You will have to access the USPTO’s Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). Filing forms will be sent to you after you provide the basic information that includes personal information and the trademark details. Note that there are charging rates that apply. The standard charging rate is $275. However, additional fees may apply under different conditions. Your name and contact information may also be required.

Stay updated on your application status. After you have filled and submitted the application, you may consider staying updated. Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) is a system responsible for tracking updates. Since the application approval process can take a year or longer, you can choose to use this system and get the updates on your application. The law allows owners to use the trademark even if it’s still under approval. However, tracking your application status isn’t mandatory.

Renew your ownership. After the application has been approved, you’re now the legal owner of the trademark. In the US, a trademark is valid for up to ten years and can be renewed. However, USPTO requires owners to file a certificate of affidavit between the fifth and sixth years to state that the trademark is still in use failure to which the registration gets canceled.

Benefits of Trademarking a Business Idea

Trademarking a business idea is one of the commonly used protection methods. That clearly shows there are good reasons. What could they be?

Let’s find out.

• A trademark protects your business idea from being explored by other people.
• When you register a trademark, it will appear on search results when other people search for it hence, preventing them from inventing ideas similar to yours. In turn, this plays a key role in reducing competition hence, a more thriving business.
• Trademark owners have legal rights to file a lawsuit in the court of law once they find someone plagiarizing their ideas.
• Trademark registration puts your business idea safer and limits others from claiming that your idea is similar to theirs. Etc.

Enjoy the perks of trademarking your business idea.

Not to find out how to trademark your business name? Read the in-depth step by step guide

This is the end of the guide hoping that it was helpful. However, as a word of caution, be confident you are more careful when approaching any of these methods to protect your business idea. Since most of the things are done online, you may be easily scammed in case you are not careful. Also, ensure the business idea is a great one and that chances of getting rejected are very meager. Remember doing the wrong thing can waste your money and time that could have been invested in other stuff to trigger productivity.

Read Time: 12 minutes

Table of Contents

1. Types of Branded Domain Names?
2. The Prominence Brandable Names
3. How to Pick the Right Brandable Name for Your Business?
4. Final Thoughts

The digital landscape is quite expansive that is filled with endless businesses that are catering to basically every human need.  With the market being crowded with options, companies are fighting tooth and nail to stand out from the crowd. And the brandable domain name is the primary step towards creating this unique identity.

Basically, it is an online address of your business that you have registered for your website. It is a significant part of your business’s online identity.

For example, Amazon.com, Alibaba.com, eBay.com, etc. are some of the brandable names that dominate the e-commerce market.

In this article, we will be delving into all the important aspects associated with a brandable name and how to choose an ideal one for your business.

Types of Branded Domain Names?

A quality domain and startup name can drive considerable traffic to your site, resulting in rising sales.

If you are a startup seeking the perfect domain name, you will need to find something that’s easy to pronounce.

An easily pronounceable name helps you strengthen the value of your brand, will differentiate you from the competition and establish you as a leading player in your field.

3 – Types of the brandable domain names.

Branded names can be anything that represents your business. They are often twisted, made-up words that might not even exist in the dictionary. They make more metaphorical sense than descriptive. Your brand name can be registered or unregistered; however, it is recommended to opt for the former one. Moreover, you cannot choose a brand name that is already being used by another company on the web.

The following are some of the common kinds of branded domain names that you will come across… 

1. Brand Names that are Based on Keywords

In a keyword-based brand domain name, you will see that the keyword will hit the main product or services provided by the company. Moreover, it can also show the brands positioning in the particular industry or the emotions that it stimulates in the users. “webdevelopment.com”, “cheapsmartphone.com”, “buywatches.com” etc. are some of the examples of keyword-based brand names.

To a certain degree, using a keyword-based brand domain helps your business. When users search a particular keyword on Google, they are likely to click on websites that have at least one keyword. For instance, if a user searches for a “cheapiPhone”, a domain name with keywords like “buyiphone” or “buycheapiPhone” is likely to get more clicks.

2. Evocative Brandable Domain Names

An evocative brandable domain name resembles an image, mood, or memory. These words have no direct relationship with the product or services provided by the company. Instead, these words make a metaphorical association by painting a strong emotion associated with your brand.

Amazon.com, Uber, Apple.com, etc. are some of the leading companies with brand names that suggest the value they offer to the customers rather than directly naming their services.

This is a great way to pique the interest of your target audience and create a unique identity. However, at times, companies tend to go overboard with this idea and only end up confusing the audience.

3. Vessel Brandable Names

These are types of brand names that are entirely made up and no relevance to any search term. The crafted name enables you to establish a unique identity that is independent of any preconceived notion or opinion, thereby providing you with maximum brand control.

These words mean nothing before companies brand them and become popular among the audience. Google.com, Etsy.com, Yahoo.com, Instagram.com, etc. are some of the prominent examples of these kinds of brand domain names.

Show some creativity when choosing a brand name.

The Prominence Brandable Names

When it comes to building a brand, you will have to put in years of planning, strategizing, and investing. The story of some of the biggest brands in the world would rightly confirm this fact. Coming up with a unique brand name is something that needs a lot of thought. Tech pioneer Steve Jobs named his company Apple based on his Fruitarian diet as it sounded simple, spirited and fun. He thought this is a brand name that people would find approachable and rest as they say is history.

Let’s talk about the brands that we cannot imagine modern lives without, like Google, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

What would these brands be without their names? Nothing! Brandable names allow companies to connect with people and create a unique identity that stays with them. The connection that brand names are able to build between a company and its customers is the primary reason why it is so important.

The brandable names could be anything .. but it must sound interactive.

So if you are starting a new business, a catchy name and an attractive logo is the primary step towards creating an identity for yourself in the market.

Your brand name will eventually evoke emotion among your customers that will resemble with kind of service you extend.

As we discussed in the beginning, today, customers have unlimited choices; therefore, a start-up must work towards establishing a strong brand identity that is unique, captivating and consistent. Fortunately for companies, there is no manual that they have to follow to register their brand name; it could be anything they want as long as the name is not already in use.

While there are tons of aspects that go into building a brand, the name is the first thing that customers come across when you tell them about your business. And good brand names never go unnoticed; they become your brand’s ambassadors signifying its value, tone, and position.

Furthermore, a brand name is also a way to building an emotional connection with the audience; therefore, it should be something sensible that customers can connect within the long term. Your brand name, logo, and communication together weave a story of your business that can be impactful in building trust among your customers and further contribute to the success of your business.

How to Pick the Right Brandable Name for Your Business?

With businesses fighting to buy unique names to thrive in the market, selecting an impressive and unique brandable name has become more complex than ever. There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to choosing a brandable name, and there is no one-size fit all approach as well.

The keyword-based domain might work for some businesses, whereas others would get more benefits from evocative brand names.

On the whole, this process can be a bit complex when you are not aware of the basics of picking out a brandable name for the business. Below we have listed out some of the important factors that will help you select the right brandable name for your business.

Thinking a brandable domain name is not an easy task.

1. Simplicity Goes a Long Way

With a brandable name, your primary goal is to stand out from the crowd and make a distinctive identity for yourself. Often startup focuses on picking out over-the-top names that end perplexing the users. You must understand that the customers’ no longer thing complex is fun. With your brandable name, you need to be specific and simple.

Select names that are clear, relevant and memorable.

For example, Uber.com (meaning super) provides rental cab services across the world. This name is not only brief but also catchy and has a clear association with the kind of service that this company provides and the value it stands for.

The simplicity of this brand name is what makes it so popular and memorable among the audience. Another thing to note about that name is how easy it is to pronounce Uber.

You don’t want a name that your customers cannot even say out loud.

Your customers have to spell your brand name to others; then it is clear that your name will not stick around. When they keep misspelling your domain name, customers will get tired of it, and you will end up losing a lot of potential traffic. Companies must understand that customers are looking for easy-to-understand solutions that are easy to remember amidst their busy schedules. So keep it simple enough for your customers to find you.

2. A wise decision to go with an extension of a “.COM” domain name

When it comes to selecting an extension, it is better to stick with .com. This is one of the areas where you should not think too much about being unique. An extension like .pro and .me may sound cool, but there are not as effective as .com. The simple reason behind this is that the majority of the web is familiar with .com. In fact, 75% of the domains on the web are .com extension. Moreover, if you are not able to get .com, then other popular option for you is .net, .co, .org, etc.

Start with one of these domain extensions, and when you have become established, then you can focus on acquiring .com. If a big brand has already acquired your .com extension, then you will need the money to get it from them. If you are a local business and don’t aim to move to expand your business further, then you can focus on acquiring country specific extensions like .in, .au, .uk, .de, etc. Platforms like Brandnic help you search out the availability of your domain name, and also suggest other options that might be suited for your business.

3. Keep Your Domain Name and Company Name Similar

This is a subject matter of debate among many, but having the same brand and domain name can be a simple and safe solution. This is a great way to ensure that your target audience remembers you, because with a different company and domain name they might get confused. Moreover, considering that most of the website traffic is derived from navigation and search engines, the single name makes it easier for your customers to connect with you.

With your company already registered, it will be easier for you to acquire the domain name and it will be relevant to you. If your business name is too long for a domain name, you can shorten it. Click to learn more about short domain names selection.

For instance, the website of the National Center for Biotechnology Information has a domain name with its abbreviation “NCBI.ie.”

You have to make up your mind for the best possible outcome when making a brand name.

4. Keep Your Customers in Mind

When acquiring a brandable name for your business, you have to think from the customer’s point of view as you are making it for them. Look out for names that might interest them instead of choosing the names that you are comfortable with. What terms or ideas they would normally use with regards to your niche? Additionally, it is equally important to analyze foreseeable changes and restrictions when thinking of a brandable name.

The name you choose should be easy to find and should be able to access as an official company name as well.

Your domain name and company name should be complementing each other if not similar.

The reliability, relevance, and value that a domain name presents hold a lot of significance in the eyes of the customer. So when you are thinking of a name, you should keep your audience in mind rather than your perspective.

5. The Art of Including Keywords

As stated in the previous section, keywords in a domain name help to a certain degree and that too when done rightly. Choosing representative keywords has multiple benefits. To begin with, it directly contributes to your SEO ranking. Secondly, people prefer a website that explains itself through the domain name. Moreover, if you are choosing keyword as your domain name, make sure you opt for more specifically targeted keywords.

If you sell secondhand iPhone, then you should target search terms like “cheapiPhone” rather than running after “buyiPhone”. This way, you will get traffic that has a better probability of converting into leads. Using keywords on your domain name can be especially helpful when your business serves locally.

6. Be Flexible

Businesses constantly need to modify depending on the growing market; so you should not restrict yourself by choosing a too specific domain name. When it comes to choosing brandable names, being a bit vague can turn out to be in your favor. Since you are just starting out, it is evident that over the course of time, your business process will evolve.

Being flexible with your brandable name will ensure that you continue to have opportunities to develop strengths.

For instance, you started by selling a cheap iPhone and named your website “cheapiPhone.com”, but later you also began dealing with Android as well. So when users who need a cheap Android phone will see your domain name, they are not likely to click on it. However, if your domain name were something like “cheapsmartphones.com,” then you would have better traffic on your website.

Besides, the domain name you want may be taken or too expensive for your current budget. So you could start off with a closely related domain name and optimize it effectively so that it helps you in driving traffic and revenue. And once you have a strong stand in the market, you can bid for the domain name you initially wanted and purchase it.

7. Get Creative

Your brandable domain name will be used as your identity so you might already have some idea about how you want to appear in front of the audience. So write down, all the words, phrases, descriptors, ideas, value, etc. that are associated with your company. Some of the key pointers that you should keep in mind include –

• Avoid hyphen
• Keep it short
• Don’t fuss about SEO or keywords

If you are too confused, there are platforms that can help you out. Brandnic is one of the platforms that is dedicated to providing brandable names to the users. So you can brainstorm your ideas there. List out all the potential brandable names that you might think is apt. Don’t be too picky at this point and limit your options. Be open to ideas and new suggestions as you are just starting out and have a limited budget to dispose of.

8. Check For Uniqueness

List down all the brandable name ideas that you have in mind and check whether or not they are taken. Simply run the names on Google one at a time. The point is to identify any relevant companies that are using the same names or closely associated ones. Once you have done the Google search and verified the uniqueness of the names, the next step is to run a quick trademark check-in that particular category and market.

You have to be realistic with your expectations as they are likely to be brand with a somewhat similar trademark. So don’t reject your preferred name unless you find it almost too identical with some other one and it will confuse your audience.

Doing research beforehand will ensure that you pick a name that has its own identity and will not be confused with other brands.

You don’t want to leave any room for ambiguity and confusion as it risks your traffic being diverted to other websites.

9. Connecting Social Media

Irrespective of your operational nature, social media marketing has become imperative for the success of any business. People spend a significant amount of their time on social media and come across various businesses from there. So when you have a social media handle for your domain, it will make it easier for you to direct the traffic to your main website from social media.

So you will want to pick out a brandable name that also has social handles available. While it is important to add social media handles, don’t stress too much on this point that you end up losing a good brandable domain name. If the handle is not available, you can contact the current owner and purchase it from him/her. It should be among the last steps as you don’t want to miss out on the right name while looking for a social media handle.

10. Monitor your Competitors

The whole point of picking a brandable name is to be distinctive from the rest. In order to do the same, you must know what your competitors have already done. List out all the high performing competitors’ domain and assess their brandable name.

Understand why the names signify and why it is working for them. Take insights from them, but do something completely different.

Evaluate what your customers might be thinking when they want to buy your particular product or service, and then come with a unique idea that will help you stand out. Along with providing you with ideas, analyzing your audience will help you determine what all have been done and what you should avoid doing.

Final Thoughts

There are multiple approaches when it comes to selecting a brandable name. Each approach has its own share of pros and cons, and eventually, it all comes down to what the business and the way it aims to build its online personality. The more honest you are with your brand name, the better will be your opportunities.

Brandable names don’t have to showcase your business name and its exact keywords to attract customers.

Instead, you can focus on the character, qualities, and values of your business that might stimulate some emotion among your target customers. These are less descriptive names that hold strong potential to create brand power. Moreover, you can use brandable names to add a versatile touch to your business.

Basically, you are free to do whatever you want with your brandable name as long as it is not taken by someone else. However, when you choose a brandable name that is not thought-out well, you are risking your business’s visibility and its future success. When you are too confused about choosing the right brandable name, you can take assistance from the domain generator tool.

Brandnic has brandable business names to be used for any business and it gives you the confidence to run your business with ease.

Brandnic also has a tool that helps in finding the right brandable name for your business. It has an easy-to-use interface that provides you with tons of brand name suggestions based on your niche. So if you don’t have enough time to spend on research, handover the task to Brandnic and it will do all manual for you and present you with various interesting and engaging brandable name suggestions that you can opt for your business.

Above are some of the important things that you should consider while picking out a brandable domain name. Some of the points might be relevant to your business while others don’t; so eventually it all depends on your business and its value and perspective.

Read Time: 14 minutes

Table of Contents

1. What is a Domain Name?
2. Why Domain Names Are Important?
3. Premium Domain Names? .. What’s That About?
4. 3 Golden Rules on How To Detect Whether a Domain is Premium?
5. Why Are Premium Domain Names Worth Your Investment?
6. Don’t rush headfirst into buying a domain on impulse
7. Don’t overlook the importance of researching the seller and the premium domain
8. The advantages of a premium domain name
9. The next step: where to find premium domains for sale
10. Conclusion: Brandnic is Your Ally to Get the Best Premium Domain Names

With the advent of technology and the rapid growth of the internet in this digitally evolving space, it has become quite daunting for businesses to survive in the global marketplace.

Everyone is thriving hard to establish their online presence via different mediums.

Irrespective of the fact that digital transformations have provided businesses with infinite means of harvesting a credible online presence, websites are still the most preferred and effective medium for building brand image.

The website is the reflection of your brand; it works as the doorway towards your brand through which your customers can connect with your business. Hence, it is important to create websites that best serve the brand purposes. Among the development and designing processes, there is one most crucial step that every business must prioritize, i.e., finding the domain name.

What is a Domain Name?

A domain name is the virtual address of your website that your visitors will need to access the website. It is generally a combination of alphabets and numbers, which is followed by a domain extension such as .com, .net. org, .edu, and more.

What exactly is a domain name?

Unlike IP addresses that are a series of numbers, domain names are made to make it easier for visitors to memorize it and become familiar with the brand.

Domain names are basically the IP address of the website that comes in an easily comprehensible format.

A domain name comprises a subdomain that is selected by the site owner and a top-level domain (TLD) assigned by the domain extension.

Why Domain Names Are Important?

You do agree that websites help in creating a unique identity in the market. But, have you thought what makes them familiar and easily recognizable among the target audience? It is the unique domain name that makes your website distinctive from others.

There can be only one domain name for a website.

When you choose a domain name, you would need to check it’s availability before getting it registered. Two websites can never have a similar domain name. In case, there is duplicity in the domain name, your suggestion will be rejected. There are several domain name registrars in the market that help their clients to suggest domain names for their brand and get the best one registered without any trouble.

Checking the availability of a domain name

Brandnic is one such credible name in the industry that is known for its exclusive domain name suggestion and registry services.

At Brandic, you can get a wide range of domain name suggestions to pick the best brand ready domain for your business.

Premium Domain Names? .. What’s That About?

Some of the features you will find on a premium domain names are:

• They are short and snappy
• They are in-line with the business name
• They are easy to spell and easy to pronounce

Searching for the ideal domain name can be a strenuous process if you have not got the right tool. There might be instances during your search when you locate a name only to know that it has been already taken, or the available domain name is beyond your budget.

That’s when you must start thinking about premium domain names.

As the name suggests, premium domain names are elite and quality domain names that might be quite expensive than you thought but will serve the purpose of a unique identity for your brand like nothing else.

Understanding the premium domain name value.

Premium domain names are the domains that are already acquired and owned by an individual or registry. The cost of acquiring these domains might be quite higher than purchasing the standard domain name. At a fancy price, the premium domain name will provide you fancy features. A domain is considered premium when you start understanding that it is more valuable than the average domain.

From the length, keywords, and brand potentials, there are plenty of factors that make a domain name premium.

To become a premium domain name owner, you would need to browse through the available premium domain names and get it registered with the help of the registrar. 

3 Golden Rules on How To Detect Whether a Domain is Premium?

Not every domain name will let you know whether it is premium or not. The biggest catch for determining the premium status of a domain name is its price. If you suddenly come up with a name that has a drastically higher price than the other suggestions, then you are probably looking at a premium domain name.

There are several other factors that determine whether the domain name is premium or not, such as the use of SEO worthy keywords, length of the name, and the brand image it enhances for the business. Majorly, these are three key factors that affect the value of a domain name and make it premium:-

Finding a premium domain name worth.

1. Length

It is quite evident that shorter domain names are easy to memorize, register and make familiar among the target audience. Premium domain names are generally shorter in length in order to provide the brand with the required edge in the market and among the audience.

2. Brandability

When it comes to making your domain name unique and distinctive from others, you need to use some catchy words that can easily grab the intellects of your visitors. A premium domain name does everything to enhance brand-ability by rightly communicating the niche of your brand to the audience.

3. Keywords

There’s no doubt in asserting that domain name can increase the SEO worth of the business. Including catchy keywords in the domain name will make it favorable in the SEO results. Premium domain names are equipped with keywords that can help you enhance your search rankings.

Why Are Premium Domain Names Worth Your Investment?

A growing number of businesses are investing in premium domain names already, and they are enjoying their multiple benefits. There are many global businesses that have converted their standard domain names into premium just to get the required edge in the market. There is more than one reason to acquire a premium domain name.

Determining the value of a real premium domain name

A few of the incredible reasons are listed below:-

Sense of Credibility

It’s all about cultivating a credible position in the market. Without a premium domain name, your business will not be able to get the required credibility among the target audience. Premium domain names are elite and fulfill all the parameters of a credible domain name.

Easy-To-Remember

A domain name is the virtual address of your business, making it easy to comprehend and remember, and will pave the way for customers to reach out to your brand more easily. Choosing a hard to remember domain will make you lose some reliable customers. Premium domain names ensure that you don’t have to compromise on anything.

Type-In Traffic

Domain names also play a critical role in driving traffic to the website. A recent Google study stated that every half second of load time dropped the traffic by 20%. But what if your customers cannot find you at all? That’s where premium domain names come at handy. These domain names will help you drive massive traffic to your website. Don’t spend a fortune to find an effective name; just trust the premium domain name and see what wonders it does.

Incredible ROI

Have you ever thought a domain name will be linked to ROI? Yes, it is. Premium domain names are just like any other investment it will bring ROI. The multiple perks of premium domain names make it an obvious choice to relish the returns on investments in the form of better traffic, strong customer relations, and impeccable brand identity.

Uniqueness At Its Best

Domain names are all about being unique and distinctive. They must create an identity that is exclusively yours. Your customers must be able to recognize your brand just by its domain name. Throughout the world, a growing number of businesses are investing in premium domain names as they offer niche-specific and unique names for their brand. Don’t think twice before investing in a premium domain name today.

Grab The Ones Who Skip Google

Though Google provides internet users with all the relevant content addressing to their query, there are certain users who love to skip the search engines and enter domain names directly. These visitors generally think that certain domain names will get them the required information. Premium domain names ensure that they get all those visitors who have a tendency of skipping search engines.

Investment You Won’t Regret About

When you decided to start a business, there are several internal and external costs that have to be incurred in order to keep everything functioning. Premium domain name is one of the many investments that will give you remarkable results in the future. This is one of those investments that will never make you regret in the future but will make you feel proud of taking the decision.

Now that you have realized the benefits of acquiring a premium domain name and its prominence in the market, it is important to highlight some important topics. Every bit as important as getting the right domain is avoiding the few fatal mistakes that can shoot down your chances of bagging yourself a premium domain.

Here’s what you SHOULDN’T do once you’ve set your sights on a premium domain. 

Don’t rush headfirst into buying a domain on impulse

You’re excited about your business idea – by the way, check how to keep it original. You don’t really want to waste time following advice from ‘how to buy premium domains’ guides. We completely understand.

But remember – buying a domain is a big decision for your business. It should be considered an investment.

Ultimately it pays to take your time. Don’t simply buy a premium domain on the spur of the moment. Research your options thoroughly and create a list of possibilities.

Don’t overlook the importance of researching the seller and the premium domain

Researching a premium domain seller – who is the seller – are they a serial premium domain seller? Does the person have social profiles that you can research?

Researching a premium domain

Important questions to consider:

1. Does the premium domain have any undesirable backlinks associated? Use a tool such as Open Site Explorer or Majestic SEO to find out.
2. Has it been penalized by Google? Always ask for a screenshot of the domain’s Webmaster backend before considering a sale (any penalties will be shown under the Manual Actions > Search Traffic tab).
3. Does the domain name include a trademarked name? Head over to the USPTO to double-check that you won’t invest in an unusable domain name.
4. What does Google say? Search for the premium domain name in quotes “– e.g. “glitzy shoes” – are any concerning listings returned? (i.e., Glitzy Shoes Rip Off Reports)

Don’t try to buy premium domain names through trickery

Some domain buyers try to trick their sellers into selling at a lower price. Using two (or more) different profiles, they’ll send in two under-market value offers. The aim is to mislead the seller into believing that they’ve overvalued their premium domain. But the last laugh is usually on the seller as, more often than not, it leads to the seller thinking that there’s plenty of interest (so they then go on to hike the price even further!).

Don’t ask a domain owner whether you can buy their premium domain name

Think of this as a strategic negotiation – and what should you NEVER do when negotiating? That’s right – reveal your position. By contacting a domain owner of your own accord, you tell them who you are, and they gain a full understanding of how much you may have to spend.

They may also assess your competitors and create a bidding war between you and them (the worst possible situation you can find yourself in when buying a premium domain).

Don’t think you can get away with masking your identity

Those that offer premium domain names for sale are usually seasoned negotiators. They’re not easily fooled by potential buyers who attempt to hide their identity through a new email and a fake name (so don’t even try it!).

Don’t use either the domain landing page or a domain registrar to submit an offer

First, you may give away your identity (something that you don’t want to do for reasons explained in tip four).

The second (and far more serious) is the fact that you may unwittingly be obliging yourself to pay a fee to the registrar that should you go through with the sale.

Don’t get ahead of yourself by filing a trademark (you could give the game away)

Don’t think that you’re being super diligent by registering your trademark before you’ve purchased your premium domain. All trademarks are listed on websites that are freely searchable.

Domain hijackers will closely watch these websites, and quickly register a range of associated domains before the trademark owner has had a chance to. You’ll then be effectively held to ransom, while they place your premium domains for sale.

Don’t imagine your online future with your targeted premium domain before the deal is signed and sealed

We know how it is – you’ve found the PERFECT domain and the website looks like it was abandoned long ago. This is the premium domain for you, isn’t it?

Don’t do it. Always keep your options open with a list of possible domains, rather than setting your heart on only one. That way you can remain objective and won’t fall into the trap of either paying over the odds, or being so short-sighted you miss other great potential premium domains.

Don’t drive up traffic to the premium domain by visiting it over and over again

With every trip you take, you should hear an ominous ‘ka-ching’ in the background, as you’ll be adding to the traffic of the website (and therefore also adding to the asking price).

Premium domains typically already attract a good amount of traffic (either that or they are short, highly competitive words).

If you want to take a look at some high-level premium domain sold in the past, let’s check out: some of the expensive domains sold in the past

Worse still, they run the risk of waving a big red flag that your repeat visits are due to you considering buying the domain. All they need to do is analyze the IP addresses that have been visiting the web page and bingo! They instantly know exactly who’s interested in buying their premium domain.

Don’t register ANY similar top-level domains (TLDs) before planning to buy a premium domain

Registering similar TLDs signal to the domain owner that you’ll soon be making an offer. After all, what other reason could there be for you buying the .co, .ltd and .uk TLD’s.

Already made this mistake? You can attempt to limit the repercussions, by ensuring that your domains are obscured with private Whois information. 

Don’t be impatient

It’s difficult, we know. You want to get up and running. You may even have a website on a test site ready to go live. But being impatient is the worst mistake you can make when it comes to buying a premium domain.

Don’t eagerly pay up – ensure that you’re protected

Domains are officially classified as digital goods, so it can be difficult (if not impossible) to seek a refund if things go awry. If you aren’t using a broker or another middle man, you need to ensure that you’re using a bona fide service (i.e. brandnic’s escrow).

You’ll also need a legal document in a place known as a purchase agreement. This will detail the legalities of the deal and list the terms of the sale.

The advantages of a premium domain name

When you buy a premium domain, you can look forward to a raft of advantages that are each as influential as the last for online success. Let’s dig into these now…

SEO advantages

While it’s true to say that Exact Match Domains (where the domain matches what a Google searcher types exactly) no longer pushes a website up the search results, there is still value in buying a premium domain. Why? Because a premium domain establishes trust and authority with those you may outreach to in order to ask for links back.

Memorable and quick to type

You’ll likely use your domain name in many places outside of the online world – such as on your business’ printed marketing materials. When trying to drive ‘real-world’ visitors to your website, you could use a tool such as a QR code. Within a snap of a smartphone camera, a QR code can drive your prospect to an online destination of your choice. But while QR codes are undoubtedly a helpful option to provide, not all of your website visitors will want to fiddle around with their smartphone (or they may not have their phone to hand – such as in certain business environments).

In this instance, a short, memorable domain name is critical (especially as many users are known to ‘guess’ a domain after seeing a business name).

A short domain name also has the advantage of being suitable even on marketing materials where space is limited – such as on postcard flyers and business cards.

Word-of-mouth marketing-friendly

They say that word of mouth marketing is the most powerful of all (and with good reason – after all, 88% of consumers place the highest level of trust in recommendations from people they know – check the source). But how can you possibly capitalize upon people talking about your business to other people if your domain name isn’t an exact .com version of your business name?

Trust and authority

Let us ask you this – which domain would you instantly trust…

www.online-food-delivery-today.aero OR Yummeys.com? By the way, you can buy the second one at Brandnic.

Between the two, the second domain would be considered a premium domain. It’s shorter, includes the business name and counts as a Top-Level Domain (e.g. it’s a dot.com). Clearly this would be the preferable domain in terms of conveying trust and online authority. This doesn’t just apply to where your domain name appears online, either. It can also convey a professional image of your printed marketing materials.

Brand recognition

A premium domain that matches your business name exactly will reinforce your brand image. Let’s look at another example. There’s a business in the FinTech sector that specializes in payment authentication technology. They’re choosing a brand and domain name. Which of the following domains would provide the most effective brand reinforcement?

www.pay-tech-authentication.financial OR Paythentic.com?

The second domain will strengthen the company’s brand image and will also be far easier to remember and return to in the future.

The next step: where to find premium domains for sale

Now that we’ve explained the many benefits of a premium domain name, the natural next step is to understand where to order premium domains and the pros and cons of each.

Understanding – where to get a premium domain name?

1. A domain registrar – while you may hit lucky and uncover a premium domain name gem, domain registrars almost always demand extensive trial and error searching for a domain that fits with your business. You’ll also need to have decided your business name beforehand.
2. A premium domain name hub – Brandnic falls into this category, however, unlike other domain marketplaces, we serve as a quick-find directory of ready-to-go business names that come complete with a logo and domain name.
3. A brand selling site – The pro here is that buying your domain from your web host saves you a little time. However there are numerous downsides to holding both your domain and your website with the same company – we go into detail about what these are in our in-depth guide on how to choose a brand name (and the mistakes to avoid!).

Conclusion: Brandnic is Your Ally to Get the Best Premium Domain Names

Framing credible online credibility and making your customers connect with your brand easily, a domain name is an important element for brand development.

Getting your hands on a premium domain name

You must never compromise with the domain name. Don’t ever think that investing in domain names will never get you to good results. Going premium with your domain name is the smartest decision you can take today. As you have been already acquainted with the perks of acquiring a premium domain name for your website, it is important to find the reliable registrar who can serve all the purposes. Brandnic can assist you in finding the best premium name for your business. With an exclusive catalog of available premium domain names, you will never get out of ideas to get the perfect name.

At Brandnic, we aren’t just a marketplace for premium domain names for sale. Our domains allow you to discover a catchy brand name and polished logo for your industry – placing you strides ahead of the competition once you find a premium domain name.