Why choosing the right business name is important

The company name you select for your small business has numerous branding, marketing, and web implications so needs careful consideration. Your company name goes before you,  needs to be memorable and also needs to be work on the internet for SEO marketing. This guide will help you decide on a strong name for your small business:

• First impressions
• Impressing investors
• Making your name web-friendly

First impressions

When you're deciding on a name, consider whether you want it to explain what the business does, or whether you want a more abstract name. Also decide what you want it to convey - while 'The Fine Cheese Co' reflects traditional, quality values, 'Smarta' has a more modern sound. Make sure your final name doesn't mean anything else in any other languages - if you decide to trade overseas, you may regret it.

• Is an abstract name appropriate, or would an explanatory one be more suitable?
• What values do you want it to reflect?
• Check it doesn't mean anything else in another language

Impressing investors

Always remember while a fun, trendy name might sound good to you and impress your customers (FCUK is a case in point), investors may not be thrilled at handing a cheque over to a business with an odd-sounding name. If you are concerned about this, register your company under a more generic name, and operate under the other one - this will also give you the flexibility to expand your business later on.

• Investors may not be impressed with a trendy or abstract name
• Register under a more generic name
• This will give you the flexibility to expand later on

Making your name web-friendly

Before you register your name, make sure the domain name is free, and register it - like cheap flights, the minute you start searching domain names, the price will go up. Don't forget if the .com is not available, you can still register the .co.uk or .net, and you can separate words with hyphens and numbers as well.

• Make sure your domain name is free before you register the name
• Don't forget you can register a .co.uk or .net if .com is taken
• You can separate words using a hyphen or numbers

Smarta offers a company registration service powered by the National Business Register.  You can search for available names then register a business name, set up a company and register a trademark with us. You will receive a professional binder with all your official documents via post within 3 days.

Go to our company registration tool here: Company registration tool

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