For many of my naming clients, the definition of “an available name” has expanded beyond trademark and domain to include a wide range of social media—not just Twitter and Facebook but also, in some cases, Instagram, Flickr, Pinterest, and other platforms. Checking each service was a chore until I discovered Namecheckr, which instantly screens for name availability across 18 platforms, including a few I’d never heard of (Papaly, IFTTT, Dribbble). If your first choice isn’t available everywhere you’d like it to be, try adding a word (go, shop, mobile, or whatever’s appropriate).
Consistency across all platforms should be your goal. When it isn’t achievable—if, say, you can claim ExcitingNewCo everywhere except on Facebook—I recommend modifying the brand name. Just don’t change the name for every platform. If all your modifications keep showing up as taken, it’s time to rethink your naming strategy and develop some claimable alternatives.
Namecheckr also screens for domain availability in four extensions: .com, .net, .org, and .io. That’s helpful, but it isn’t the end of the story. Many “taken” domains are in fact up for sale on the aftermarket; you’ll need to do a little extra digging into WhoIs, or query a domain broker, to learn who owns the domain and how much they’re asking. (Remember to negotiate!) There are also many options beyond the four primary domain extensions, including .co and .biz—often a good fit for smaller businesses—as well as country codes (.is, .ee, .la, .re, etc.) and newer extensions such as .moe, .pizza, .surf, and .tax. Here’s a complete list.
Namecheckr is not a substitute for comprehensive legal screening, which should be done by an experienced and savvy trademark lawyer before you embark on website development or any other brand activity. Twitter handles are free and domains are cheap, but a trademark lawsuit can be very, very expensive.
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P.S. Since you asked: No, I am not a fan of the dropped E in Namecheckr’s name. See my Pinterest board of this overplayed trope.
If I knew anything about emojis I'd want to put something like a cheerleader and pompoms here.
Posted by: Jessica | April 25, 2015 at 09:41 AM