April 21, 2022

How to Rebrand Your Business and Domain Name

written by

Joe Uddeme

How to Rebrand Your Business and Domain Name

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Even well-established businesses sometimes need to rebrand, and one of the biggest issues can be finding a new domain name to match. In this post, NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme looks at the smart way to do it.

Looking to rebrand your business? It’s rarely a walk in the park, with a to-do list that features everything from registering your new name, changing all of your company materials, and, crucially, securing a new domain name that can help your rebranded business to grow.

There’s often a significant culture change, too, and it’s important your staff understand why you’re rebranding and what your hopes are for the new-look company.

In this post, we’ll look at some key things to consider, including buying the domain name you’ll need.

Key Takeaways

The compelling reasons behind rebranding
Considerations for your audience/marketplace
Publicizing your new brand
Practical considerations (logos, etc.)

How to rebrand a business

Branding is a critical consideration for every business. Branding refers to promoting your products with a distinctive feel and design. It’s an ideal way to differentiate yourself from competitors.

No matter how good your products are, you won’t sell them without proper branding and customer awareness.

Branding isn’t an easy task. We wouldn’t have many companies struggling to sell themselves if it was. The world is littered with failed branding strategies, even from big brands.

Netflix’s struggled early on to use Qwikster to break out its DVD rental service and its streaming service.

However, a failed branding strategy isn’t the end of the world. Any business can rebrand and make it right with consumers. Netflix didn’t give up when its Qwikster brand failed. It continued DVD rentals with its usual name (successfully) before pivoting to video streaming later.

When your initial branding strategy doesn’t work, the intelligent thing to do is a rebrand, and there are specific factors to consider when doing that.

Be clear on what’s driving the rebrand

Before initiating rebranding efforts, you must be clear on what’s driving the need for the rebranding. There are varying reasons for a business to rebrand, and each demands different strategies.

The most common reasons for rebranding include:

Having an outdated brand
To reposition your brand
Reputation management

Brands can become outdated when they fail to keep up with rapid changes in modern style and influence.

For example, a social media site from the early internet days won’t survive well in this current internet age when we have vastly different demographics. The early social media platforms became outdated over time, and those that failed to rebrand lost market share.

You can also rebrand to reposition your company’s business strategy. If your original name focused on a niche, but has evolved to target a broader offering.

FilterEasy to Second Nature is a good example of a brand that changed brand names to better align with their new offering. They originally focused on selling only filters but evolved to sell home care products. Check out our story about the rebranding of Monday.com for another great case study.

Businesses also rebrand for reputational purposes. You may have started with a well-meaning name that unfortunately became associated with negative things in the future. A typical example is a Chinese fashion retailer named ISIS that had to rebrand when the name became associated with terrorist activities.

Focus on the Core Messaging

Your rebrand should have clear and concise messaging. You should be able to tell a story with your new brand that customers can relate to. Just don’t rebrand without context – because that can irk existing customers.

Let them know why you’re rebranding and why it’s better for the business. A simple explanation goes a long way in making your customers empathize with you despite the short-term inconvenience. Let your teams know this, too.

Consider your audience, market, and competition

Take time to evaluate how your rebranding would affect your existing audience (customers) and standing against competitors in the market. Ensure you research to validate if your rebranding reasons are appropriate.

How would your customers react to an unfamiliar brand name? Is there intense brand competition in your industry? These are good questions to ask before initiating any rebrand. You must be sure that the direction of your rebrand matches what customers want.

There are two main types of branding research: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research entails collecting and analyzing numerical data to find patterns, while qualitative implies using non-numerical data. Focus groups are a good example.

Publicize your new brand

Your rebranding efforts will be futile if you don’t make customers aware of it. Consumers have short attention spans, meaning they can easily forget your old brand. Once you rebrand, assume you’re a newly formed brand and market like one. Buy ads on social media platforms, search engines, TV, etc., to spread the word about your new identity.

How do I rebrand an existing business?

1. Buy a new domain name

In this digital age, not having a website puts you on a lower level than your competitors. Hence, the first step to rebranding an existing business is securing the proper domain name.

Before choosing your new brand name, check if a corresponding domain name is available. Your domain name is how customers would find you, so you can’t afford to make errors here.

You can buy any available domain name through any domain registrar. However, there are cases where a domain you want is already taken, and you see yourself having no other choice.

Don’t fret. You can enlist a domain name broker to find and contact the owner with an offer on your behalf. Domain brokerage services are great at negotiation and can take care of the technical side of domain name acquisition, too.

2. Change your logo

A logo is an essential aspect of any brand because it’s one of the first things a customer recognizes and identifies with. Hence, you should change your logo during rebranding to signal your new brand identity. You can make your logo simpler for customers. Likewise, you can use unique colors to make your new brand stand out from your former.

3. Change your slogan

Many brands have a slogan that customers resonate with, e.g., Nike’s “Just do it” and Disneyland’s “The happiest place on earth.” It would be best if you changed your slogan when rebranding to flaunt your new brand identity.

4. Create new ads

You should create advertisements fitting your new brand identity. Your ads will now use a different slogan, color palette, keywords, etc.

What does it mean to rebrand a business?

Rebranding is the process of changing an organization’s corporate image. It entails creating a new look and feel for an existing company to influence customer choices. A rebranding company would typically change its name (and domain), logo, slogan, vision, mission statement, etc.

Why would a company rebrand?

There are various reasons why a company would rebrand. It could be repositioning themselves for a new business strategy, reputational management, or simply fixing an outdated brand. If a company is switching from a niche market to a larger one, it’s wise to rebrand appropriately to match its new focus.

Likewise, if a company’s brand suffers from a poor reputation due to internal or external causes, a rebrand can help avert it.

Should you rebrand your business?

Rebranding is a complex and expensive undertaking that you must do only with a clear goal. If you’re not looking to change your strategy, avert a reputational crisis, or face other standard issues that call for rebranding, we advise you to avoid it.

However, in the right circumstances, it can give a struggling company or one with immediate challenges a new lease of life.

About the author

Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains. Joe has helped with the rebranding of numerous large companies. Contact him at: [email protected]

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Ever been tempted by an available domain name that seems too good to be true? Maybe it’s exactly that – with a hidden history that adversely affects its true value. In this post, domain name expert Joe Uddeme flags up the things to look out for when buying a domain name. Researching domain history is important for businesses and website owners, especially when you wish to buy a premium domain. It’s like wanting to purchase a property and checking the record of its past owners, renovations, and sales history before signing the contract. If you don’t do your due diligence, you might find your dream property was a crime scene six months ago. The same can (kinda) be true of a domain name. You’ve arrived at the right place if you’re interested in digging deep into the history of any domain. This article will give you the relevant knowledge and tools to navigate a domain’s history – and help ensure there are no skeletons in your URL’s closet. Key takeaways Domain history is important – ignore it at your peril A hidden past can help you negotiate a lower price (if you still want it) Discover all the top tips and tools that will help you unearth a domain name’s past Why Would Someone Want To Know A Domain’s History Domain name history is important in several cases, mainly when someone wants to acquire a domain. For example, you come across a domain you want to buy but don’t know the owner. Investigating the domain registration history can help you find the owner so you can begin inquiring about purchasing the domain. These are typical cases that warrant a domain history lookup: Finding A Domain Name’s Owner You might find a domain that looks valuable for your business, but the existing website has no official information to contact the owner. In that case, researching the domain name history can help you find the owner’s email address, phone number, physical address, or other contact information. Conducting Research Before Buying A Domain Due diligence is critical if you’re buying any domain. Checking the domain name ownership history lets you know its reputation with search engines, which can affect your website’s discoverability and brand appeal. This due diligence lets you know if the domain was previously used for any malicious activity, and you can immediately back out if so. Or, if it has certain questionable connotations you can live with and you feel your name/brand is strong enough to survive the domain’s hidden past, you can use its history to negotiate a lower price. Competitive Research Checking a competitor’s domain name history can reveal valuable information. Who registered the domain? How long has the website existed? How much was the domain acquired for? Has the domain ever been sold? These questions give great insight into your competitors, letting you know how to stand out and win customers. Checking A Domain’s History The WHOIS database is the first place to check a domain name’s history. This public database contains the information collected when someone registers a domain name. You can use it to find relevant information about a domain name’s owner and operational history. WHOIS Lookup You can query information from the WHOIS database using any WHOIS lookup tool. This database is publicly available, so many websites allow users to type in a domain name and see every information related to that domain in the WHOIS database. Examples of such tools include WHOIS.com, Who.IS, and WHOIS.DomainTools.com. Type a domain into any of these tools, and you’ll see relevant information about it, including: When the domain was first purchased A WHOIS lookup always shows a domain’s initial registration date. This information gives you a clue of how long the website has existed. To illustrate, let’s perform a WHOIS lookup for NameExperts.com. We typed this domain into the Who.IS lookup tool and got the following information:

How to Choose a Domain Name

Open the dictionary and pick a word – the .com of that word will almost certainly be gone. So, where do you begin when choosing a domain name that will help your business grow? NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme walks you through the whole process. One of the most important decisions you’ll make about your business is the domain name you choose to acquire. The domain name you give your business is crucial because it becomes your identity on the web. You want it to reflect your brand and fit your business, but you also need it to be easy to find and promote. Acquiring a premium domain name is definitely the way to go, but choosing one can be difficult. What criteria should you be following to make sure you end up with the very best when you buy a domain name? This post is a little different to the others on the NameExperts blog – it’s a list of six key pointers to consider when choosing a domain name. 1. Pick a Short Name When You Choose a Domain What You Want to Avoid: When you’re just starting out playing with domain names to choose it can be tempting to combine all your ideas into one long domain name – like UsedCadillacsInTexas.com. However, while that may make it unique and descriptive, it may hurt your branding. What to Do Instead: A short name is easy to remember, easier to spell, and thus, has a better chance of becoming a household name. It also makes it easier when you want to branch out into branded items, or you want to create a logo, etc. Unfortunately, all the very easy 3-letter names were all taken as early as 1997, but there are plenty of others available that are appropriate. The shorter your domain name is, the easier it is to share through word of mouth. It’s also easier to type into your search bar, especially if you’re using a phone. 2. Pick Something Easy to Spell, Pronounce, and Remember What You Want to Avoid: A name that is difficult to spell can negatively impact your traffic because it can mean that users don’t land on your page. They might even end up with a competitor instead. You’ll also want to avoid using multiple spellings and the use of hyphens, numbers, or special characters. Your customers will often misunderstand numbers or misplace hyphens. People who hear your web address might not know whether you’re using a numeral or if it’s spelled out. What to Do Instead: This name needs to be easy to remember. Your customers need to be able to spell it correctly and pronounce it easily, so that they can easily share it with others (check out our guide to choosing a strong brand name for your business). Imagine you’re naming a child – you want something unique for your site, but you also don’t want a name that will create difficulties because of spelling or pronunciation. Every ‘Steve’ whose parents opted for ‘Steeyve’ or ‘Stëeve’ will tell you that being ‘clever’ with a name rarely works. If you absolutely need to include special characters or terms that are more difficult to spell in your domain name, make sure you register different variations of it to be safe. Some of the most famous and brandable names out there are extremely simple: Google. Facebook. Amazon. Apple. These are giants who created an excellent product or service, but who also knew how to brand themselves by acquiring premium domain names. 3. Use Relevant Keywords What You Want to Avoid: A word of caution here – if your domain is entirely made up of keywords, you run the risk of creating a brand that sounds too generic or unrecognizable. Especially if you’re starting a blog or a personal page, you need something with a bit of personality. What to Do Instead: You’ll notice that a lot of the heavy players have names that are composed of two words, and one of them is usually a keyword. That is a very clever choice, because a) it’s descriptive of your business, b) it majorly contributes to SEO, and c) it makes your name easy to remember. So, if you’ve got an interior design business, for example, you’ll want a premium domain that ideally includes a relevant keyword, like “design”, “interior”, “decorator”, “home”, “style”, etc. That will tell your potential customers all they need to know about your business. Your name is also likely to pop up in whatever Google search they try for “interior design” or similar keywords. If your business is local, you might consider including your city or state in your domain. That way, customers in your area can find your name and remember it easier. Often, when doing keyword research for your business, you’ll find that city and state will most likely be included. 4. Avoid Anything Confusing or Inappropriate What You Want to Avoid: You want to pay attention to not pick a name that is confusing (either because of spelling or sheer peculiarity), awkward, or inappropriate. If the initials of your business make up an inappropriate word, scrap the name immediately. What to Do Instead: Pay attention to what a domain looks like when you spell it out, if it’s made of multiple words. You’ll be surprised at how many other words you may inadvertently spell. Example: your name is Marc and you’re a rapper. www.marcraps.com isn’t great, is it? The other thing to look out for is picking a name that has no relation to your line of business. That can be very confusing. 5. Avoid Names that Already Exist or Are Trademarked What You Want to Avoid: Don’t go ahead with a name that is extremely similar to an existing one or that is trademarked, because a) that is confusing for your customers and you risk losing traffic, and b) you may, someday, be served with a legal notice that may create problems. What to Do Instead: However, there is a caveat here. If the name is already trademark-protected, that’s a bit of a dead-end. There can’t be another Burger King, for example. If, however, the domain name you want is just taken by someone else, there are ways around that, and you are still able to buy a domain name that is already owned. 6. Choose a .com TLD, but Purchase All Available Extensions What You Want to Avoid: If you only acquire the domain name you want and no other similar ones, you run the risk of having someone else purchase other variations of your domain. They will get the traffic that should have been directed towards your page. What to Do Instead: The most popular domains are .com ones and they are the most widely used, so it’s the ideal premium domain to acquire. But your work doesn’t stop here. Once you’ve bought that, you also want to purchase every other available variation of your domain name. For example, let’s say your domain name is www.carsforsale.com. You should try to buy www.carsforsale.net, www.carsforsale.org, www.carsforsale.biz, etc. That way, no one else can take these domains and possibly steal traffic that was meant to go your way. Once you have these domains, you can make sure the traffic redirects to your main .com domain. Check out our guide to TLDs (top level domains). The Bottom Line When Deciding How to Choose a Domain Name Choosing a domain name can be a delicate process. Pick the wrong one, and your business may suffer. Pick the right one, and it can catapult you into quick notoriety, or at least it can help make branding easier. The most important things to remember when choosing what domain to acquire is that it should be something easy to spell and remember, it should be non-trademarked, and it should ideally include a keyword. If you manage to find the perfect one, purchase every variation to make sure that you can take advantage of 100% of the traffic going to these domains. Buying premium domain names for a business can be pretty complex, which is why many people turn to an expert domain broker for help. Brokers know all the ins and outs of securing a great name and are adept at negotiating the best price for the buyer. Check out our guide to the best domain brokers of 2025 for more details. About the author Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains. Contact us at: [email protected]

Domain Names and Covid-19

Over the past few weeks, there have been many readers asking about the effects of Domai Names and Covid-19 on domain names. Should we hold our names, or sell them now? How has the impact of the global pandemic affected domain name investors and owners of valuable digital assets? Will we be heading for a deeper depression, and how would all of that translate into the current value of your domain name portfolio. In the short term, if you can sit on your names, you would probably be better off in the long run. The market uncertainty has thrown domain name values for a loop. Financial market volatility has a direct correlation with domain name investment values. As a result, now is not the time to sell your domain name to the end-user. Its also not the time to expect top dollar values on your domain name inventory. The market is different and is reactive to today’s landscape. Folks are still trying to figure things out—and most importantly—stay healthy. We are faced with a new way of life now with remote workplaces, and limited exposure to the people we care most about. When the dust settles, domain name portfolios will evolve and some additional GTLD’s will continue to go by the wayside. Domain name starts will continue to suffer (a start is defined as a new potential domain name acquisition or valuation). Brands push Pause Just three weeks ago, domain starts were up. The market was robust and many startups, and emerging brands had major growth. 2020 was off to a great start and then boom. In a matter of weeks, things have dried up. Most acquisitions that were on the target board have been placed on hold, with buyers deciding to wait for the dust to settle from the outbreak. Things are rough and will continue to deteriorate. Growth has turned into retraction with global markets reacting to their municipalities ability to control the spread. Simply put: things have frozen. People aren’t spending and have decided to stand pat. Hundreds of thousands of employees are losing, or have already lost their jobs around the World. Companies are scrambling for a plan to deal with the circumstances. What should we do? As with any alternative or digital investment, it’s wise to have a long-term plan. Domain names, are very similar to real estate and will ultimately retain value and upside. More specifically, .com digital real estate will continue to hold value. Additional TLDS will continue to fade out—at a fast clip than over the past two years. Only sell if you need the capital—understand that the market is different so selling now, will probably not deliver top dollar for your asset. Hold if you Can—now, more than ever, you should hold your inventory. You might be in it for a while at this point. Can you afford to wait for the proper rebound? Don’t panic—there is always liquidity in domain names Diversify your portfolio—now is the time to clean out the junk and trim the fat so-to-speak We always encourage you to like our articles and share with your network. Keep a look out for additional pieces related to the current climate for domain names as an investment tool and provide your feedback if there are topics you would like for us to cover. Learn more by visiting our website. NameExperts.com

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How to Rebrand Your Business and Domain Name

Domain Buying Guides

Name Experts provides premium domain service to:

How to rebrand a business

Be clear on what’s driving the rebrand

Focus on the Core Messaging

Consider your audience, market, and competition

Publicize your new brand

How do I rebrand an existing business?

What does it mean to rebrand a business?

Why would a company rebrand?

Should you rebrand your business?

About the author

Subscribe for More Domain Buying & Selling Advice

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Domain Name History – How to Check and How to Stay Safe

How to Choose a Domain Name

Domain Names and Covid-19

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