written by
Joe Uddeme
Looking to rebrand your business? It’s not an easy undertaking to rebrand an established business – I’ll walk you through some of the things to watch out for when working on a rebrand for your 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.
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:
Brands can become outdated when they fail to keep up with rapid changes in modern style and influence.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 The early social media platforms became outdated over time and those that failed to rebrand lost market share.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 filers, but evolved to sell home care products.
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.
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 it can irk existing customers.
Let them know why you’re rebranding (see no. 1 point) 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.
It would help if you thoroughly evaluated 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.
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.
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 (like Name Experts) to find and contact the owner with an offer on your behalf.
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.
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.
You should create advertisements fitting your new brand identity. Your ads will now use a different slogan, color palette, keywords, etc.
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.
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 (e.g., FilterEasy to Second Nature).
Likewise, if a company’s brand suffers from a poor reputation due to internal or external causes, a rebrand can help avert it.
Rebranding is a hectic 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.
Premium domains are the best type of domains because they are memorable and tend to draw a lot of organic traffic. To the uninitiated, premium domains are short, catchy, and memorable domain names that have a high potential to become popular web addresses. They also present great branding opportunities for websites. The best places to find premium domains for your business include: Name Experts GoDaddy Sedo Network Solutions Domain.com Namecheap
There have been many ‘young pretenders’ such as .ai and .io, but .com reigns supreme in the world of domain names. NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme explains why a .com URL is still the one to aim for in most cases. Using a .com domain offers several significant advantages that can positively impact your brand’s identity, visibility, and long-term growth. To this day, a .com domain registration transfer is often the best choice for a new domain and purchase in your desired price range. Buying a domain name can be daunting and less secure without the proper knowledge of the transfer process, which is where a top domain brokerage service can help. Price range is a major factor when it comes down to buying your URL – or selling it – and a broker can streamline the whole process. Global Recognition A .com website has the most-recognized Top Level Domain: The .com domain extension is known worldwide and widely respected. When users see a .com domain, they immediately associate it with a legitimate organization. It’s the default extension most people think of when typing a domain name or securing one for ownership and transfer. It’s a key consideration when you want to acquire a premium domain name. Trust Factor Buyers tend to trust websites that have a .com domain over other top level domains. Most International registrars support the transfer of .com and offer additional features. Since it’s the most established and widely used domain extension, it adds an element of professionalism, security and reliability to your marketing plan. This helps visitors with peace-of-mind and more likely to engage with your entity and feel more secure. If you’re involved in domain name portfolio management, it’s a good bet you’ll have one or more .com names in your collection. Memorability and Ease of Use A short, catchy .com domain is easier for people to recall. People are conditioned to associate websites with .com, making it more likely that they’ll remember your complete domain name when searching for your business or product suite. This improves free direct visit traffic, where users type your domain into their browsers, leading to higher engagement and conversions on your site to protect your brand and keep you covered. Because .com is the default TLD, potential individuals are more likely to accidentally type yourbusiness.com even if your actual website is on a different extension (e.g., .net or .org). Owning the .com prevents you from losing traffic to other sites and allows your client to complete the navigation. It’s all part and parcel of a great brand name strategy. Customer Expectations .COM: Customers often expect businesses to use .com for both websites and email addresses. If a site uses yourbusiness.com for its website but an alternative domain like .net or .biz for its email, it could create confusion or even raise questions about the their legitimacy even if its catchy. A professional email address ending in .com adds security, simplicity and attracts more visitors to the domain to achieve success. Using the same .com domain for both your website and professional email helps create a cohesive brand identity for your new domain and keeps you protected and ready to continue to build your organization. Other TLDs: If your website is hosted on a .com domain but your email use different domain extensions (e.g., [email protected]), it can lead to confusion and undermine the consistency of your brand. Clients may accidentally send emails to [email protected] because they assume your email matches your website domain. Credibility with Investors and Partners Perception of Success: Having a .com domain is often seen as a sign that a brand is more established, successful, and serious about its online presence. Investors, acquisition partners, and other account stakeholders may view your brand more favorably if it has secured a .com domain, especially if you’re targeting a global audience, or providing services or support. Domain as a Digital Asset: A .com domain purchase that you intend to hold onto can also become a valuable long-term equity play. Premium .com domains tend to appreciate over time, adding value to your organization if you decide to sell or expand services to maximize the best price for transfer. Register top keywords that identify with your services or product offerings or answer questions. Purchase a .org for your non-profit, or a .net for your network platform. Alternative TLDs such as .net and .org may each hold value to the domain name owner and may be attractive to the buyer as an cheaper alternative based on availability of domains. SEO and Search Engine Benefits Higher Click-Through Rates (CTR): A .com domain will ensure greater click-value in search engine results. Since users trust .com websites more, search engines like Google may favor them in search rankings, especially for advanced searches. Even if a domain extension doesn’t directly impact SEO, user buy behavior (like click-through rates) does, and .com domains tend to perform better in this area. Backlink Value: When other sites link to you, they may be more willing to link to a .com site due to its perceived authority and security. High-quality backlinks are essential for SEO performance, and .com domains tend to naturally attract more of those links according to search tools. International Appeal Global Acceptance: If your organization operates globally or plans to expand internationally, a .com domain is universally recognized and accepted across borders and everyday life. Country-specific domains (like .co.uk or .de) can limit your reach or cause confusion in markets outside that specific country. They can also cause transfer issues. Consistency in Branding: As your organization grows, maintaining a consistent identity across different regions is essential. A .com domain helps establish a unified web presence, making it easier for customers worldwide to find and recognize your branding and url. Competitive Advantage Competitor Safeguard: Owning the .com version of your entity name prevents competitors from using it. Even if you currently use a different extension for your account, a competitor could purchase the .com and use it to divert traffic, confuse clients, or dilute your message or image and hurt security. Always be sure to check out a .com’s history before buying, though – there could be some nasty surprises if it has been used before. Professionalism: Many well-established businesses, particularly in competitive industries, prefer .com domains. If a competitor has the .com version of a similar name, they may be seen as more professional or legitimate than a business name using a less common extension. Having a .com gives you an edge in appearing professional and trustworthy. Versatility to Ensure Growth Future-Proof: As your network grows, the .com extension is flexible enough to accommodate expansions into new products, services, or geographic markets. Unlike some niche TLDs, which may be associated with specific industries (like .tech or .store), a .com can grow with your entity and remain relevant in any market. Resale Value: Premium .com domains can become valuable assets if your organization is ever sold or merged. The high demand for .com domains, especially short, brandable ones, means they often increase in value over time and make them an easier sale for the seller in a reasonable range. Some names exceed all expectations, however, and command seven figure price tags or higher. What other TLDs Are Good Options? Clients ask regularly if there are decent top level domain alternatives to the .com for transfer. There are many, including, .org, .net,.co, .io, .ai, .xyz and .club domains that hold lots of power and authority. Top Extensions: These extensions are popular for use in the crypto and web 3 space.There are many organizations that capitalize on the generic value such as the banking industry with the .bank top level domain. With more than 2,500 new GTLD domain extensions, you can now register and transfer anything from .legal to .car for your business, which is worth knowing if you’re securing a unique domain name for a startup in particular. Here are a list of some top extensions and how they’re often used: .ai: artificial intelligence, machine learning support, reasonable renewal cost .net: internet infrastructure sites, more technical, fairly reasonable renewal cost .co: abbreviation for commerce, corporation and community .org: non-commercial org and non-profits .io: tech sites, business or commercial use support You definitely don’t need to use a website builder for every domain name you purchase. Make sure you forward any additional domain names you register to your primary site and add a secure server to protect your organization. The Dot-Com Domain Should Be Your First Choice When we talk about long term investing and ROI, we think about the stock market, commercial or residential real estate investing, gold bullion and Forex – but domain investing is a legitimate business pursuit, too. Domain names hold value and add instant equity to the branding strategy and ownership in the purchase and sale of domains names. There are hundreds of thousands of prime opportunities to invest in the domain space – and as the last 30 years have shown, the .com is the most credible TLD on the market, both domestically and abroad. This holds true if you are buying your domain for your business or to hold and transfer at a later date. Whether this is your first domain, or you own many domains, the .com creates easy accessibility for consumers and brands alike. Brand Protection: Companies work hard to protect their domain brands, account and marketing tactics. They invest millions of dollars and countless resources at building that beach front real estate and maintaining their Internet presence in the world. As leaders in the domain space, the NameExperts.com team continues to recommend the .com as the superior domain with considerable upside and long term equity potential. Case Study: Tesla.com domain acquisition Here’s a case study of a .com domain acquisition transfer that highlights the importance and benefits of acquiring a premium .com domain for a business. The study involves Tesla’s acquisition of Tesla.com. Background: For many years after its founding, Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer, operated under the registered domain TeslaMotors.com. Despite its growing success, the entity didn’t own the highly sought-after Tesla.com domain. TeslaMotors.com was functional, but having Tesla.com would better align with the company’s image as it expanded beyond cars to include energy products like solar panels and batteries. The domain Tesla.com was originally owned by a man named Stuart Grossman, who had registered it long before the organization existed. Grossman wasn’t actively using the domain, but he also wasn’t interested in selling it easily, making the acquisition a challenging and lengthy process. The Acquisition Process: Need for Rebranding: As Tesla grew and became a household name, the organization realized that TeslaMotors.com was limiting its branding. The “Motors” in the domain name suggested a narrow focus on cars, whereas Tesla’s long-term vision encompassed energy solutions, solar products, and batteries. The organization needed a simpler, cleaner domain—Tesla.com—that reflected its image as a leader in the broader tech and energy sectors. Complex Negotiation: Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, revealed that acquiring Tesla.com was a difficult process, taking over 10 years of negotiations. The domain owner, Grossman, was reluctant to sell the name for many years, leading Tesla to offer a significant amount to finally secure it. Musk later hinted that they had paid $11 million to acquire the domain, though exact figures weren’t officially disclosed. Hands-on Approach: Tesla’s approach to acquiring the domain involved: Patience: Tesla waited until the domain owner was ready to sell, all while continuing to build their company. Persistence: Tesla remained in contact with the owner over a long period, signaling ongoing interest and ensuring the owner knew they were serious buyers. Strategic Timing: Tesla finally closed the deal when they were ready to reposition their entity from just a car line to a broader energy and technology company. Outcome: In 2016, Tesla successfully acquired and completed the transfer of the Tesla.com domain and immediately rebranded their website and digital assets. This acquisition allowed Tesla to secure its concept and image across all its product lines and simplify its online presence and customer support tools. 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’s specialty is helping clients secure .com domain names that appear unreachable – and at the right price, too. Contact Joe at: [email protected]
Securing a high value domain name for your business can be a complex process with many moving parts. A common complication is when buyers want to keep their name out of proceedings. NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme explains how it’s done. What is Anonymous Domain Registration? Anonymous domain registration is a service that allows individuals and businesses to register a domain name without revealing their personal details in the public WHOIS database. Instead of displaying the domain owner’s personal information, such as name, address, and contact details, the registration uses generic proxy details. This approach provides an additional layer of privacy and security, ensuring that your personal information remains confidential. Adding domain privacy can anonymize ownership details in the WHOIS database, thus enhancing security and confidentiality. For the domain name buyer, this can be a godsend. Anonymous domain registration is particularly valuable for protecting personal information, preventing unwanted solicitations, and maintaining confidentiality in sensitive situations. Domain ownership privacy is maintained through anonymous registration, which conceals personal information from the public WHOIS database, safeguarding the identity of domain owners against potential threats and unsolicited communications. Using a domain privacy service further ensures that your personal details are kept private and secure. Key takeaways: Anonymous registration comes with many benefits Understand the role of WHOIS and regulatory issues Top tips to boost security and anonymity Working with an experienced domain broker can simplify the process Benefits of Anonymous Domain Registration Registering a domain name anonymously offers numerous benefits, including: Protection of Personal Information: Anonymous domain registration keeps your personal details, such as name, address, phone number, and email ID, private. This prevents your information from being publicly accessible in the WHOIS database. Additionally, domain privacy protection services can further obscure your personal information during domain registration. Using a domain privacy service ensures that your personal information remains hidden from public view. Prevention of Spam and Unwanted Solicitations: By withholding ownership information, anonymous domain registration helps you avoid unsolicited communication and spam. Enhanced Security: Anonymous registration adds an extra layer of security against cyber crimes like ransomware attacks and domain hijacking. The domain owner plays a crucial role in maintaining security and privacy by ensuring that their contact information is protected. Confidentiality: It allows you to maintain secrecy in sensitive situations, such as buying premium domains – or selling them – without revealing your identity. Emotional Pricing Elimination: Anonymous transactions eliminate emotional pricing by the seller based on the buyer’s identity and intention. Discreet Domain Procurement: Companies can discreetly procure domains for internal products, brand expansions, or mergers without tipping off competitors. Understanding the WHOIS Database What is the WHOIS Database? The WHOIS database is a publicly accessible repository that stores information about registered domain names. Managed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), this database contains essential details about domain owners, including their name, address, phone number, and email address. The primary purpose of the WHOIS database is to provide transparency and accountability in the domain name registration process. It allows users to look up information about a domain name and its owner, ensuring that the domain registration landscape remains open and trustworthy. Risks of Public WHOIS Data While the WHOIS database serves an important role, having personal details publicly available can pose several risks for domain owners: Spam and Unsolicited Contacts: With personal information readily accessible, domain owners may find themselves inundated with unwanted emails, phone calls, or physical mail from marketers and spammers. Identity Theft: Cybercriminals can exploit the information in the public database to steal or hijack a domain, leading to potential financial and reputational damage. Privacy Breaches: Publicly available personal information can be used to compromise a domain owner’s privacy and security, making them vulnerable to various forms of cyber threats. By understanding these risks, domain owners can make informed decisions about protecting their personal details through anonymous domain registration and other privacy measures. Why Choose Anonymous Domain Registration? Anonymous domain registration is a crucial step in protecting your personal information and maintaining online privacy. By choosing anonymous domain registration, you can ensure that your personal details, such as name, address, phone number, and email ID, are not publicly accessible in the WHOIS database. This is particularly important for individuals and businesses that value their online privacy and want to prevent unwanted solicitations, spam emails, and identity theft. By keeping your personal information private, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that your online presence is secure and your identity is protected. How to Register a Domain Anonymously There are several methods to register a domain name anonymously, including: Using a Domain Registrar that Offers Anonymous Registration: Services like Namecheap or Google Domains provide options for anonymous domain registration. Additionally, some registrars offer a free domain name with their services, which can be an added benefit. Utilizing a Proxy Service: Services like Domains by Proxy or Uniregistry can mask your personal information, ensuring it remains private. Registering Through a Third-Party Service: Using a VPN or a domain anonymization service can help you register a domain without revealing your identity. Using a Domain Broker or Marketplace: Engaging a domain broker or using a domain name marketplace can help maintain anonymity during the registration process. Some registrars offer a free domain with hosting packages, which can lower overall costs and enhance the appeal of their services. Using a Domain Privacy Service: A domain privacy service can protect your personal information by replacing it with the service’s contact details. Verifying Domain Privacy Protection To verify whether your website has domain privacy protection, you can easily check the WHOIS database by entering your domain name in the search bar. Look for a generic name, contact address, or email address that forwards messages to you. If you find any of your details apart from what’s in the Domain Information panel, consider enabling domain privacy. You can also check with your domain registrar to see if they offer domain privacy protection services. Ensuring that your domain has privacy protection is a simple yet effective way to safeguard your personal information and maintain your online privacy. Security and Protection Anonymous domain registration provides an additional layer of security and protection for domain owners. By keeping personal information private, individuals and businesses can: Protect Against Cyber Threats and Unwanted Exposure: Keeping your personal details hidden helps safeguard against cyber threats and unwanted exposure. Prevent Domain Hijacking and Fraud: Anonymous registration reduces the risk of domain hijacking and fraudulent activities. Maintain Confidentiality in Sensitive Situations: It ensures that your identity remains confidential in sensitive transactions. Enhance Security Against Ransomware Attacks and Other Cyber Crimes: Anonymous registration adds a layer of security against various cyber crimes. Ensure Personal Information Remains Hidden from Public View on WHOIS: Your personal details are not displayed in the public WHOIS database, protecting your privacy. It is essential to note that while anonymous domain registration offers numerous benefits, it is crucial to choose a reputable domain registrar that provides reliable privacy protection services. Additionally, individuals and businesses should be aware of the potential limitations and considerations when registering a domain name anonymously, such as specific restrictions or policies regarding anonymous registration for certain domain extensions (TLDs). Maintaining Anonymity Maintaining anonymity when registering a domain name is crucial for protecting your personal information and preventing unwanted solicitations. Here are some tips to help you maintain anonymity: Use a VPN to mask your IP address and location. Use a secure email service that offers end-to-end encryption. Be cautious when sharing personal information online. Use a domain broker or a domain name marketplace to purchase a domain name anonymously. Consider using a proxy service to mask your personal information. By following these tips, you can ensure that your personal details remain confidential and your online presence is secure. If you need help, seasoned domain brokerage firms such as NameExperts.com can streamline the process. Regulatory Considerations Compliance with ICANN Regulations ICANN regulations mandate that domain registrars collect and store accurate contact information for domain owners. This requirement ensures that the domain registration process remains transparent and accountable. However, ICANN also recognizes the need for privacy and allows for anonymous domain registration through the use of proxy services or private domain registration. To comply with ICANN regulations, domain registrars must: Collect and Store Accurate Contact Information: Registrars are required to gather and maintain up-to-date contact details for all domain owners. Provide Options for Anonymous Domain Registration: Registrars should offer services such as proxy registration or private domain registration to help domain owners protect their personal information. Educate Domain Owners on Risks: It is crucial for registrars to inform domain owners about the potential risks associated with public WHOIS data and the benefits of opting for anonymous registration. Offer Tools and Services for Privacy Protection: Registrars should provide tools and services that enable domain owners to safeguard their personal information and maintain privacy. By adhering to these guidelines, domain registrars can ensure compliance with ICANN regulations while offering robust privacy protection options for domain owners. This balance between transparency and privacy is essential for maintaining trust and security in the domain registration ecosystem. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Implications The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has significant implications for domain registration and WHOIS data. Under the GDPR, personal data cannot be shown without consent. This means that domain registrars must obtain explicit consent from domain owners before publishing their personal data in the WHOIS database. If you’re a domain owner, you can request that your personal information be removed from the WHOIS database by contacting your domain registrar. This regulation helps protect your personal information and ensures that your privacy is maintained. Limitations and Considerations While anonymous domain registration offers numerous benefits, there are some limitations and considerations to keep in mind: Some domain extensions (TLDs) may have specific restrictions or policies regarding anonymous registration. Ensure that the domain registrar you choose has a reliable privacy protection service and a good reputation in the industry. Some domain registrars may require identification verification, but not all do. Anonymously registering a domain name may not be possible for all types of domains, such as country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs). Domain privacy protection services may not be available for all domain registrars, so it’s essential to check with your registrar before purchasing a domain name. By being aware of these limitations and considerations, you can make informed decisions when registering a domain name anonymously and ensure that your personal information remains protected. 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]
Name Experts offers personalized domain brokerage services, assisting clients in buying or selling premium domain names with expert appraisal, negotiation, and complete transaction management while ensuring confidentiality.
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