Branding Basics (for people who want to ship)
Branding is not a logo. It’s the set of expectations people attach to your product. A clear brand makes naming easier, marketing cheaper, and domain decisions simpler.
1) Positioning: who it’s for and why you win
Positioning is your “frame.” It answers: Who is this for? What problem do they care about? Why would they pick you instead of the obvious alternative?
When positioning is clear, your name can be more brandable and less descriptive — because the story fills in the meaning.
2) Tone: what should it feel like?
Decide on 2–3 tone words. Examples: trustworthy, playful, premium, technical, bold, minimal.
This matters because tone impacts name style. A playful brand can use whimsical invented words; a serious finance brand usually can’t.
3) Naming strategy: pick a lane
- Descriptive (Clear, but often taken): “InvoiceAI”
- Suggestive (Hints at value): “Loom”, “Notion”
- Invented (Unique, brandable): “Zendesk”
- Compound (Two-word): “DoorDash”
4) How branding affects domain choice
Great brands have more domain options. If your idea is unique and your positioning is sharp, you can often get a clean .com at normal registration prices.
If your idea is generic (“BestAccountingSoftware”), you’ll end up competing for expensive keyword domains.
Want NameChat to do the heavy lifting?
Share your audience, tone, and a couple competitors. We’ll suggest names and check domains.