Is the name of your app really all that important? The answer is yes, absolutely! In fact, it might be one of the most overlooked aspects of the mobile app development process. There are millions of apps for people to download onto their smartphones. With that many apps available, you need to make sure that you don’t make a mistake right out of the gate. One common mobile app development error is to give your app a name that doesn’t click with the target audience.
Here are some common mistakes that you should steer clear of when naming your app.
1. Not standing out
Thousands of apps are added to the apple and google play stores every day. If you don’t have a name that jumps out and is easy to remember you will have failed before anyone has had a chance to try the app.
When naming your app you need to come up with something that is both interesting and connected to the service or function that your app provides. A good example of this is the app “Evernote” This name is unique and tells you everything that you need to know about the product. You take notes, they last forever.
When looking to design an app, be sure to test out a few names, say them out loud and even ask around the office for opinions on a shortlist of names. After thinking about this for a while you may be too close to the project to judge the effectiveness of a name on its own merits.
2. Keep the name short
Short names are the best. If the name of your app if more than 4 syllables long then you run the risk of not being punchy and memorable. Sometimes names that are too long will be cut short so that will further hamper your brand.
If you have a great name but it is too long, think about smashing the words together to make a smaller word. Examples of this include Instagram, SnapChat and StumbleUpon. They still convey the information that they want to, but in a sleek and snappy way that grabs the attention of the consumer.
3. Capital letters are your best friend
Now that you have smashed two or more words together, you may be a little concerned that people will be confused with how to say it. By capitalizing the words that you want emphasis on you can communicate this easily. For example look at SnapChat or GrubHub to see how this can be done effectively.
4. Understand who your audience is
In the same way that you would go to great lengths to understand your audience for SEO purposes, make sure that you have a clear idea of exactly what it is that your audience is looking for in an app. This can help to guide you when it comes to nailing down a good name for an app.
5. Don’t copy someone else’s style
Be original, you don’t want to end up aligned with an app that has nothing in common with yours. By taking the time to come up with a name that really works and is unique to your company, you can sit back and wait for the downloads to roll in.
6. Avoid stepping on any toes
You should make sure that you have done your research and that you are not infringing on anyone else’s trademark. You may even want to consult with a trademark specialist to ensure that your app name is unique to you. The last thing that you want to do is to put a great deal of work into creating an app only to find that you have to go all the way back to the drawing board and think of a new name and create new visuals.