Uncommon names and SEO

Names and SEO
Posted in Search (Trends) Mark Scourse by Mark Scourse on 6 Jan 2012. 3 comments

The uniqueness of your name has a massive influence on how easily you can be found online.

Occasionally I’ve found that I need to track down an individual's contact details online (for genuine business development, rather than stalking purposes!). Once you have done this a few times, it becomes obvious that the more uncommon a name you have, the easier it is to find you. If you are a 'Mark Scourse' rather than a 'Mark Smith' then your Google Search results are very different. It is even more difficult to find a person who happens to share a name with a celebrity or politician.

Does this matter? I think it does, if you consider the way in which recruiters use the Internet to research candidates. Or if you are self-employed, or a consultant. Just look at how much businesses invest in SEO to improve natural search rankings. If you can't be found, you won't be considered.

I'm not suggesting that you ought to change your own name for SEO purposes. That is perhaps taking digital marketing too seriously! And there are advantages to being anonymous - you are less likely to be a victim of malicious stalking, or identity-theft. And if you have a unique name, you need to take greater control over the public information available about you. Anyone can find those embarrassing Facebook photos with a quick Google search.

What does this mean for business? The name that you choose for a new product or service is more critical than ever before. It must be unique, but memorable, and linked to the product. Of course, this doesn’t stop occasional confusion, such as this alternative 3Sixty!

3 comments

I've often commented to people that my slightly unusual first name has served me well in life. Whilst I'd love to believe that it's my dazzling wit and sharp intellect that means I'm remembered, I don't doubt that having an uncommon name has really helped. In fact, it was on my mind when recently naming our daughter... I was after something that sounded right in a Board room or on stage. Distinctive, but not daft. Naming is a toughie, whether it's your business or your baby, it needs some serious thought. I blogged on it a while back too: http://www.clear-thought.co.uk/in_thought/art/94/naming-your-company/
Bryony Thomas 15:53 11 Jan 2012
I couldn't agree more with you and I've started using my unique name to my business advantage. If you Google Heinrich Ferreira, I pretty much appear all over the first page :) It's great!

Now if only some of my clients had more unique names...
Heinrich 11:14 13 Jan 2012
Thanks for the comments! I stumbled over an article in the Economist concerning the trend towards more unusual names:http://www.economist.com/node/21542749
Mark 16:39 20 Jan 2012

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