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Branding   URGENT - Need Help Fast!  
 
This question has been closed, and points have been awarded.
Possible Rebranding With New Version Release
Posted By: mark on 8/28/2006 7:26 PM (CST) 500 Points
We are developing a new version of our site at www.thelinguist.com. Right now we teach English online but with our new version we will be teaching many languages. We are looking to create a site around language learning where people can learn languages using our system and also by helping each other learn each other's language.

We feel that our current logo and site are too serious and we would like to rebrand ourselves as something more fun. A fun place to learn languages and meet people. We are deciding whether to keep our current name and domain which we do like or whether we should switch to a new name and domain.

If we keep the same name we will just make it more fun looking and that's that. If we switch, the name we are looking at is LingQ.com (pronounced link). This name incorporates the Ling from our current name which obviously has a language connotation. The Q would be a speech bubble in our new logo to represent speaking languages. The word LingQ or Link because of the many ways that our system links content to a variety of language learning tools. We feel that this new domain will be much easier to spell and remember especially for non native speakers of English.

The question is:
1. What do you think of switching brands and domains? Would you switch or stay with TheLinguist.com which tends to be a mouthful to remember and spell?
2. Do you like the name LingQ?

Posted by: mbarber Accepted Answer
8/28/2006 7:37 PM (CST)
Gidday Mark. I don't know if your site is too serious - its just too heavy. If this is an ESL offering there is a fair chance that the people you want to target DON'T read English at a strong level. Yet there is truckloads of text for them to wade through. First they have to read it and then comprehend it - a task likely to be too hard for many

I'd rip out most of the text and go with some more simple and easier to understand points. Leave the rest for a friend who reads English to interpret

LingQ isn't bad. I read 'link - you' when I first saw it. Even said fast the phonetic sound loses the 'g'.

If there were some image changes I'd like to see people actually in a small group talking to each other, but that's just me :-)

Now I would definitely keep your existing name even if you change over - it has value. I'd seen your site before and remembered it instantly when I jumped in again. That says that the image has impact for me. Whether that also equates to converting a potential ESL student is another matter :-)

Best of luck
 
Posted by: mark Author Response
8/28/2006 7:50 PM (CST)
Thanks for your response!

We do actually translate all of our pages and the translation is browser sensitive so it automatically displays in the language of the visitor's browser. The languages can be switched through the links at the bottom of the page. I do agree that the pages are text heavy but we have done this both to help with search engine optimization and to help explain our case and differentiate ourselves from the multitude of ESL sites out there.
 
Posted by: AlexBoyadjian88* Accepted Answer
8/28/2006 10:36 PM (CST)
If you're going to change the name/url I would drop the "g" and go for LinQ.com. The "Lin" still connotes to language/speech and the Q serves the same purpose. This would be much more catchy as the "g" causes unnecessary confusion and doesn't sound out to "link". The current site, as you stated, does seem too serious. I think all of the text can be transferred to an "About Us" type page. You should probably leave some bold company objectives or something along those lines on the home page. More images/FLASH elements would attract more attention from ESL customers - they probably aren't interested in the text at any rate if they are in need of your services. Hope the suggestions help.
 
Posted by: anudinee Accepted Answer
8/29/2006 12:42 AM (CST)
You have stated that the differentiation from the rest of providers is that your site gives a lot of informations and is serious. Changing for a fun branding and positioning may offend your current consumer. Being an online provider credibility (tust) is highly important. The professionalism should not be compromised in becomming more "fun".

Currently the consumer is most likely to be serious about their learning and require a professional service. Dissolving the strength of your brand by catering to the "fun loving" may decrease the investment of the customer who ties-up with a language teacher and increase traffic of the risk-free user who just wants to meet new people and have some fun.

So rather than rebranding, its better to incorporate some fun in to your offer. Distinguish between "work" and "play": put a seperate link on your homepage to a more fun and casual area which allows to meet new people and exchange language know-how. This way, you will not offend your current target market, but also gain brand awareness and values with the increased traffic by "happy go lucky fun-learners".

Regarding the name, in the light of the above explained, changing to LingQ may have some drawbacks. Again, you will loose some brand popularity as people who knew you as thelinguist won't recognise you anymore. Plus the name LingQ itself won't mean much to a novice in English who can't in the first place understand the correctly spelt words. Also, even a English fluent person would have trouble understanding the name unless it's explained. Thus the name itself, will create "dis-trust" of a language excellence provider. Thus even though LinQ is fun, given the purpose of your business and the target market, correct English would be more applicable.

Regards, and blessings for success.
 
Posted by: Emi_C Accepted Answer
8/29/2006 2:41 AM (CST)
Hi,

To answer your first question, would I change the name? This largely depends on the feedback you have been receiving so far. You know this batter then we do, so think about it carefully. How is your brand perceieved now and is it risky to change it? You may confuse your target market, they may look at it as a new product all together and a different brand.

I would also stick with the first name, for the same reason. Chaging it will confuse your target market. Also, making a name 'more fun' largely depends on who your target market is. Is it schoolchildren, young professionals or mature adults? You dont want to seem as being 'too fun' and loose the credibility of a serious language knowledge provider. Secondly, the first name, I would think is easier to understand and easier to pronounce, for foreigners. The fact that you yourself had to explain above that it is indeed pronounced 'link' and what it means testifies this. Even I didnt get it at a first glance. Maybe my brain is working a bit slow today :) but it could be the name.

If you need to change something, introduce more subtle changes and definately think about the value of your brand as it is now and the response to it and whether it is risky or worth changing.

I hope these few thoughts help
Good luck,
Emi
 
Posted by: ASVP/ChrisB Accepted Answer
8/29/2006 9:09 AM (CST)
Mark

I'd stay with the current name. Persistence is the main thing - I guess the two names I most associate with learning languages are "Teach Yourself...(language name)" from the range of books around 40+ years ago, and Berlitz. One is self explanatory, the other, well, persistent...

LingQ does nothing for me except confuse - like a lot of made-up names, it requires huge reach and frequency to carve out a following. If you have a large budget, fine. But I bet you don't.

I would focus your marketing efforts on getting the site rating well in search engines in the various languages you will serve, plus Google Adwords if budget permits.

Good luck.

ChrisB
 
Posted by: Frank Hurtte Accepted Answer
8/29/2006 9:14 AM (CST)
i dont believe in changing company names. Especially if the company is successful and has some name recognition (you will need to be the one to answer that question). But, the great thing about the internet is that you can offer two brands of the same product. Have you considered using the new brand name and focusuing it at a slightly different segment of the market.
 
Posted by: greg Accepted Answer
8/29/2006 9:26 AM (CST)
Keep the current name. It's good, crisp, and needs no explanation. Rebranding makes no sense in this situation. Keep the equity you have.

Keep the site professional. If you want fun, tell them they will have fun. "My method is so unique, learning is not only easy, you'll actually have fun in the process!" If your method is really that good, corporations will be eager to send employees to you, IF you keep it professional.

The only issue I really have with the site is that you hide the language options at the very bottom. If non-english speakers come to the site and see something they can't read, they will move on without ever making it that far. Put the language options at the very top in the form of flags so it's the first thing they see.
 
Posted by: leslie* Accepted Answer
8/29/2006 10:08 AM (CST)
I agree with the others, do not change the domain name. It will confuse your current followers, and it will have SEO consequences. I don't think rebranding the site is going to be your best way to go.

I would instead clean up the site (keeping with Gregs idea of putting the language options up at the top of the page in almost call out fashion) and I would rework the entire nav. During this process (which you should also concentrate on SEO, you have PR0). You do not need that much text on the homepage for SEO benefits, just a good keyword density should be enough.

When you rework the site, make it obvious that the atmosphere is fun and relaxed. Use different graphics and title the Podcasts with exciting teasers. Also, start a blog with an easy going attitude. That should take you a long way right there.
 
Posted by: amromagdyawad* Accepted Answer
8/29/2006 11:32 AM (CST)
I have noticed that your website has a pagerank of 5 at the moment. Normally I would switch to the shorter name but with a pagerank this high I'm not certain.

Nice name the new one!

Best regards,
Amro
Professional online marketeer
[URL deleted by staff]
 
Posted by: mark Author Response
8/29/2006 11:55 AM (CST)
Where do I start? So many good responses. Thank you all.

Regarding linq.com, this url is taken so it's not an option. The overwhelming response seems to be to keep our current name and just try to make the page content more fun or hive off a section of the site and make it the "fun" area.

My understanding of SEO is that we needed all this text to enable us to have enough instances of our key words. I will check into this again now, since I do agree that it's a lot of reading. As well, the language links being at the bottom are a bit of a problem. They used to be at the top but were pushed down for SEO concerns. The language does default to the user's native language or at least the language of their browser.

We do tend to attract the serious learner at the moment and our learners are tremendous. We certainly don't want to turn them off by making the site seem not for them. The suggestion of "fun" areas for those who are looking for that as part of our offering makes a lot of sense rather than changing the whole thing.

More fun titles for podcasts, links to fun blogs, flags...all good ideas. We had flags before but there is always the issue of which flag to show for each language.
 
Posted by: J a y P a r KHE* Member Response
8/30/2006 1:39 AM (CST)
My company sponsored me to learn english to www.englishtown.com. Under this program TNT covered employees in 62 countries.
You might want to take a look at the site and see an opportunity of benchmarking their methods of business development with MNC's who have multicultures, multilingual employees as target segment.
I know, I am not answering your specific question as having read the learned responses above I feel there is nothing much which I can contribute to your question.
Warm regards.
Jay
 
Posted by: epistles1 Accepted Answer
8/30/2006 10:16 AM (CST)
Hi
I think the company name, the linguist has a certain serious feel to it. WHile I understand that you want it to be more "fun" I think that might come at the cost of sounding frivolous. So first thing, in my opinion, is to stick to the name.

The website ofcourse could do with a bit of a revamp. How about trial demos? You know hearing is a lot better than just seeing ( esp here) So see if an interactive/demo session can be included. A nice catch line with the linguist.."Discover the languages of the world" or, "Know the world, with u"
would it give it a nice feel.

Best regards
me
 
Posted by: epistles1 Member Response
8/30/2006 10:18 AM (CST)
P.s: Correction "Know the world, with us"
 
Posted by: mark Author Response
8/30/2006 11:50 AM (CST)
Thank you all for your helpful advice. The message is clear. Stay with our current brand.
 


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