What name should this Roofer pick for his business

[HoosierBuff]

I have a roofer who is a good guy, he is finally quitting working for someone else and going out on his own.

He asked me about the different names and started to think in terms of SEO, and that google+ local ranking.

Which onWould you do

A). Don's Roofing company
B). Don's Roofing and gutter company
c). Don't roofing and gutter company of Los Angeles (his business isn't even in LA, it is next door to LA, and we are wondering if this would help).

I think it is B for sure, but wondering about adding the city.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Here's my 2 cents. I think C looks KW stuffed even if he gets a DBA.

Need to remember naming a company is mainly about branding. Not so much SEO.
He needs to think about how "Don't roofing and gutter company of Los Angeles" is going to fit and look on business cards, letterhead, signs, bank account, etc.

And city in name may not always help ranking. So I would not bet my branding on Google. I'd def have the word Roofing or Roofers in the name, but I'd go for something short, memorable and brandable over anything else.

Plus if he's not located in LA I doubt he can rank in a city as competitive as LA even if he adds city.

So if I really wanted city in there, I'd put it 1st and have it be the city he's actually in.
So something like "Pasadena Roofing Pros" or something like that. Otherwise from the choices below I would just do A I think.

 

[Phil Rozek]

What Linda said. "Don's Roofing Company" would be my choice, too. The only caveat: I'd put a unique twist on it (and I ain't talking about another keyword). There are other roofing companies run by a guy named Don:

https://www.google.com/search?q=don's+roofing+company

Look at some of these names for inspiration:

20 of the Funniest Business Names of All Time | Pleated-Jeans.com

 

[HoosierBuff]

Guys,

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm surprised - but admit I have much to learn on this.


Note: I would be less concerned about what it looks like on business cards etc. since you can put a truncated version of your name on there. . . but, looking like keyword stuffing is a risk I wouldn't want to undertake.

 

[Linda Buquet]

OMG, I just found a post from Gyi, one of the speakers at our webinar this week, that totally NAILS this topic. Have your client read this in detail. It makes really important points.

<a href="https://lawyerist.com/66919/stop-using-location-practice-area-attorney/">Stop Using [Location] [Practice Area] Attorney</a>

And what about the people who already know you. Have you thought how this might appear to your actual clients, colleagues, friends, family, etc. You know, the people who might actually refer new clients to you? Do you think that they will be more or less motivated to refer other people they know to your nondescript website? ?You should talk to Chicago Bankruptcy Lawyer, she?s the best.?

That's just one part. It's great. Read the rest!

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Do not make a branding decision based on SEO. When the day comes that Google makes a change that nullifies a name's effect on your SEO power (if that ever happens), you'll be sick to your stomach.

It seems enticing now but it won't be for the long haul.

Use whatever name is best for branding.

 

[Robert Ramirez]

As others have said, "A" is your best option for sure. You can rank for "gutters" (does that even have measurable search volume?) and Los Angeles variations (maybe) by doing SEO.

The Los Angeles thing comes with a caveat. Always hard to rank for competitive terms without a brick and mortar in the location, but roofers are the types of businesses that have large service areas so it's not out of the question.

But to reiterate what others have said - make branding decisions based on real world business considerations, NOT SEO. This guy has to live with his business name for the rest of his life (hopefully), he should pick something he likes.