A crucial part of the launch of any new online community is finding a good name for it. But this can be much harder than it sounds! This may not seem that important in the grand scheme of your community strategy, but it can send a subtle but strong signal about your community and can really affect your community’s engagement.

There are basically two schools of thought on naming a private online community. One is more common in the corporate/organizational space, and the other is more common among all other communities.

The most prevalent naming convention for sponsored private communities to use the organization’s name or acronym in the community name.  This kind of name…

• Sends a strong, clear signal that the community is sponsored by the organization.
• Helps the organization reinforce its brand name.
• Is SEO-friendly (findable through search engines).
• Is often easy to get a simple URL for (eg association.org/community or community.association.org)

In the corporate space, following this approach, you’ll see names like Marriott Rewards Insiders. There are many examples in the association industry – ASAE Collaborate, ALZ Connected (Alzheimers Association), MLA Commons (Modern Language Association), MyNTEN, IAIA Connect, and GBTA Hub.

The second approach is to leave the organization’s name out of the community name, and instead find a name that is less literal and more metaphorical. These communities use a word or words that are iconic, symbolic or otherwise relevant to the community’s members, or the organization’s brand or products. The rationale for omitting the organization name from the community name is:

• It makes the community feel like it’s about the members, and not about the organization or whatever the organization is selling.
• It can help to extend the brand footprint beyond the company name.
• Let’s face it: These community names just sound better…

Here are a few corporate examples: Sermo, StackOverflow, The Hive, Fitocracy.  The American Society for Microbiology calls their private community Microbeworld. The National Infertility Association calls their support group community Resolve. The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s employees-only private community is called The Square.

So what are you going to call your new online community?

Here are some more considerations:

• What does it mean, philosophically, to be part of your community? Is it closed, private and exclusive, or open and welcoming?
• Should the name reflect your geographical location?
• Should the name be something fun and “inside baseball” that your industry would appreciate? E.g. “The Staff Lounge” for an HR association?
• Would someone wear a T-shirt with the community name on it?
• Will the name appeal to both existing and future/prospective members?
• Does it relate to the org’s mission?

Naming your community without the organization’s acronym or name in it can be a tough sell to executives and leadership, but community management effective practices show us that doing so contributes to a strong community.  A member should feel a sense of affiliation and familiarity with the name of your community; it should reflect the purpose of the community, and the brand of the association, but there needs to be something unique and special about it too.

Your community name is a powerful symbol. Don’t waste it.

————–

(photo credit)